As in the rest of Europe, Christmas decorations in Poland appear in stores in October. As the most grotesque advertisements of Coca Cola, which appear each year at the beginning of that month. It's very funny to see during the All Saints' Day, the words "Feel the magic of the holidays!". That day, all Polish visit cemeteries. So, it's more a solemn moment that a time of fun...

Perhaps you've heard that Poland is very Catholic. Hmmm, I'm not sure if this is so true today. There are many people who are believers, and many who are not. Nevertheless, during Advent, there is something called "Rotary". It is a type of mass that often occurs early in the morning (at 6.30). In my opinion, it is very beautiful. It is already dark and people hold little candles.


These lines of light that you can see in the picture, they are the routes of fire because all candles, at first, are extinguished. We start by lighting the candles that are the closest to the altar and then, everyone lights the candle of its neighbor and so this leads to all this light.

December 6 is similar as in France, I think. In Advent, children write letters and gifts come during the night.

The process at Christmas is more complicated. There are lots of traditions and many differ from one region to another in Poland.

It all begins on December 24. We decorate the Christmas tree ( in many houses, it's done a few days before). The 24th is the culmination of preparations for New Year's Eve (Wigilia in Polish). That is to say, the general chaos (not only at home). If you wanted to get everything ready in the tradition, you would need for 12 dishes! (Impossible) And then, everyone should taste each dish (even more impossible). In addition, it is not a day off...

Before describing all the dishes, here are the photos of the cribs. In Krakow, where I live, there is the tradition of nurseries.


                           


The building, still like Notre Dame Cathedral, must be colorful, with typical elements like the dragon of Krakow, historical figures, etc... and characters that are normally in the crib - Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Magi and so on.

the dragon of Krakow



But at home, it is usually a simple crib like this:



On the table, there is a traditional dish for the pilgrim and a little hay underneath the tablecloth.


There are plenty of dishes, depending of the region. At my house, there are three soups:
1. Barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (a type of ravioli with cabbage and mushrooms)
2. Grochow (pea soup) with small pieces of toast
3. Grzybowa (mushroom soup)

We eat fried carp and carp in jelly.

We eat "pierogi"; it's something difficult to explain. They're like dumplings but larger.


There is also:
- Pasta with poppy
- The kutia (this comes from Ukraine) - wheat whit honey, dried fruit, nuts, grapes, etc.
- Cakes like this cake with poppy seeds made by my mother and that I love:




                                                                                           Renata

Ouvrons ensemble l'année 2012
Faisons voeu d'y tracer, à l'encre sympathique,
Trois cent soixante-cinq graines de vie,
Trois cent soixante-cinq graines de temps,
Juste le Temps des temps perdus,
Et des temps gagnés
A respirer au bord de nos coeurs,
A forger nos justes espoirs,
A nous réjouir de chaque goutte de vie,
A savourer notre bonne heure,
En goûtant à la plénitude d'être vivant,
D'être soi-même.
De chérir et partager les moments à venir!


Let's open together this year 2012
Let us vow to trace, in invisible ink,
Three hundred sixty-five seeds of life,
Three hundred sixty-five seeds of time,
Just the Time of lost time,
Time and earned
To breath at the edge of our hearts,
To build our right hopes,
To rejoice in every drop of life,
To enjoy our good time
And experience the fullness of being alive,
To be oneself.
To cherish and share the moments to come!