Though the dishes vary between regions, certain items are found almost everywhere. traditional favorites include mushroom and beet soups, prune dumplings, dumplings with sauerkraut, varieties of fish, and noodles with poppy seed. Desserts vary regionally, but usually include poppy seed cake, strudel, and kutya, a dish made with grain, nuts, or raisins and honey. Often there is a compote of 12 fruits in honor of the 12 Apostles.
After supper, family and guests stay at the table until, at a signal from the host, they all rise in unison and leave. This is the result of an old superstition that the first to rise will die before the next Christmas.
At this time, presents are opened having been brought by the Star Man, or the Little Star or in some areas, Santa Claus.
The remainder of the evening is given to stories and koledy,carols around the Christmas tree. The tree is decorated with beautiful blown glass ornaments, a result of the recent revival of the glass-blowing trade in Poland. There are also ornaments made from eggshells, colored paper, wafers and straw.
In the rural areas carollers go door to door, one carrying a star, one dressed as King Herod, and others as angels and shepherds. Midnight finds many families attending Pasterka, the Shepherd's Mass.
In Kracow, there are before Christmas Eve, Szopka creche competitions are held in Krakow's Market Square. The elaborate and colorful Szopka are constructed to resemble the local architecture and they take hundreds of hours and great patience to complete. It's considered a great honor to be selected for the first prize.
Christmas day is a day of rest, meditation, prayer, and greatfulness. The real celebration takes place on Christmas eve. An extravagant feast, called Wigilia, which has been prepared many days before, is served when the first star is visible in the sky. This star is know as the Gwiazdka. Family and friends gather together to enjoy the delicious meal.
After the great feast everyone sings Polish Christmas carols while they wait around the Christmas tree, choinka, for gifts to be handed out. When Christmas day comes to an end the Christmas spirit is not snuffed out. Cristmas actually lasts until February. During this period of Christmas cheer, the local theaters put on Christmas plays and everyone has High Spirits.
Polish Carols
Polish Christmas carols are almost all anonymous, having been composed by the people. Their origins date from the fourteen century, many from the 16th and 17th centuries. W Zlobie Lezy, credited with originating in the 14th century, is considered the first Polonaise.
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