Christmas

It is a very important day for Polish Christian people. The families meet at the table. They wish one another the best wishes like: good health, luck, big money etc. They decorate Christmas tree or pine tree with paper stars, angels, toys, nuts and glass balls. Under or on the Christmas tree there is small Crib-the symbol of the place in Bethlehem where Baby Jesus was born. In the Crib there are paper, stone or plastic figures of Saint Joseph, Holy Mary and Baby Jesus. It’s Christmas!

In my home Christmas Eve starts when we are sharing opłatek After that we can sit and eat Christmas dishes. We always eat twelve traditional dishes. The feast starts with soup: beetroot soup with mushroom ravioli or other regional soup. Later we eat fish. The most popular are carp, trout or herring-fried, cooked or in jelly. Me and my family eat many kinds of dumplings: with cabbage, cheese, mushrooms or poppy seeds. We also eat other dishes made of cabbage or beans. The most interesting dish on table is kutia, but not everyone want to eat that. In it there are nuts, honey, almonds, cooked wheat and dried fruit. The most popular cakes in my house are: poppy seed cake, gingerbread or dried fruit and nuts cake. Later everyone (even children, but a little) drink stewed dried fruit and sometimes wine. Then we sing carols and talk a lot. After that the youngest child (me!!) take presents and give them to right person. In my house presents usually brings The Star. At midnight we are going on a special mass-Pasterka-to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus. The next day- December 25, is Christmas- my family usually eat and talk (again) , sing carols and go to church. We eat salads, cakes, smoked meat, sausages, pate, roasted chicken and things from Christmas table. The next day -St. Szczepan’s day, December 26. My family usually eat the rest of food, talk and visit friends with wishes, sing carols and go to church to remember St. Szczepan-the martyr.

Last Christmas was the best, not only because I received a lot of presents, but because the most important reason- me and my family were together in the same place at the same time, and we could talk a lot. On that time everyone are happy.