Traditionally, Advent is an important season in Poland that includes special early morning church services. The four Sundays of Advent represent the 4,000 years of waiting for Christ. During Advent, wax is poured on water for fortune telling and special foods like honey cake and decorations like spiders and stars are made. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees are placed in public areas and homes, decorated with apples, nuts, chocolate and candles. On Christmas Eve, an important Polish tradition is sharing oplatek, a bread with a holy image, and wishing happiness and forgiveness to family and neighbors.
Christmas In Poland
The presentation was prepared by the students from Anna Vasa school in Golub-Dobrzyń as a part of Comenius Project We Guide Our Partners
Christmas In Poland
The presentation was prepared by the students from Anna Vasa school in Golub-Dobrzyń as a part of Comenius Project We Guide Our Partners
All that you need to know about the festival Christmas
Christmas History-
Christmas is one of the most popular festivals around the world.
The approaching winter season indicates us that Christmas is around and we usually associate the winter with the Christmas celebration and with 25th December as the birth of Lord Christ
However the history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years and it tells us that celebration during the winter season were common, even way before the Christ was born.
It has been celebrated at different places for different reasons and date of the celebration was fixed to be 25th December quite later.
Christmas Eve-
The day is preceded by Christmas Eve, which falls on December 24, and followed by eleven days of the festival, ending on January 6.
On Christmas Eve, houses are cleaned from top to bottom and are decorated beautifully with lights and other lovely festoons
Planning dinners on Christmas Eve is a tradition that follows since a long time. Usually, a typical Christmas Eve is celebrated by organizing a family dinner or an elaborate meal
The main attraction and highlight of Christmas Eve is the arrival of the famous and everyone's favorite - the legendary character Santa Claus
The idea is to have fun and spread good cheer, on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Trivia
Holy represents the crown worn by Lord Jesus Christ, when he was crucified and the red color of the berries represents his blood.
Christmas is the season, when the world witnesses the maximum sale of diamonds.
Every year, during the Christmas season, more than a billion cards are sold in UK.
Rudolph, the legendary reindeer of Santa Claus, was a creation of Montgomery Ward. He created it for the purpose of a holiday promotion, in the late 1930s.
The world's tallest Christmas tree was erected in America, in 1950. The tree was as high as 76 m.
Candy canes, one of the popular sweet treats used for Christmas, originally were straight white sticks of sugar candy. They were used as an embellishment for Christmas tree. The ends of the candy were bent by Cologne Cathedral, to symbolize shepherd's crook
The word 'Christmas is an old English word and is a contracted version of 'Christ's Mass'.
The tradition of ringing church bells on Christmas morning dates back to the medieval times. The ringing bells symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ.
The tradition of gift-giving during Christmas has originated from the legendary characters of the Three Wise Men, who brought presents to Jesus, when he was born.
Many people believe that the legendary character Santa Claus is based on a real person named St. Nicholas. It is also believed that St. Nicholas brings in Christmas gifts, on the Eve of the festival.
Colours of Christmas
Main colors of Christmas are red and green. They are generally used with white, sparkling silver and gold to compliment them.
Rudolph has a bright red nose and is the favorite reindeer of all children.
Comenius Project
“Understanding and celebrating European folklore”
Greek presentation for the
1st project meeting
from 29th October umtil 2nd November 2012
in Czech Republic, Usti nad Labem
Fakultní základní škola Ústí nad Labem
This presentation coordinated by: Charalampos Passalis, Aspa Karasouli, Ariadni Katzika
All that you need to know about the festival Christmas
Christmas History-
Christmas is one of the most popular festivals around the world.
The approaching winter season indicates us that Christmas is around and we usually associate the winter with the Christmas celebration and with 25th December as the birth of Lord Christ
However the history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years and it tells us that celebration during the winter season were common, even way before the Christ was born.
It has been celebrated at different places for different reasons and date of the celebration was fixed to be 25th December quite later.
Christmas Eve-
The day is preceded by Christmas Eve, which falls on December 24, and followed by eleven days of the festival, ending on January 6.
On Christmas Eve, houses are cleaned from top to bottom and are decorated beautifully with lights and other lovely festoons
Planning dinners on Christmas Eve is a tradition that follows since a long time. Usually, a typical Christmas Eve is celebrated by organizing a family dinner or an elaborate meal
The main attraction and highlight of Christmas Eve is the arrival of the famous and everyone's favorite - the legendary character Santa Claus
The idea is to have fun and spread good cheer, on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Trivia
Holy represents the crown worn by Lord Jesus Christ, when he was crucified and the red color of the berries represents his blood.
Christmas is the season, when the world witnesses the maximum sale of diamonds.
Every year, during the Christmas season, more than a billion cards are sold in UK.
Rudolph, the legendary reindeer of Santa Claus, was a creation of Montgomery Ward. He created it for the purpose of a holiday promotion, in the late 1930s.
The world's tallest Christmas tree was erected in America, in 1950. The tree was as high as 76 m.
Candy canes, one of the popular sweet treats used for Christmas, originally were straight white sticks of sugar candy. They were used as an embellishment for Christmas tree. The ends of the candy were bent by Cologne Cathedral, to symbolize shepherd's crook
The word 'Christmas is an old English word and is a contracted version of 'Christ's Mass'.
The tradition of ringing church bells on Christmas morning dates back to the medieval times. The ringing bells symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ.
The tradition of gift-giving during Christmas has originated from the legendary characters of the Three Wise Men, who brought presents to Jesus, when he was born.
Many people believe that the legendary character Santa Claus is based on a real person named St. Nicholas. It is also believed that St. Nicholas brings in Christmas gifts, on the Eve of the festival.
Colours of Christmas
Main colors of Christmas are red and green. They are generally used with white, sparkling silver and gold to compliment them.
Rudolph has a bright red nose and is the favorite reindeer of all children.
Comenius Project
“Understanding and celebrating European folklore”
Greek presentation for the
1st project meeting
from 29th October umtil 2nd November 2012
in Czech Republic, Usti nad Labem
Fakultní základní škola Ústí nad Labem
This presentation coordinated by: Charalampos Passalis, Aspa Karasouli, Ariadni Katzika
Izolarea romaniei in cel de al ii-lea razboi mondial
Christmas in poland
1. Christmas in Poland
Traditionally, Advent is an important season in the Polish year, with special church
services, known as Roraty, being held every morning at 6am. The four Sundays of
Advent are said to represent the 4,000 years of waiting for Christ.
During Advent and, in some homes, on Christmas Eve, bees wax is poured on water, and
fortunes are told from the shapes which emerge. Just plain wax, from candles. But it is
diffrent holiday - wax pouring, and this kind of fortunetelling are celebrated on 30
november, but it is connected rather with Andrew's nameday, than with exact christmas.
Special tasks carried out during Advent are the baking of the Christmas piernik or honey
cake, and the making of Christmas decorations. Pierniki are made in a great variety of
shapes, including hearts, animals and St Nicholas figures. Traditional decorations include
the pajaki = spiders, which are handmade mobiles, stars and decorated egg shells.
Pajaki are traditional decorations, rather lots of bomblets, colourful paper chains and lots
of electric lights.
Beautifully lit Christmas trees are placed in all public arenas, outside churches and in
homes. Traditionally the trees are decorated with shiny apples, gift walnuts, beautifully
wrapped chocolate shapes and many homemade decorations and candles. On the top of
the tree is a star or a glittering top piece. In many homes, sparklers are hung on the
branches of the trees giving it a magical air. Sometimes the trees are left standing until
February 2nd, the feast day of St Mary of the Candle of Lightning.
During Advent, the Gwiadorze or star carriers, used to begin wandering through the
towns and villages and this would continue until Epiphany. Some of the Gwiadorze sang
carols, others recited verses or put on Szopi or puppet show, or herody or nativity
scenes. The last two customs are developments from traditional manger scenes or
Jaselka or crib. Star carriers are called carol singers. They sing carols. "put on Szopi" -
you rather meant "perform Szopke". It is scene when Chist is born, and three kings come
to the manger. "Herody" - you mean Herod's performance. The story, about evil king
Herod, who was forseen to loose his power from a child, so he ordered to kill all the
childs. Jaselka=Szopka. It is the same performance.
Christmas Eve, Wigilia, is an important part of the Polish Christmas, in fact, the most
important rituals are celebrated on this day.
A traditional food found in Poland is Oplatek which is piece of bread pressed with a holy
picture on the surface. Oplatek is only the begin. It is more symbolic than real food. We
celebrate with at least 12 diffrent vegetarian dishes like: mushroom soup, carp, cabbage
with pea, stuffed dumplings, shells macaroni with poppy "makielki". In some homes -
some hay is put under the tablecloth (it is connected with Christ's manger).
People once carried these oplatek from house to house and wish their neighbors a Merry
Christmas. Nowadays, the bread is mostly shared with members of the family and
immediate neighbors. As each person shares the bread, they would have to do two
things: forgive any hurts that have occurred over the past year and to wish the person all
the happiness in the coming year.