... is also called “wilia” and “posnik” in Polish tradition. It is celebrated differently depending on the region of Poland you live. But the time of the beginning of the Christmas Eve is equal for all Polish people: It is the appearing of the first star on the sky. At this moment all believers sit down at the table and this moment means the beginning of the Christmas time.
Inside our church at Christmas time
The table is the most important tradition during the Christmas. On it, on the white table–cloth people put twelve different meals and the Christmas wafer lying on the little plate on top of some hay. Each of the celebrating people takes the Christmas wafer in their hand, goes to another person, wishes all the best and breaks this wafer into halves.
Christmas bread - shared before dinner starts
The most known Christmas meals are: - the red beetroot soup with tortellini and - the carp and the herrings and - the cabbage with peas and - the boiled paste with some poppy and - the dried fruits compote and - some other meals.
We eat this red soup only at Christmas
For dessert people serve - the honey-cakes and - the poppy twist cake and - the “broken cakes” and - some other ones.
Kutia - a sweet dessert from the East
During Christmas Eve there is always an even number of people sitting at the table, because it is believed that an uneven number of people means the death of one guest. This is an other old tradition: The house holders try to take care of their animals, they go and share the rests of the Christmas meals. In doing so, the animals are said to be protected against all disasters and all odds.
