“There are no traditions associated with food on St. Sylvester’s Day, with the possible exception of champagne.”
On the night from December 31 to January 1, Poland also celebrates the New Year. It is called differently - St. Sylvester's Day, in honor of Pope Sylvester I, who died in 335. According to legend, he caught the terrible monster Leviathan, which threatened to destroy all living things. The main family holiday is already behind us - Christmas in Catholic Poland is celebrated on the night of December 24-25 and has many traditions and rituals. But as for Saint Sylvester, the main tradition here is that Poles try to meet him not only with their family, but also with friends. Therefore, very often they go to restaurants or clubs together, or invite friends to their home.
Marcina’s main plans are to celebrate the holiday with friends and have fun, but Arthur celebrates in a close family circle.
“I usually celebrate Sylvester in a close circle of friends, we drink champagne, dance, talk - everyone has fun as they like. Our main tradition is probably champagne. And this year my friends are coming to see me.”
“We have children in the house, so on Sylvester we organize games with and for them. We watch TV and after 12 we go to the fireworks show. Then we put the children to bed. Due to the fact that we fall asleep after midnight, on the first of January we sleep for a long time until the children wake us up. We are spending this day very lazily. We relax at home, go to church - nothing special.”
There are no traditions associated with food on St. Sylvester's Day, with the possible exception of champagne. Everyone cooks what they love. Often, if a holiday is celebrated among friends, at home, then everyone brings with them something that they would like to treat others with.
“We are not preparing anything special or traditional for Sylvester. Most often, what children would most readily eat. On this day we can allow them to eat chips or something that is not very healthy. No traditions. Oh, by the way, we are making pizza! Yes, we cook and eat pizza together.”
“I’m a student, so this year we have fast food on the table - sandwiches, salads, pies.”
The first day of January is always very lazy. Everyone goes to work on the second, so you need to gain strength and recover from a night out. By the way, the center of Warsaw is always very beautiful and crowded on Sylvester's Day. And countless cafes are happy to welcome visitors until the morning. It seems to me that there are many similarities in how the New Year is celebrated in Poland and, for example, in Russia, Belarus or Ukraine. But there is still a difference, as Oleg jokingly says.
“I was born in Ukraine, I have already lived in Poland for 15 years. There is a difference between what we noted in Ukraine and here. There we started from the Far East and by the time our time zone arrived, everyone was already very well heated.
In Poland they usually go to restaurants, clubs and special parties. More often outside the home. For example, we usually celebrated the New Year at home, either with us or with friends. They arranged homework. This year the party is themed - pajama piti. About 100 people were invited. At a friend’s house there will be... I don’t know what will happen. But there will be a cheerful company, everything is promising and interesting. On the first of January we usually go to sleep. Home in the morning after a whole night, you need to rest a little so you can go to work later.”
My holiday of St. Sylvester is no different from the usual Belarusian New Year. Because for us this holiday has always been a family one too. Olivier salad is a must on the holiday table. Thanks to the Internet, the film “The Irony of Fate” with the Polish Barbara Brylska is on TV. And around only the closest and dearest.
December in Poland is full of holidays. The most famous and revered of them are Mikolajki, Boze Narodzenie, and Sylwestr.
The feast of Mikolajki falls on December 6 (cf. St. Nicholas Day of the Orthodox Church). Saint Nicholas (Nicholas) is very popular in Poland. 327 churches and 52 cities are named in his honor. There are many proverbs and sayings associated with the name Mikolay. For example, “Leave the cart at Mikolay, harness the sleigh.” And when it snows, the Poles say that it is St. Nicholas shaking his beard. He is also considered the patron saint of fishermen and sailors.
According to European tradition, Christmas here comes on December 25 and is called Boze Narodzenie. As in other European countries, it is preceded by Advent, which plays the role of preparation for Christmas. In Catholic countries this is a time of fasting and prayer.
Christmas symbol
The main symbol of Polish Christmas is the Christmas star. According to biblical legend, this star illuminated the path to the infant Christ. Therefore, the role of Father Frost in Poland since ancient times has been played by the Star Man. Then the priests dressed up in the Starman costume and walked around the villages, giving gifts to the residents.
The Christmas season in Poland is associated with the traditions of Christmas fortune-telling, carols and shops.
Most sources indicate that fortune telling is mainly tied to the traditional Polish Christmas dish - carp. So, for example, if a carp has a lot of scales, then the economy will be prosperous in the coming year; if he swims quickly, then the year will be lucky for the family.
Carols
Carols are a cheerful folk festival that moves from one house to another. Carolers sing special songs -
Christmas carols. Nowadays, carols are sometimes sung even during family gatherings.
The word “shopka”, which is unusual for our ears, is traditional for Catholic countries. Shops are most often called miniatures of famous buildings or historical scenes. At Christmas, churches put up these shops, depicting scenes of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas customs
Poland is also famous for its culinary Christmas customs. Traditionally, there should be 12 dishes on the festive table (according to the number of months and apostles). Moreover, for believing Poles, meat was excluded. Carp has long been considered the king of the table. The head of the carp must certainly be eaten by the owner of the house sitting at the head of the table. Thus, the head of the family is honored. There is another ritual associated with carp. If you put fish scales in the wallet of the head of the family, after the New Year they will turn into coins.
Holiday Sylvester
The series of December holidays ends with Sylvester, which is celebrated on December 31st. Yes, don't be surprised! We are talking about the very holiday that in Russia is called the New Year. By naming the last day of the outgoing year in his honor, the Poles thus expressed honor to Saint Sylvester. His history and legend are as follows: being a bishop of the Roman Church, in 314 AD. Sylvester caught a terrible monster named Leviathan. According to legend, in the year 1000 a monster was supposed to be released and destroy the world. This did not happen, and now people are happy to celebrate the New Year.
When taking the “Do you know the traditions” question, you may be asked about the holiday of Sylvester.
January 1 New Year (Nowy Rok). According to the church calendar, this day did not stand out in any way; it is known as the day of St. Manuel. Many folk rituals of New Year's Day coincide with Christmas ones. People believe that future well-being depends on how the New Year is celebrated, so it is customary to have a gala dinner and noisy fun on New Year's Eve. In the 19th century, in Catholic countries, large bonfires were burned and torchlight processions were organized on New Year's Eve.
New Year wishes are a custom. After midnight, people wish each other something. Many SMS messages come with congratulations, phones ring. Everyone wants to express good wishes to their family and friends. Those who did not express their wishes at night do so on New Year's Day. Some send greetings with wishes for a Happy New Year or add New Year's wishes to Christmas ones. December 31 - New Year - according to the Catholic calendar, St. Sylvester's Day (Sylwestr) - which opens the season of balls and masquerades, a time of noisy, crowded entertainment events with dancing, practical jokes and plentiful food. Sylvester's name day is a working day in Poland, but already at five o'clock all institutions and shops are closed. Poles celebrate the New Year at parties, in restaurants, clubs, balls, in the central squares of cities or at home. Some celebrate this day outdoors - in particular, in the mountains or abroad.
By naming the last day of the outgoing year in his honor, the Poles thus expressed respect to Saint Sylvester. The history and legend of his life is as follows: being a bishop of the Roman Church, in 314 AD. Sylvester imprisoned a terrible monster named Leviathan “until the second coming of Christ.” According to legend, in the year 1000 a monster was supposed to be released and destroy the world. This did not happen, and now people are happy to celebrate the New Year.
Among the traditional Polish entertainments that are still popular today is the so-called “kulig”, that is, sleigh rides or, as it was also called, “sleigh dance,” which was once one of the favorite pastimes of the gentry. The sleigh circled from courtyard to courtyard, and in each of them a generous meal awaited the guests, after which the dancing began, as they say “till you drop.” Nowadays the camps are held more modestly. The ride ends with a feast around the fire, during which they eat sausages, meat or traditional Polish bigos fried over the fire.
The Christmas holidays last from Christmas on December 25 to Epiphany on January 6 (Bożego Narodzenia do Trzech Kruli). The last holiday has several names in Polish: Epiphany (Epiphany, Day of the Three Magi Kings, Epiphany).
There are 3 big holidays in December: Mikolajki, Christmas (Boze Narodzenie), and Sylvester.
On December 6, Poland celebrates St. Nicholas Day or Mikolajki.
(The Orthodox Church celebrates St. Nicholas Day on December 19)
On this day, Polish children usually receive gifts. The expression "dostac na Mikolaja" means to receive as a gift on St. Nicholas Day.
Previously, the cult of St. Nicholas was very popular in Poland. As many as 327 churches bear his name. In the “rank” of popularity, so to speak, St. Nicholas stands right behind John the Baptist in front of St. Peter and Paul. Many newborn babies were given his name.
Among the famous Poles were Mikołaj Copernicus (1543), Mikołaj Traba (1422), the first official primate of Poland, Mikołaj Rey (1569), the father of Polish literary figures Mikołaj of Chrzanów and Mikołaj Izy Kraków (both from the 16th century), composers Mikołaj of Kurów, archbishop Gniezno in 1409-1411, vicar general of the Kingdom during the reign of King Władysław Jagiello, Mikołaj Sep Szażyński (1581), voivode Miklaj Radziwill (1616).
There are 52 towns in Poland whose names come from Mikołaj, among them Mikołajki and Mikołów.
There is a proverb associated with St. Nicholas Day: “On St. Nicholas, leave the cart and harness the sleigh.” And when it snows, they say that St. Nicholas shakes his beard.
Saint Nicholas is also considered the patron saint of fishermen and sailors.
In Christian traditions, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year, celebrated all over the world. Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is preceded by Advent - the period of preparation for Christmas, which was included in the Catholic calendar in the 5th century AD. In Catholic countries such as Poland it is traditionally a time of fasting and prayer.
Christmas decorations
The tradition of decorating houses with live Christmas trees and Christmas tree decorations came from Protestant Germany (from where it came to Russia). Later, this tradition was adopted by the Catholic Church, spreading it in the countries of Northern and Central Europe.
Present
Christmas gifts that are given to loved ones today should resemble the gifts that the three kings brought to little Jesus.
Christmas Eve (Wigilia)
Polish (and not only) Christmas Eve begins with the appearance of the first star in the sky (which children are usually eagerly looking for). Only then can the whole family sit down at the festively laid table.
Yuletide fortune telling
A traditional dish on the Polish table is carp, so most fortune telling is associated with it. So if the carp has a lot of scales, then the economy will be rich, and if it swims quickly, then the coming year will be successful for them.
Carols and shops
During the Christmas holidays in Poland, carolers traditionally went from house to house, singing Christmas carols. This tradition is still alive today. And carols are sung even during family gatherings.
Shops are placed in churches and houses. These can be miniatures of famous buildings or historical scenes. In churches these are usually scenes of the birth of Jesus.
We simply call this holiday: New Year. And in Poland it has this name because it is St. Sylvester's Day.
St. Sylvester's Day is celebrated in Poland on December 31st. In 336, a Roman bishop named Sylvester died. For many years, St. Sylvester's Day and the Polish New Year were celebrated together, each individually. This happened thanks to the desire of the Polish church, which sought to eradicate paganism among the people. People were against it and did not want to change their habits.
Why is Sylvester Day so common?
In the year 1000, panic arose throughout the Catholic world. They believed that the end of the world was about to happen and that in the near future the gigantic serpent Leviathan would crawl out of the sea and devour the whole world. Popular rumor hastened to find a hero-defender in the person of Saint Sylvester. It’s not for nothing that he is remembered right before the “end of the world.” So, the legend itself arose that he defeated Leviathan in a hidden battle and kept the world safe and sound.
Since that time, in addition to Poland, in Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Israel and Switzerland, the New Year is called St. Sylvester's Day. Nowadays, the New Year in Poland has two heroes - Saint Sylvester and Santa Claus (St. Nicholas). Thanks to these characters, the annual celebrations become brighter and more fun.
Modern New Year in Poland
It is not customary to celebrate the Polish New Year in families and on this day there are mass festivities. But Christmas, according to tradition, on the contrary, is usually celebrated in a cozy family atmosphere. On New Year's Day, every house in Poland is usually decorated, and people have fun both in public events and with their families, extending the celebration for a long time. New Year's activities follow. Celebrations in Poland end after January 7, when Poles celebrate the Day of the Three Kings (Magi), as well as the Feast of Epiphany (Epiphany). The Polish people walk wildly and selflessly, often going beyond the preliminary framework of the program.
This is how New Year is celebrated in Poland.
