Well, the way it's in Poland:
for Christmas is the house spotless clean with window washing and such. They say that if a house is dirty on Christmas Eve, it will be dirty all next year.
Since theoretically 99% of Poles are Catholics ( well, not really but about 99% observe the Christmas traditions ) no meat will be eaten on the Christmas Eve. However many people will prepare an odd number of meatless dishes ( depends of the budget or size of the family it could be 7, 9 or 11) - varied salads, mushrooms, fish in aspic, herring few different ways, meatless cabbage rolls, pierogi, noodle dishes etc. There are many traditional dishes that are served on this occasion, and rarely at any other time of the year.
The Christmas tree is decorated in the afternoon, gifts wrapped and placed under the tree. The Christmas tree is adorned with apples, oranges, candies and small chocolates wrapped in colorful paper, nuts wrapped in aluminum foil, hand-blown glass ornaments, candles or lights, thin strips of clear paper (angel's hair), and home-made paper chains.
BTW: Christmas and Santa Claus Day are not celebrated at the same time in Poland, but rather three weeks apart.
If there are kids, they will have to look out for the first star, then the Dinner can begin. Everyone is dressed nicely. People listen to Christmas carols and pastorals. Some sing, especially after few vodkas
The celebration starts with the breaking Oplatek, (a thin wafer).
The eldest member of the family reaches for the wafer and each family member breaks a small part from each other's piece. They wish one another a long life, good health, joy and happiness, not only for the holiday season, but also for the new year and for many years to come. The use of the Christmas wafer (oplatek) is not only by native Poles in Poland but also by people of Polish ancestry all over the world. Sometimes an oplatek is sent in a greeting card to loved ones away from home.
The table is covered with a festive table cloth and people are using their best tableware. In Poland, an additional seat is kept for somebody unknown at the supper table. No one should be left alone at Christmas, so strangers are welcomed to the Christmas supper. I remember just before dinner my father would go out and bring home someone homeless, who would dine with us or given food to take out. Also singles without families were often invited.
Besides all the salads and appetizers mentioned above, the traditional soup is a red borscht, followed by a pan fried or baked fish ( usually carp), washed down with lots of wine or vodka.
For dessert chilled fruit compote, dessert wines or cocktails, assorted pastries, cakes and cookies. Fruits, nuts and chocolates. Traditional poppy seed roll, rum baba, honey-spice cake, gingerbread cookies are the must. Many people prepare in advance spiced vodka with honey or fruits, made egg yolk based advocaat, or liqueurs.
The celebration is very much based on the family and particularly remembering those who have passed on. Usually the photographs come out and relatives discussed. This is quite different from the English or USA celebrations, which tend to be less formal. Christmas is one of the best Polish traditions.
After the dinner, that can last for hours, all family including kids will go to the Midnight Mass. The walk to the church is good for the digestion after eating a lots of food, it also helps to clear some heads. During the mass people will sing carols, loudly and cheerfully, still under the influence of good food and lots of alcohol
After the mass they will exchange greetings and best wishes.
Kids usually can't wait to go home and finally open all the gifts waiting for them under the Christmas tree.
In Poland ( also in other European countries ) Christmas is celebrated two days.
The first day is spent with the family at home. No visiting, cleaning, nor cooking are allowed on that day, because the food is cooked in advance and re-heated. Many dishes can be prepared days in advance and, when properly stored, will still be fresh when the Holiday arrives. Only little things are prepared fresh on Christmas Day.
The festive breakfast starts late and food will be eaten all day long. Of course meat is now allowed - typically is ham, many kinds of Polish sausages, roast duck or goose, Hunter’s stew.
St. Stephen's Day is known as the second holiday. This is a day for visiting and exchanging Christmas greetings with extended family or in-laws.
Christmas is the most festive holiday of the year in Poland. People will spend lots of money and effort to make it the best holiday of the year. Lots of food is cooked and people will eat all kinds of leftovers for a week till New Year
Here, in the US is only two of us: me and my son, but we put the best effort to continue all the traditions we learned from home, so they would be not forgotten and later passed on to the next generation.
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Yes, I bow to your superior knowledge of MY country's culture. LOL - unbelievable.
