Familia De Manard: Our First Polish Christmas

This year, Christmas Eve was a very special one for us. Although we were not able to spend it with our families, we got the chance to spend a real traditional Polish Christmas with a family here in Warsaw. They are family of our good Polish friends back in Houston and they so graciously opened their homes to us and let us in on such a special evening! We learned so much about the traditions of a Polish Christmas and I thought it would nice to share with you what we had the privilege to experiance.

As soon as we entered their home we noticed the lights had been dimmed and candles were beautifully lit, while classical music played in the background. We were then directed to the family room where we all sat and talked for a while. After getting to know some of the other family members we had not yet met, we were asked to proceed into the dinning room where we would have the breaking of the Oplatek before the meal begins. This is where everyone at the table breaks off a piece of a bread/flour waffer and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. Everyone shares a piece with each family member giving a hug and kiss for good wishes for the following year. We then sat at the gorgeously set table where a seat is always kept for somebody unknown at the supper table. I learned that the Poles believe that no one should be left alone at Christmas, so strangers are welcomed to the Christmas supper. This is to remind us that Mary and Joseph were also looking for shelter. The vacant chair is reserved for an unexpected guest, so obviously two chairs were left for Josh and I, how very nice!!! =)

We would then have our twelve meatless dishes, a symbol of the Twelve Apostles and the twelve months of the year. Traditionally in Poland, there is no meat eaten on Christmas Eve since it is still considered fasting time, a time of hope for baby Jesus to be born. First we passed around our 1st dish- a basket of bread, 2nd-a platter with tomatoes and other veggies, 3rd Herring Fish in a creamy white sauce, 4th-Herring Fish in a oil based sauce, 5th-Smoked Salmon, 6th-Mushroom soup, 7th- boiled dumplings filled with sauerkraut (otherwise known as Pierogis). 8th- Trout with two different horseradish like sauces, one was made of beats and the other was made of a cream like sauce. 9th- Bowl of Sauerkraut. 10th- The deserts begin with a popular poopy seed like pudding. This can also be made into a bread roll that is eaten year-round. It is most popular to be eaten during Christmas and New Year’s because the Poles believe it brings good luck. 11th-Carrot cake and last but not least the 12th dish- was a platter with a variety of cookies, including gingerbread cookies and Kocie oczka (cat’s eyes cookies) which are cookies with jelly sandwiched in between two cookies. I bet you can imagine how stuffed we were by the end of the night!

Josh and I headed home shortly after having desert and tea. Typically most of the Poles wait until midnight to attend midnight mass. Josh and I had planned to go but Josh had started to not feel well the day before, as he was starting to come up with a cold. So we decided to head home so we could snuggle with our baby girl Mia, as we fell a sleep watching a movie. The next morning we woke up late and I made a huge Christmas breakfast while we listened to our favorite Christmas music. We had promised each other that this year there would be no gifts and that instead we would use our money for traveling, taking advantage of being so close to European destinations. We did get to open one gift and that was a package Josh's Mother had sent us full of yummy cookies and sweets! We were incredibly excited!!! Thank You Veronica!!! We later snuggled on the couch, drinking hot tea watching Home Alone, one of my favorite Christmas movies. Toward the end of the day we sat to eat homemade lasagna while we skyped with our families reminiscing about our experience the night before.

We feel so blessed and thankful to our Polish friends that we were able to share with them in such a special time. They truly made us feel right at home and we are sooo grateful for their generous hospitality! Our first Christmas away from family truly was not as bad as we had imagined and Josh and I realized more than ever how grateful we are to have each other. This Christmas was definitely one to never forget and we hope that everyone's Christmas was just as wonderful! Much love to you all and wishing you a wonderful New Year!!!