The most important and the best known holidays all over the world are Christmas and Easter. Although this both holidays are Christian they are so deep - rooted in tradition of many countries that even people who do not belive in God celebrate them. However by saying Christmas and Easter in different countries we understand it different. The same name does not mean that the festivities are the same. Frankly speaking, they are different in every country. That is why I would like to write about Poland and its traditions.
People start prepering for the Christmas time much earlier than 24 th December. For those who go to the church the very important time is Advent. It is the four - week - long prepering for Jesus' birthday. In that time there are special services which are supposed to help you in your faith. Of course besides church there is much more things happening. All shop windows, market squeres, streets and houses are being decorated with fairy lights and baubles. The holiday begin few days before the Christmas Eve. Children are free from school and people usually are free from work. They are prepering food for Christmas Eve which is the first day of festivities. It is on 24 th December. A lot of food is needed as all the family gather together at the Christmas supper. There is supposed to be twelve courses which are mostly so traditional that they are eaten only during that night. Children are waiting for the first star and when they will see it everybody start a supper. Very important thing is to leave one chair at the table for somebody, an alien, who may be looking for a place to sit.
The supper starts with the prayer. Usually people read the part of the gospel which says about the birth of Jesus. Later there is a prayer for all members of family who are dead and thanksgiving for the whole year and all what happened. Than everybody are exchanging greetings of Happy Christmas and Good New Year and they share with the wafer. Later, they sit at the table and they start eating. The tradition says that you have to try everything what is on the table. So, first people eat garlic, bread, peas, sometimes cabbage or cabbage with peas, and pasta with cabbage. Later, they eat dumplings with cabbage, white cheese, mushrooms. This is not the end yet. After a short break the beetroot soup with mashroom duplings is being served. Very important part is also fish. The fish is usually fried and it maybe the carp, trout or herring. Sometimes there is also jellied carp. On the East of Poland there is special course served. Its name is 'kutia'. It is a mix of cooked wheet, nuts, honey, almonds, poppy - seed. It is very sweet but very good. After the supper is finished people usually sing carols and talk. Later they can have some dessert, which are different cakes. They stay together till the midnight. Before midnight everybody go to the church and they wait for Jesus' birth together. The Mass is at midnight and that is the most important part of both Cristmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Mass is called Pasterka because of shepherds who were the first people who saw born Baby Jesus.
The festivities last for another two days. People visit their families, friends and they eat all those delicious food they had prepared earlier. They sing carols together and they talk. Sometimes they drink good alkohol. In some families the presents are given. I say in some because there is also a special day of presents but on 6 th December. That is the day of Santa Claus. But some people changed it for the Christmas Day.
Christmas in other countries are different than in Poland but there are some similarities. Of course what is the most important is that that night Jesus is being born. In England and USA families also gather together and they have their supper but it is not that big as in Poland and there is no Mass in the midnight. In Scotland the Christmas time is supposed to be serious and spiritual. They have got a lot of fun during Hogmanay - New Year. Thay believe that during the New Year all dark - haired strangers bring good luck. This tradition is called "first footing". During the Christmas Eve British and American families meet together but in my opinion it is not the same as in Poland. For British and Americans it is more commercial holiday and for Polish it is very spiritual holiday. But of course it all dependes from the family and people.
What is common in all countries is Christmas Tree. The English - speaking people have got beautiful Christmas Trees. They decorate them with sweets, ribbons, angels, candles, baubles, chains. There is also a tradition of kissing under mistletoe. This custom is very old but it is very nice because you can kiss everybody you want but he or she must be standing under the mistletoe. Nowadays it is also very popular in Poland. The tradition of Christmas tree is not that old. It all started in Germany. Later it was brought to England by Prince Albert who decorated a tree for his wife - Qeen Victoria and their children. The tradition was so beautiful that it had spread all over the world very quickly. It was in XIX th century.
The same as in Poland people exchange their greetings between them and they all gather at one table with their families. The most popular course is roasted turkey, Christmas pudding and wassail. That last one is special drink made of nuts, ale, cream, eggs, roasted apples and spices. This drink should be hot while drinking. The tradition says that before drinking it all members of family have to sing special song and than they can all drink wassail. Although British and Americans haven't got the midnight Mass they have got very old custom of singing carols. They do it at home after supper and very often there are children and teenagers who walk from door to door and sing beautiful carols. Sometimes they just stay on the streets or market squeres. The best known carol in the whole world is 'Sailent Night'. This carol is sung in all languages: polish, english, german, spanish, french, and so on.
Of course one of the most important tradition, especially for children are presents. The presents in USA and Great Britain are given during the Christmas Day. In USA the letters need to be sent to Santa Claus who at that day is coming through the fire place and leaves presents in big stockings which are hanged near the fire place. It usually happens at night. In Great Britain it is Father Christmas who brings presents. He doesn't need to read letter. Children must write their letters but later they just put them into fire instead of sending them. After Christmas Day there is Boxing Day. It has got nothing common with boxJ. The name of Boxing Day comes from the little boxes to which people are donating money for poor and homeless. The patron of this day is St. Stephen. In Ireland there is tradition of young boys who are dressed in funny costumes. They walk around the streets of the towns and cities and they are asking for money.
The traditions of Christmas are very beautiful and different in all countries. But for people the most important is fact of Baby Jesus being born during that night.
Another holiday which is very important in Christian tradition is Easter. This is a holiday which reminds us that Jesus was really God. He died and after three days he ressurected. This holiday is not that famous in Great Britain or USA but it is very important in Poland. Although Easter holiday is shorter than Christmas there is a lot of traditions connected with it.
After the carnival there must be a time for thinking about God and his death. So polish people say goodbye to the carnival fourty days before Easter. This time of fourty days is called Lent. As a symbol of finished carnival there is a special day, the last Thursday of carnival when people all over the Poland eat donuts and cakes and all sweet things. The tradition says that after that day people must eat less as it is a time of fasting. The Lent starts from Ash Wednesday. There is a Mess during which priest reminds people about death and that we are all just ash and there is only Jesus who can save us. The symbol is ash which is sprinkled on the heads of believers. From that time Lent starts. During that time Christians shouldn't dance and eat good things. In churches there are special services celebrated: Way of the Cross, Lenten Psalms. They are supposed to revise people how much Jesus suffered before death. The holidays start in Holy Week. There are special Messes in the churches which are taking people through the death to ressurection of Jesus Christ. The first ceremony starts on Holy Thursday. In that day people memorise Jesus the priest and the first mass during the Last Supper. The next day is Good Friday. This is the time of fasting, people often only eat bread and drink water. There is no Mass during that day. There is only ceremony of funeral of Beaten and crucified Jesus. During Holy Saturday people preper their baskets with food to be blessed. People put there eggs, sausage, salt, vinegar, horseradish, painted eggs, wax chcken and lambs. This basket full of food is the symbol of new life. At the evening there is another Mess in the church. During the mass the fire and water are blessed. The most important moment comes on Holy Sunday. It is the day of Ressurection. People go to the special Mass which is celebrated at 6 o'clock in the morning. All bells are ringing and the fireworks are set off. After the mass people come back to their houses to meet the family during Easter breakfast. They talk together and they eat usually salads, eggs, sausages, meat. They are exchenging greetings. The naxt day is still a holiday it is so called Easter Monday, on which people sprinkle each other with water. There is a custom that the girl who will be the most wet will get married soon. This is a day of visiting friends and family.
Easter in Poland are very important part of tradition and culture. Easter are less commercial and that is why they are my favourite holidays.
