Polish traditions and ceremonies

Polish traditions through the year include holidays, customs, superstitions, rituals, and celebrations. Some are firmly rooted in the national religion, Catholicism; others stem from pagan rites of seasons. In many cases, visitors to can participate or learn more about these traditions.

St. Andrew's Eve

In Poland, Andrzejki, or St. Andrew's Eve is on the 30th of November. This tradition has its roots in the past and is focused on superstitions and fortune telling. Poles who take part in Andrzejki rituals do so for fun rather than to gain insight into their futures, but for those traveling to Poland or those who are interested in Polish culture, the traditions are worth knowing about.

Andrzejki fortune telling is mostly for unmarried young ladies. In the past, searching for a husband was a Polish girl's most important task, so some St. Andrew's Eve rituals predict which female in the household will get married next or help to describe the man they will marry.

Santa Claus in Poland

December 6th is St. Nicholas Day, and on St. Nicholas Eve, Mikolaj places gifts under children's pillows. Alternatively, Mikolaj visits in person, either dressed in elegant bishop's clothing or in the merry red winter suit typical to the Western . Sometimes, gifts are accompanied by a switch to remind children to be good. Mikolaj may make an additional appearance on Eve.

The Burning and Drowning of Marzanna

Marzanna is a pagan springtime festival in Poland that signals the end of winter. It usually takes place on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The “drowning” of Marzanna is still conducted as a way for Poles to stay in touch with their ancient heritage and have fun with superstitions and festive traditions. Marzanna represents winter or death, and the Sunday on which the Marzanna celebrations take place is sometimes called Death Sunday. On this day a straw or rag effigy of Marzanna is constructed, sometimes by school children. The effigy is imbued with the negative qualities of the long, cold winter.

The Supper Wigilia

The Wigilia begins at the appearance of the first star. There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp. The supper, which includes many traditional dishes and deserts, can sometimes last for over two hours. It is followed by the exchange of gifts. The supper begins with the breaking of the bread calls opłatek. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. They then share a piece with each family member.

Christmas Day Wesolych swiat! Merry Christmas! Christmas day is spent visiting family and friends. Dinner typically is ham, some type of Polish kielbasa, roast duck or goose, or Hunter’s stew – bigos. Starboys go caroling from house to house carrying the szopka, a miniature puppet theater that recreates the Nativity story.

11 November National Independence Day

It is a public holiday in Poland celebrated every year on 11 November to commemorate the anniversary of Poland's assumption of independent statehood in 1918 after 123 years of partition by Russia, Prussia and Austria. The date of 11 November was announced a national holiday in 1937. Major celebrations, attended by Polish State authorities, are held in Warsaw at Piłsudski Square. Churches celebrate masses with the intentions of the Homeland.

15th of August The victorious Warsaw Battle the Polish Army Day

In Poland the 15th of August is the Polish Army Day, connected with the anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, also known as the Miracle upon the Vistula. The day is also the Day of Assumption.

The victorious Warsaw Battle, fought on 12-25 August 1920, during the war between Poles and the Bolsheviks, is considered a breakthrough in the history of the world. It was decisive not only for the independence of Poland, but it also protected the entire Europe from the spread of communism and soviet totalitarianism.

14th October Teachers' Day

This day is the anniversary of the creation of the Commission of National Education, created in 1773 through the initiative of King Stanisław August Poniatowski In many countries, Teachers' Days are intended to be special days for the appreciation of teachers, and may include celebrations to honor them for their special contributions in a particular field area, or the community in general. The date on which Teachers' day is celebrated varies from country to country.

1st September Invasion of Poland

The Invasion of Germany on Poland

Russia's invasion of Poland Poland in World War II September 1, 1939 - May 8, 1945 September 1st, 1939 was a day that a stronger country came to devour them. Germany attacked from it's own land to the west, form Czechoslovakia from the south, and from Prussia to the north. They attacked very quickly without warning. It first started with preparing the way with fifth-column activity behind enemy lines. Then massive destruction was brought upon the opposing air force on the ground. Next, destroying the communication and transportation systems from the air. The next step was sending light force in the enemy's territory with motorcycle infantry, light tanks, motor-drawn artillery. Then heavy tanks come from the rear and started carving out mechanized pockets. Finally, sending out the foot soldiers supported by artillery, to deal with any resistance and join up with the advanced forces. On September 17, 1939, Russia invaded on the East Side on the basis of a pact between Russia and Germany called the Ribentropp-Molotov pact. Russia and Germany had signed treaties with Poland a few years before, and France and England had given their promise to protect Poland in case of an attack in 1939. France and England had hoped that Russia would protect Poland, but it did not know about the pact between Germany and Russia. Stalin and his forces took the other half of Poland with its oil fields. Hitler had not known they would attack so swiftly because he had planned to cut Stalin off from the oil fields and Hitler's road to the oil of Romania.

June 1 Children's Day

The International Children's Day has been introduced in Poland in the early fifties of XX century. It was easily adopted by Polish children and adults - on the personal level as well as in schools and other public institutions. It coincided with the beginning of summer and since it takes place near the end of the school year - it is usually treated as a holiday. Children attend schools at this day - but school usually organizes for them some special activities - like outdoor plays or the field trips. This day and also the whole week of the beginnig of June is the time of the festivities organized in the parks and entertainment centers. The parents usually buy some small gifts to their kids - the smaller the children the bigger the gifts 

8th March Women’s Day

Women's Day is is celebrated on March the 8th of each year. Women's Day is the old Polish version of the Valentine's Day with the one difference that all women are on the receiving side while all men are on the giving side. While the Valentine's Day is more privately celebrated between the lovers, the Women's Day is celebrated more as a national holiday for all women, whether they are 8, or 80 years old. At that day all women in Poland receive special attention (usually in the form of flowers) not only privately, but also at schools and at work (hospitals, offices, etc.). In addition to flowers, they sometimes receive greeting cards, which are not that popular in Poland as they are in North America.

26th of May Mother's Day

Mother's Day in Poland is celebrated on the 26th of May. Mother's Day is marked with the special celebrations in schools and kindergardens. Younger children prepare so called "laurki" for their mothers - a sheet of paper decorated with flowers on which children write their wishes to their mothers. Schools often carry special ceremonies or classes to commemorate Mother's Day. But not only children remember about their mums on that special day; all people pay tribute to mothers for all their love and support and to make them feel special.

January 21st January 22nd Grandmother’s Day and Grandfather’s Day

In Poland, Grandmother's Day is celebrated on January 21. Grandfather's Day is celebrated a day later, on January 22. Grandmother ‘s Day and Grandfather’s Day are days when grandchildren are greeting their grandparents. These are special days, when they can express their feelings and gratitude. There are many reasons to be grateful such as carrying for their grandchildren, love, moral teaching, passing family traditions, setting example, but also small things like gifts and sweets that they give to their children, cooking for them or legacy. During Grandmother's Day and Grandfather’s Day grandchildren are sending congratulatory cards to their grandparents. Sometimes children are participating in performances and ceremonies organized in schools and kindergartens for their grandparents.

23th June Father’s Day

This day isn't as popular as Children's Day or Mother's Day in Poland ,but we celebrate it by giving our dads small, but meaningful gifts reminding them of our love.

14th February Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day has not been celebrated in Poland until very recently. Only after the collapse of the Eastern European Block and the consequent opening of Poland's borders this well known, especially in English-language cultures holiday entered Polish society. Romantic Poles were very quick in adopting Valentine’s Day and nowadays it as popular in Poland as anywhere else. The fever of Valentine’s Day captures all - young, adults and even kids in Poland. There is a general mood of merriment and gaiety that encompasses all. Get-togethers are arranged and the event is celebrated in a grand manner. Exchanging gifts is a major part of the celebration and tokens of love are exchanged between partners, friends and even family members. For the young, it is about expressing and committing, while for the adults, it is about celebrating their years of togetherness. Popular gifting ideas are heart shaped chocolates, Valentine cards, cupids and so on. Nowadays, live concerts and shows are arranged and people dwell in the true essence of the festival. .

Maundy Thursday the day of the Last Supper

Each year we celebrate Easter sometime between March 21 and April 25 on the Sunday that comes just after the first full moon of Spring. This date was fixed during the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Many other holy days in the church’s calendar are determined by this date, for example, the first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday) or Palm Sunday. To commemorate the fact that Christ washed the feet of the apostles, there was in Poland the custom that bishops and kings did the same for old men. The king who initiated the tradition was Zygmunt III. In the time of Stanisław August, it happened one year that every one of the old men was over 100 years old and one of them was even 125 years old. After this ceremony the old men were led to tables and dignitaries served them to show their humility, as Jesus Christ used to do. Now in Poland on Maundy Thursday bishops wash the feet of twelve elderly men in an echo of Christ's gesture towards the apostles at the Last Supper.

1stApril

Prima aprilis ! Day jokes, custom associated with the first day of April, celebrated in many countries including Poland. It involves making jokes, intentional misleading, liar, competing in trials on a possibility that others believe in something untrue. On this day in many different media, there are humorous information. The origin of this custom is not yet clear.

Last Thursday before the Lent Fat Thursday

Fat Thursday is a Christian feast celebrated on the last Thursday before the Lent. Traditionally it is a day when people eat big amounts of sweets and cakes – that are afterwards forbidden until Easter. Fat Thursday is especially popular in Poland and Catholic part of Germany. As the date is closely connected with Easter and beginning of the Lent, Tlusty Czwartek belongs to moveable feasts. The next Thursday falls already after Ash Wednesday – that is the period of the Lent when the Catholics should restrain from overeating. The most popular sweets during Fat Thursday are ‘paczki’ (fist-sized donuts) or ‘faworki’ called also in some regions ‘chrust’ (French dough fingers fried and served with powdered sugar). The donuts one can fill with marmalade or briar and cover with powdered sugar or sugar-icing.

May 2nd The Flag Day

The Flag Day was established by a decree on February 20, 2004 when the change in Polish coat of arm, shade of colors of the flags and Polish anthem were introduced. This day is also called a day of White Eagle. Polish Eagle constitutes a Polish coat or arm. Although May 2nd is formally not a free day, it is often a part of the long holiday or weekend which starts with May 1st and finishes with May 3rd. Flag Day, it is also celebrated as a day of Polish immigration or Poles abroad, so called POLONIA DAY.

Easter Monday Smigus Dyngus

Easter Monday is a family holiday in Poland and is called Smigus Dyngus or Wet Monday. Men and boys pour water on women and girls on that day. However, the tradition isn't necessarily limited to males pouring water on females - the roles are often reversed. Regional variations of the tradition are also known to occur, and a woman's married status may protect her from being doused with water. However, it is best to assume that on this day, no one is safe from the Smigus Dyngus tradition!

Easter in Poland

On Sunday morning, beautifully laid table is covered with colored eggs, cold meats, coils of sausages, ham, yeast cakes, pound cakes, poppy-seed cakes, and in the middle of it all, a lamb made of sugar, commemorating the resurrected Christ. Sharing a boiled egg with one’s relatives is a national tradition. A piece o f egg with salt and pepper, consecrated by priest, is an inseparable accessory in the good wishes we extend to each other at Easter. Cakes are very important ingredients of Easter breakfast: gigantic cakes called “baby”, as well as “mazurki” are prepared only for those occasion.

Palm Sunday

The celebration of Easter is preceded by Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday. Palm branches and twigs are indispensable accessories of the events of this day. They commemorate Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The original palm branch is replaced by a willow or raspberry branch, and is decorated with ribbons, flowers, and leaves. It is believed that swallowing a willow catkin from a branch consecrated by a priest would bring health, and palm branch placed behind a holy image until the following year would bring the inhabitants luck.

Ash Wednesday

Most Poles are Roman Catholic, so on Ash Wednesday or Sroda Popielcowa, Mass is heard and ashes are received on the forehead from a priest who says, "All are from the dust, and to dust all return”.

Ash Wednesday is also the day when pussy willows -- bazie or kotki -- are cut and pl aced in a vase of water. Since palms are not available in Poland, these pussy willow twigs will be used as palms to be blessed in church on Palm Sunday.

Today begins 40 days of Lent or Wielki Post, a time of fasting, confession, praying and reflection on the past year. Meat is not eaten on Fridays, and every person, even children, are required to "give up" something for Lent, which could be sweets, movies, television or some other pleasure.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday services accompanied by processions are held to commemorate the Resurrection. Inside the churches, priests s prinkled holy water on small baskets brought by believers and filled with cakes, eggs, horseradish, sausages, ham, salt, pepper, and tiny sugar lambs. The consecration of eggs refers to egg being an ancient symbol of life. The consecration of horseradish refers to the bitterness of the passion of Jesus which, on the day of resurrection, changed into joy and sweetness. The custom of coloring eggs for Easter is still observed. Eggs which are painted in one color are called “malowanki” or “kraszanki”. If patterns are etched with a pointed instrument on top of the paint, the eggs are then called “skrobanki” or “rysowanki”. Those eggs decorated with the use of treated wax are called “pisanki”. A nother technique involved gluing colored paper or shiny fabric on them.

Good Friday

Good Friday is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduumon the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance ofPassover. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, , or Easter Friday, though the latter properly refers to the Friday in Easter week.