- Preparation for the holiday
- Holiday traditions
- Festive table
- Present
- Polish Santa Claus
- Where to go for a holiday
Poles, like other European nations, celebrate the New Year on the night of December 31 to January 1. The eve of the holiday is usually called the Day of St. Sylvester, who, according to legend, many centuries ago destroyed the serpent Leviathan and was able to save thousands of people from death. New Year's celebration in Poland is massive and official, and is not inferior in importance to Christmas.
Preparation for the holiday
Every resident of Poland considers it his duty to carefully prepare for the New Year long before its onset. Hostesses 2-3 days before the main night of the country follow several rules to make the holiday fun and interesting. Here are just a few of the preparation steps:
- mandatory cleaning of the entire house and the area around it;
- discarding old things and clothes;
- decorating rooms with original compositions on New Year's themes;
- installing spruce in the central living room;
- purchase of gifts for loved ones and products for a festive dinner.
As for the organization of the New Year in large cities, it is held at the highest level. First of all, it is worth noting Warsaw, where already in the first days of December, a forest beauty appears, sparkling with multi-colored lights. In a matter of days, the city turns into a winter fairy tale, which is created by the efforts of architects and designers. Light installations can be seen in the windows of shops and restaurants, and on New Year's Eve, fireworks are heard in all cities.
Holiday traditions
To this day, a variety of customs associated with celebrating the New Year have been preserved and observed in the country. For example, Poles firmly believe that before December 31, all debts must be repaid and in no case borrowed money. If this tradition is broken, then the person will face failure and health problems next year.
There is also a very popular opinion that celebrating the New Year should be fun and noisy. Only then will the coming year bring prosperity and prosperity in all matters.
Another tradition says that getting up on the morning of January 1 is worth only with your right foot. This ritual symbolizes a kind of entry into the year healthy and happy.
In the early days of January, Polish youth organize an entertainment called kulig, which is a ride on a large horse-drawn sleigh. This action most often takes place in nature and is accompanied by songs, dances and lighting a fire. From time immemorial, fire has been associated among Poles with purification and the birth of a new life. Therefore, Poles strive to jump over the fire at least once in order to cleanse themselves of the negativity accumulated last year.
Festive table
Each housewife has in her arsenal a list of must-have dishes that should be on the New Year's table. At the same time, the recipe is passed down from generation to generation and is distinguished by the exact composition of the ingredients. In total, exactly 12 dishes are prepared for the New Year in accordance with the number of months in a calendar year. The festive menu consists of:
- carp baked with sauce;
- national soups ryurek and chill;
- bigus;
- toast with tsvikli sauce;
- meat and vegetable cuts;
- donuts with jam;
- honey cookies.
In addition to the table, alcoholic drinks such as champagne or gzhanets are served, which is a well-known alcoholic drink in Poland based on wine and various spices. Carp is the main New Year's dish, so the head of it is put on a plate for the owner of the house, and it is customary to store the dry scales of this fish in a wallet for several days so that next year will bring wealth.
Present
A week before the holiday, Poles go to shops in order to buy nice presents for family and friends. On New Year's Eve, expensive things are rarely given. The best gift is souvenirs or accessories.
Couples will be presented with original Krakow figurines depicting mythical characters who can save the house from the evil eye and troubles. Boleslav porcelain with unique patterns and textile products is also presented as a gift.
The female half of the population is partly presented with jewelry made of silver, amber and coral. Polish cosmetics are considered a popular New Year's gift and are renowned for their good quality. Fashionistas like clothes and bags with elements of national symbols. Children love to receive sweets and, of course, toys as a gift.
Polish Santa Claus
An interesting fact is that the country's key New Year character comes to Polish children three times. The first visit falls on December 6, when the birthday of St. Nicholas is celebrated. It is on this day that Saint Nicholas, dressed in a long red coat, delivers gifts to homes, leaving them on the windowsill or under the pillow. It is noteworthy that the elder has a daughter named Snowflake, but no one has ever seen her. According to legend, she always sits at home and knits a snow tablecloth to cover the ground.
For the second time, Polish children are already waiting for Zvyazdor or Dedek Mroz for Catholic Christmas. Only gifts are placed under the tree, not under the pillow.
For the third time, Santa Claus comes on the night of December 31 to January 1 and appears in the image of Saint Sylvester. Outwardly, the New Year's wizard resembles a modern Santa Claus, as he is dressed in a red suit with white cuffs.
Where to go for a holiday
Tourists who decide to go to Poland during the winter holidays can choose the best option for themselves. Those who like to celebrate the New Year cheerfully and actively should go to large cities, where special festive programs are organized in December and January for those who want to feel the New Year's atmosphere. The management of restaurants and hotels organizes parties and shows with the participation of the best creative teams. After the celebration, you can take a fascinating excursion to local cultural sites, including unique architectural monuments.
The second option is to purchase a ticket to the ski resorts of Szczyrk, Zakopane, Tatranska and Bialka. In these places, you will have a great opportunity to combine New Year's celebration with skiing or snowboarding.
