TRADITIONS IN

POLAND

Dominika Rojek VA

ALL SAINTS' DAYAND

ALL SOULS‘ DAY

The tradition of All Saints Day has its origins in ancient Celtic festival of "Samhain" (death of the body). All Saints’ Day is a festival which has been celebrated in Poland and the rest of the Catholic world for many centuries. All Saints Day is a day when people all over Poland visit the graves of loved ones and to place candles and flowers on graves. The special candles, which can burn for many hours, are placed there so that departed souls can find their way through the darkness. Cemeteries are lit by many hundreds of these candles and at night the cemeteries can often be seen glowing from long distances. Many Poles travel long distances to visit family graves and to remember the dead.

On Polish graveyards collections of money are being organised to the restoration of monuments and charity cells.

EASTER HOLIDAYS

Easter is major holiday in Poland, and Easter celebrations are not limited to Easter Sunday. Easter-related traditions take place for more than a week. From Palm Sunday to Wet Monday, this period is marked with religious rites and practices with their origins in pagan times. It is important to note that Easter in Poland is celebrated Western Roman Catholic calendar. Holy Week lasts from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday, the week before Easter Sunday, is marked by church attendance with palm-leaf substitutes in the form of willow branches or handmade bouquets of dried flowers. On Easter Saturday, baskets of Easter food are taken to church to be blessed; the food that is blessed is eaten as a part of the Easter Sunday meal. The Easter breakfast consists of hard-boiled eggs, cold meats and other dishes, including a cake in the form of a lamb to symbolize Christ. Easter Monday is a family holiday in Poland and is called Smigus Dyngus or Wet Monday, after the practice of men and boys pouring water on women and girls. However, the tradition isn't necessarily limited to males pouring water on females - the roles are often reversed.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

For me Christmas the most important time in the whole year. Christmas always spent together I, mum, dad, brother and sometimes grandmother. The first I and mum together decorate Christmas tree with balls, chains and lamps and decorated the whole house as well. We also sent Christmas cards for friends and family. Dishes prepared parents. It is twelve: red beet soup with little dumplings, ravioli, herring. There are also the main carp. When the first star appeared on the sky. Under the table-cloths hay is laid but one place remains for an unexpected visitor. It folds wishes on each start and it is divided wafer. We gave the wafer to animals so that they can speak in a Human voice. When we will ate suppers already unpacked the presents from under the Christmas tree and we sang together carols next we went to the church for Christmas Midnight. These moments become in memory for long time.