Christmas

Christmas is a widely celebrated and anxiously awaited holiday by all members of the Christian religion. In England people decorate their houses on Christmas Eve (24.12.) with an evergreen such as a mistletoe. Children place stockings under their beds strongly believing that Santa Clause (or Father Christmas, as they call him in England) will leave them a lovely present. Christmas morning is spent on opening the presents and at midday all the family gathers at the table to eat a traditional Christmas Dinner which consists of turkey, vegetables, roast potatoes and cranberry sauce followed by Christmas pudding. At 3 p.m. many people will turn their TV sets on to listen to the Queen’s Christmas message. The 26^th of December is called Boxing Day as it used to be the day when tradesmen traditionally received their Christmas bonus. This money was called their Christmas Box - hence the name. On this day the English visit their family. 


Christmas in Poland is much different from Christmas in the United Kingdom. Poles attach great importance to Christmas Eve. On that day we decorate the Christmas tree and leave presents for our relatives under it. The celebration starts when the first star appears in the sky. Before we sit down and taste all the delicious dishes, we share a holy wafer with each and every member of the family present, wishing them Merry Christmas.  After the meal, which consists of twelve dishes, Poles unwrap their presents. At midnight most people will choose to attend a mass called Pasterka. On 25th and 26 th December Poles usually stay at home or visit their family. They spend the majority of the time at the table eating, talking and in some families singing carols.

Christmas is the celebration that Poles like most as it is a time of love, forgiveness, happiness, a rare moment in the whole year when they can forget about day-to-day worries.  

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