Christmas Eve is an important holiday in Poland and is celebrated with many traditional customs and activities. From festive meals to special prayers, the evening is filled with warmth and joy. In this article, we’ll explore the unique Christmas Eve traditions in Poland and how you can incorporate them into your own celebrations.

The Christmas Eve Dinner

One of the most significant Christmas Eve traditions in Poland is the Wigilia, or Christmas Eve dinner. This meal is considered the most important meal of the year and is typically served in the evening. The table is set with a white tablecloth, symbolizing peace and purity, and is decorated with candles, straw, and hay, representing the stable where Jesus was born.

The meal typically consists of 12 traditional dishes, each with a different symbolic meaning. Some of these dishes include:

Barszcz (beetroot soup)
Kompot (fruit compote)
Pierogi (stuffed dumplings)
Karp (carp)
Oplatek (Christmas wafer)

The Christmas Eve Prayers

After the meal, the family joins together in prayers and carols. The traditional prayers include the “Oplatek” prayer, in which family members exchange wishes for peace and love, and the “Kolędy” carols, which are sung in honor of the birth of Jesus.

Breaking the Oplatek

The Oplatek, a thin wafer made from flour and water, is a central part of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Poland. The wafer is blessed and then shared among family members, symbolizing unity and love. Breaking the Oplatek with loved ones is a cherished tradition and is a symbol of the coming together of family and friends.