Polish families traditionally decorate their Christmas trees before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, known as Wigilia, the family gathers for a meatless feast after the first star appears in the sky. The meal includes dishes like borscht soup, pierogi, herring, and many pastries. During dinner, guests exchange opłatki wafers and make wishes for each other. After dinner, Santa Claus delivers gifts that the family opens together before attending midnight mass.

1. CHRISTMAS IN POLAND

2. BeforeChristmas we docoratechristmastreesinourhouses.

4. The family gathers in the evening, but traditionally the feast only begins when the first star has been sighted in the night sky. Pieces of hay have been placed on or under the table to remind of the manager and Christ's humble beginnings. Additionally, an extra seat is always left open with the place set for the unexpected guest.After the sighting of the first star, the meatless Wigilia feast begins with the sharing of opłatki Christmas wafers. Each guest at the dinner takes one whole wafer and goes around to every other person with wishes for the new year. Wishes may be as simple as -all the best-or very personalized and detailed. After saying the wish for the other person, the pair break off pieces of each other's opłatek and eat the pieces. It is bad luck to skip someone, so guests are sure to exchange wishes with every person.

7. The Wigilia meal beginswith soup. Red barszcz (borscht) with uszka, small tortellini-shaped dumplings filled with mushrooms, is the traditionalWigilia choice. The soup is followed by a large number of dishes (often a symbolic number, such as 7, 12, or 13) including carp, pickled herring, pierogi (with cabbage inside), sauerkraut, a fruit compote drink, and of course, lots of pastries and other desserts.During the dinner, Santa Clausdelivers gifts, and the family exchanges and opens the gifts after the meal. Sometimes games or played or songs are sung, but finally, the celebration concludes with the midnight Christmas mass at the local church.

9. Pierogi - dumplings

10. Agnieszka helps preaparing Wigilia

12. Fish with carrots and tomatoe sauce

14. Fried carp with cream and onions

16. Peas

17. Sauercraut with mushrooms

18. Salad made of cooked vegetables

19. Noodles with poppy seeds and dried fruits

22. Class 3a SP 13 Olsztyn