Sub from Australia , of course I am Polish and keeping my tradition in Australia. One Polish tradition with food and Australian tradition on the beach. Happy and successful New Year. 🎈🎈
9:14 most of the times it works that way: you spend Christmas Eve with some people from your family (but not the whole family, only closer ones). 25th and 26th are the days of visiting the rest of the family and spending time together, giving more smaller presents to guests, eating, singing carols etc
I found this channel about a week ago and I watched almost every video available. Please, keep up this awesome work. Thanks to you I'm in love with Poland and look forward to live there in 2021 after I finish my studies. Hi from Brazil! 🇧🇷
It actually happened for me once when I was a child, that an unexpected guest has arrived and used the empty chair. It was our distant family member who lived alone far away, but showed up for Christmas without any prior notice :)
On your point number 6. In my family, what I eventually realized, the grown ups used the first star in the sky to gather kids usually in the opposite room to where the Christmas Tree was located, at which point the gifts would magically appear under said tree. Not sure if other families did that though. Also, we used to hang up on a piece of string delicious chocolate candy on the Christmas Tree as ornaments. I remember as a kid, we would eat the candy and re-wrap it so the grown ups wouldn’t notice it was missing. Good times...
Living in the Buffalo, NY area, home to many poles, we practiced many of these holiday traditions. From the wafer at Christmas Eve to taking the Easter basket to church to get blessed. Many fond memories.
U nas w domu zawsze na początku czyta się fragment z Ewangelii wg św. Łukasza o narodzeniu Jezusa. Potem łamiemy się opłatkiem. Łamanie się opłatkiem nie ma zapewnić spełnienia życzeń, ale ma być wyrazem miłości i pokoju.
Meaby that's tradition, but not that old, how you can think. Before war this fish was known as traditional JEWISH fish. That tradition was started by Communist governent
Some people in Poland play a game called Whammageddon. It starts on Dec 1st and since that day whoever hears "Last Christmas" is out (or "goes to Whamhalla"). The person who avoids hearing it the longest - wins. If more than one person avoids it until Christmas Eve - they all win. There are no prizes. or at least I have never heard of them.
10:27 To me it was always Mariah Carey - All I want for Christmas is you. The two you mentioned are also great. Another good one is The Waitresses - Christmas wrapping. Among Polish songs it's worth to know: Czerwone Gitary - Dzień jeden w roku, Banda Mikołaja - Kolor nadziei and Kasia Kowalska - Jesteś odrobiną szczęścia.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Happy New Year Zdrowych, pogodnych i wesołych świąt Bożego Narodzenia i szczęśliwego nowego roku. Thank you for your videos about Poland. They are great.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Russell and your family from England (North West). Driving home for Christmas is my favourite song too. I and my wife keep the polish style Christmas eve supper. The best and the most wonderful time of the year.
I forgot to mention, "Driving Home For Christmas" is my favorite English Christmas song! Merry Christmas to you Russell and your family. And Happy New Year. 😊
Wonderful people, I wish you all the most beautiful, happy Christmas spent in a family circle. For us in Poland, the most important during Christmas is today - December 24. There is no holiday atmosphere like in Poland.
Puste krzesło ma też drugie znaczenie, a mianowicie pamięć o zmarłych z naszych rodzin, którzy już niestety z nami nie zasiądą przy stole. Wybacz, że pisze po polsku, ale wstydzę się ewentualnych błędów gramatycznych pisząc w języku angielskim :D
Let me help: "The empty chair also has a second meaning, namely to commemorate the deceased from our families who will unfortunately no longer sit at the table with us. Forgive me for writing in Polish, but I am ashamed of possible grammatical errors when writing in English :D" Yes, In my family it is the same. My Father died in 2004 and since then whenever I look at the spare plate and empty chair I always think about Him. I miss Him dearly.
I'm from the south of Poland and we believe that animals speak human voice at midnight, but after previously eating opłatek (the holy wafer)...maybe this year my cat will do! ;D
LOL!! You're so right about Home Alone and Die Hard omg so funny! Although Wham's Last Christmas and Home Alone are christmas staples in Germany, too ;P so it's not a polish thing only
I really enjoyed watching this video.You have summarised Polish Xmas traditions very well.The only one I am not to sure of is the presents.I haven't met anyone in Poland who wouldn't exchange presents at Christmas.6th of December is big for kids as this is when "Santa" brings presents and on 24th the presents are from parents,grandparents etc.It certainly was true when I was growing up.However,I think Poles are trying to follow American or British traditions these days and have started to embrace the 'Stanta bringing gifts' on 24th.It is great to be a kid in Poland but December is a very expensive month for parents if they celebrate both days. Oh-and one more thing that we do differently is the fact that no alcohol is consumed on 24th.At least that was the case when I was younger. Wesolych swiat to you and your family.
Presents are after Christmas Eve supper, we definitely do not follow American or British traditions that Santa brings presents on 24th, different sides of the Poland have differences of who brings the presents and this is definitely not Santa.
8:30 ahh the dissapointment! Every year I waited till midnight to speak to my dog. He obviously never spoke back and every time I complained to my dad; he'd say " well maybe he has nothing to say to you" or " it's been a long day, he might be tired" 😐
Never knew of the song Driving home for Christmas until i watched this Love My Poland video... i would say they could grant you some courtesy vs reprimanding for the advertising of it... Enjoyed the video=as 100% Polish heritage i learned some good stuff. now i am on to the Easter one. thank you
"The joy of collaborating with RUclips" HA!! That was so diplomatic of you. After all those years, you should no longer be afraid of going FULL POLISH on such things. ;)
Hej Russki. Since I THINK that there's even more focus on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day In Poland, I want to wish you and your family - and your subscribers -🎅🎄 Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!! Hopefully, I didn't rzeźnik that too badly !!😀
Very interesting. We're a Catholic family so the passing of the wafer is known to us. It's not done in every church here in the US., but some especially Polish parishes, or if you have a priest familiar with Polish tradition. Also midnight mass too, except in our parish, I'm not sure how wide spread it is everywhere in the US, but our midnight mass has become 10 o'clock mass. Which , we really don't like at all. You may some of the cathedrals in the city doing midnight mass at midnight though. As for must see cult movies for Christmas here in the US , #1 is Diehard , then followed by Christmas Vacation , then Christmas with the Kranks , and then Home Alone. It's not Christmas if you haven't seen all 4 of those. LOL
When you have 12 dishes to gulp down it's only natural that you will need to stay longer at the table to be able to finish it all ;) Anyway, at my home my parents always prepared only 6 and it's already difficult. Also, as the specific dishes may vary depending on the region and/or family, the carp and barszcz are mandatory at every house :)
As a Latvian (Latgalian) Catholic from Eastern part of Latvia which was once part of Polish Lithuanian commonwealth a number of things certainly ring true but maybe we are not as traditional as other families so for them it is more similar to Polish traditions. We have the same type of white bread we call ''oblātis'' in Latgalian, so similarity with Polish word is visible, Lithuanians call them differently - kaledai, kaladai, something. And when we eat them all family members actually break them and give each other a piece, but there are no wishes at that time actually, at least only informal ones. Before we have a small prayer, when grandparents were still alive, the prayer was rather long :D Now it's short, pretty much just Lord's prayer. And we also do not eat meat all day but in the evening actually we can then eat all we can. In the old times I think it was more similar to Polish way, also hay and just vegetarian dishes, but now it's different. But ours is not super traditional family so no doubt there are others which are way more traditional and perhaps much closer to Polish traditions. Our traditions were fucked over a lot buy Soviet communists who were really anti-Church and also most of Latvians are Lutheran/protestant so we have also been a minority as a religious group in Latvia too.
I'm surprised you didn't mention that no one may get up from the table until the meal is finished. I'm not sure how you're supposed to answer the door if the hungry stranger shows up....
@@peteroz7332 I'm sure there are variations in each family or area, but in ten years, I never saw anyone leave the table. And being the homeowner, I'm pretty sure I was the host, and nobody ever told me I could get up to answer the door. ;-> And the door was left unlocked just in case.
I am Saudi Arabian married to a Polish man. This will be our first Christmas together as a married couple .. I am here to learn a bit about his culture 😛. I learnt I have to fast on the 24th till the Christmas eve dinner.. Looking forward to it
I really doubt that all RUclipsrs who upload music that is not their own, contact all music companies and ask for permission to use their music. It is practically impossible.
Did you mention that there should be twelve dishes? Pierogi, karp (w galarecie) barszcz, chałka, kompot, makowiec, kluski z makiem etc? I love the fact that we always set an extra place for the unexpected visitor (who never came.) We would always listen out for animals to talk, but I guess they preferred to sleep. The foxes however would roam the streets, barking. After eating, the youngest would dive under the Christmas Tree to collect and distribute the presents. After lashings of ice cold vodka, liqueurs etc............zzzzzzzzzz, Oh, and certainly no T.V. or pop songs! Kolendy or Christmas Carols were either sung or played on C.D. or tape. CHRISTMAS DAY : We did it in English! Roast Turkey, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing, Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Sauce! (And, as someone once said on TV, "Roast Gravy!"
When I lived in Poland, I was told that the animals can talk to people on Vigilia night, but only people of pure souls can understand them. Well, I guess, my soul was not pure.
As boys my brother and I would sneak out to eavesdrop on our barn animals every Christmas Eve, simple explanation for this tradition is a time for the adults to put the gifts under the tree.
I am a traditionalist catholic, so I go to the latin Mass etc. Before the Catholic church underwent many changes around the 60's, the eve of Christmas was a strict day of fasting and abstinence, as well as 3 other 'eves'. I am not polish unfortunately (my husband is) so I don't want to say silliness and could be wrong ..but.. that could also be a reason for the absitence.. dating from the old roman rite which we still observe as a family Gb.
You're totally right now meat on Christmas Eve only 12 different dishes with all kinds of fish. I was so surprised years ago when the first time American family involved me for Christmas Eve and they had fresh ham from the oven
Dear Russel. About Holy Wafer. Some of the packages have additional coloured Wafer. This one might be intended to animals. There is one thing that you forgot about 25th and beyond. In some regions there is a tradition to make "jokes" to houses where are young unmarried girls. For example throw around some straw at backyard
My husband is from Poland, he says that when he was a child, they got the tree on Christmas eve morning and decorated it after the first start appeared. Is that still the tradition or have things changed?
We would get the tree few days before the 24th and kept it outside to stay "fresh". The tree would be decorated on the 24th during the day to make it ready before the first star. So that we could start the celebration. We suppose to be fasting all day to be able to enjoy all the dishes on the table.
Yes, I know, thanks, Ann. However, many in my audience are unaware of Polish culture and religion, so I decided to present it this way. I'm not Polish blooded
@@LoveMyPoland thanks for understanding fyi it’s like saying all Americans are not like this though and we many of us do celebrate much like this not only Polish Americans but Mexicans Italians etc it isn’t so much a Polish way of celebrating Christmas but a Catholic way most people in America from a European or Hispanic Catholic culture celebrate Christmas Eve and just hang out on Christmas Day and the week between Christmas and New Years is for hanging out with extended family…I understand one is surprised I just was confused when saying it’s not how we celebrate in America it’s just not how some cultures in America don’t celebrate it thanks though it’s a nice video and am glad you enjoy the Polish Catholic culture it’s rich in tradition
I'd add reading Bible and praying before "Wieczerza wigilijna"(and it should be father to lead (but unfortunately not many men do this, they are rather their wives).. What else- after traditional supper we sing as many Christmas songs together as we only can. We open our songbooks+for some it's the first communion prayer/songbook and...we sing! Of course if there are children in the family they will be very impatient waiting for the presents. But nobody is allowed to open presents before we sing the Christian Christmas songs. What ELSE ..Gwiazdor is the one who brings presents (in the past they were trying to call him Dziadek Mróz:) Ah, and on the first /second day of Christmas there is a mass . I mean if someone went to "Midnight night=Pasterka"he will rather not go to the morning mass but on the second day of Christmas -yes.
You Need to say something about "bombki" - they are hand made, and wery famous (and expensive) Christmas tree decoration. Polish company "Silverado"! You can visit them and even make your own 'bombka' (they are not so far from Warsaw)
RUclips broke the Polish law. We have in Poland something called "dozwolony użytek" - you can use fragments of works of arts in your video. YT has to comply with Polish law to operate in Poland.
@@LoveMyPoland Nope what? Why you did not dispute it? If you used a fragment you had full right to do so. www.diametros.iphils.uj.edu.pl/serwis/pdf/diam19_stanislawskakloc.PDF
There are some beautiful songs of Zbigniew Preisner on the album called "Moje kolędy". Far from Wham and Mariah Carey. In my family when you start playing that album that means it's christmas time :) Give it a try and Merry Christmas to you and your family :)
But I really didn’t care much for the gifts nor animals speaking. It was the December night sky that mesmerized my senses as it was so beautiful,vivid and vibrant. The Milky Way was so pronounced that it impacted me greatly! It was so beautiful and nothing has compared to it since. My Childhood was amazing growing up in northeastern Poland. You wouldn’t understand.
Sub from Australia , of course I am Polish and keeping my tradition in Australia. One Polish tradition with food and Australian tradition on the beach. Happy and successful New Year. 🎈🎈
9:14 most of the times it works that way: you spend Christmas Eve with some people from your family (but not the whole family, only closer ones). 25th and 26th are the days of visiting the rest of the family and spending time together, giving more smaller presents to guests, eating, singing carols etc
I found this channel about a week ago and I watched almost every video available. Please, keep up this awesome work.
Thanks to you I'm in love with Poland and look forward to live there in 2021 after I finish my studies.
Hi from Brazil! 🇧🇷
Joao Dude thank you for warm words, wish you all best here in Poland 🇧🇷🇵🇱
I hope that Yours plans will go as You want.
Good luck with Your studies!
Hi. How is situation in Brazil? I mean do you have lockdown or not?
You are my favorite person that present Poland to public. I grow up in Poland. I love Poland more than any human can.
It actually happened for me once when I was a child, that an unexpected guest has arrived and used the empty chair. It was our distant family member who lived alone far away, but showed up for Christmas without any prior notice :)
that was awesome. just showed up knowing you have to serve him. hilarious
On your point number 6. In my family, what I eventually realized, the grown ups used the first star in the sky to gather kids usually in the opposite room to where the Christmas Tree was located, at which point the gifts would magically appear under said tree. Not sure if other families did that though.
Also, we used to hang up on a piece of string delicious chocolate candy on the Christmas Tree as ornaments. I remember as a kid, we would eat the candy and re-wrap it so the grown ups wouldn’t notice it was missing. Good times...
Haha, and when eating them was finally allowed - no kid was interested (we know that all of them are empty🤭😁)
Merry Christmas to you Russell and your family!
In Poland we still can say this Merry Christmas, the lefty side of the US and A (paraphrizing someone great of the past) they say Happy Holiday.
Meblościanka! Respect! :)
Living in the Buffalo, NY area, home to many poles, we practiced many of these holiday traditions. From the wafer at Christmas Eve to taking the Easter basket to church to get blessed. Many fond memories.
U nas w domu zawsze na początku czyta się fragment z Ewangelii wg św. Łukasza o narodzeniu Jezusa. Potem łamiemy się opłatkiem. Łamanie się opłatkiem nie ma zapewnić spełnienia życzeń, ale ma być wyrazem miłości i pokoju.
większość tak robi
I'm 5/8 Polish, living in America. My family does a lot of these, but I didn't know about the hay under the tablecloth. Thanks for sharing!
Love Poland💕 Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia to you and yours.
For those who are wondering how "fresh" Carps are in Poland, they are sold alive in most places.
Yes, and then kept in bathtub..:)
@@maoo8467
As tradition demands :D
not any more, most retail chains either stopped doing that already, or plan to stop doing this year
I do not think it is legal anymore. Barbarism is so last year.
Meaby that's tradition, but not that old, how you can think.
Before war this fish was known as traditional JEWISH fish.
That tradition was started by Communist governent
No mention of Sledz? That is the main dish I remember from Christmas Eve, along with the carp. :)
Russell said "all kinds of fish "
@@hasppl9005 yes he said all kind of fish but the herring it's a Must! Definitely need to be mentioned.
I always wait for your new video, Merry Christmas Russell :)
Robisz świetną robote, dzięki Tobie mam przyjemność kontaktu z językiem anglieskim.
yes im polish heritage love the soup!
Wigilia is such a special evening. I love the opłatek tradition!
Russell's back! Get ya'll your thumbs up, I already did it.
Widziałam ten odcinek w tamtym roku 👌
Ale z przyjemnością oglądam dzisiaj.
MERRY CHRISTMAS 🤗
Come on Guy! You're doing a wonderful job.
Keep doing it!
We need you😊
Thanks, Jacek! 😊
Russell, Merry Christmas to you and your family. You are doing an extraordinary job with these videos. Thank you.
Merry Christmas Russ and for your Family too 👏👍
Dzięki za kolejny film.
Some people in Poland play a game called Whammageddon. It starts on Dec 1st and since that day whoever hears "Last Christmas" is out (or "goes to Whamhalla"). The person who avoids hearing it the longest - wins. If more than one person avoids it until Christmas Eve - they all win. There are no prizes. or at least I have never heard of them.
10:27 To me it was always Mariah Carey - All I want for Christmas is you. The two you mentioned are also great.
Another good one is The Waitresses - Christmas wrapping.
Among Polish songs it's worth to know: Czerwone Gitary - Dzień jeden w roku, Banda Mikołaja - Kolor nadziei and Kasia Kowalska - Jesteś odrobiną szczęścia.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Happy New Year
Zdrowych, pogodnych i wesołych świąt Bożego Narodzenia i szczęśliwego nowego roku.
Thank you for your videos about Poland. They are great.
I love Poland too.
Have a Jolly Christmas. The Christmas tree looks lovely . The Statue of Liberty presents itself very well.
I’m Polish and proud of it!🙏🇵🇱
Very nice episode! Thank you for this! :-)
Yay you back
Merry Christmas Russel and very big thumb for Kossak painting ;)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Russell and your family from England (North West). Driving home for Christmas is my favourite song too. I and my wife keep the polish style Christmas eve supper. The best and the most wonderful time of the year.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
I heard empty chair tradition started during war times when family hoped their mans coming back from front lines.
Merry Christmas to you and your family Russ! Greetings from Fort Worth, Texas
I forgot to mention, "Driving Home For Christmas" is my favorite English Christmas song!
Merry Christmas to you Russell and your family. And Happy New Year. 😊
Russell I trying to come to Poland next year just for the amazing Christmas ornaments there have you been to any of the awesome companies
First time my husband saw that we bring hay to the table he thought he'll have to eat hay with Christmas barszcz XD
😂😂😂
Your parents should’ve played it off for a bit.. lol
Wesołych świąt!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2020.
Dużo zdrowia życzę.
Love it man ! Thank u
Wesołych Świąt!🌲🌲🌲🌲
Driving home for christmas🥰 i love to hear it when I'm driving home for christmas ❤ beautiful and nostalgic :)
Really good movie thank u and Wesolych Swiat 😀
Christmas vacation is the best lol lol
Clark will never get old.
Man you made me wish for christmas is tomorrow. And i'm watching this on 17th of May...
"It's A Wonderful Life" - The Best Christmas movie.
Wonderful people, I wish you all the most beautiful, happy Christmas spent in a family circle. For us in Poland, the most important during Christmas is today - December 24.
There is no holiday atmosphere like in Poland.
Puste krzesło ma też drugie znaczenie, a mianowicie pamięć o zmarłych z naszych rodzin, którzy już niestety z nami nie zasiądą przy stole. Wybacz, że pisze po polsku, ale wstydzę się ewentualnych błędów gramatycznych pisząc w języku angielskim :D
Let me help: "The empty chair also has a second meaning, namely to commemorate the deceased from our families who will unfortunately no longer sit at the table with us. Forgive me for writing in Polish, but I am ashamed of possible grammatical errors when writing in English :D" Yes, In my family it is the same. My Father died in 2004 and since then whenever I look at the spare plate and empty chair I always think about Him. I miss Him dearly.
They blocked your video now because people are starting to watch anything with Christmas in the title.
I wonder why 0/) Commies hate Christmas.
@@einarabelc5 What?
@@JimFortune Another word: nuance.
'go look for the first star' is something you say to the kids to get them outside. By the time they come back, the Santa has been.
we had an unexpected guest once, a brother of my grandmother who was just kicked out by his wife at this time... that was so sad
Awesome !
I'm from the south of Poland and we believe that animals speak human voice at midnight, but after previously eating opłatek (the holy wafer)...maybe this year my cat will do! ;D
Hello baby
LOL!! You're so right about Home Alone and Die Hard omg so funny! Although Wham's Last Christmas and Home Alone are christmas staples in Germany, too ;P so it's not a polish thing only
I really enjoyed watching this video.You have summarised Polish Xmas traditions very well.The only one I am not to sure of is the presents.I haven't met anyone in Poland who wouldn't exchange presents at Christmas.6th of December is big for kids as this is when "Santa" brings presents and on 24th the presents are from parents,grandparents etc.It certainly was true when I was growing up.However,I think Poles are trying to follow American or British traditions these days and have started to embrace the 'Stanta bringing gifts' on 24th.It is great to be a kid in Poland but December is a very expensive month for parents if they celebrate both days.
Oh-and one more thing that we do differently is the fact that no alcohol is consumed on 24th.At least that was the case when I was younger.
Wesolych swiat to you and your family.
Presents are after Christmas Eve supper, we definitely do not follow American or British traditions that Santa brings presents on 24th, different sides of the Poland have differences of who brings the presents and this is definitely not Santa.
8:30 ahh the dissapointment! Every year I waited till midnight to speak to my dog. He obviously never spoke back and every time I complained to my dad; he'd say " well maybe he has nothing to say to you" or " it's been a long day, he might be tired" 😐
happy new year, best regards from China
Marry Christmas Russell
Never knew of the song Driving home for Christmas until i watched this Love My Poland video...
i would say they could grant you some courtesy vs reprimanding for the advertising of it...
Enjoyed the video=as 100% Polish heritage i learned some good stuff. now i am on to the Easter one. thank you
Thank YOU 😊
"The joy of collaborating with RUclips" HA!! That was so diplomatic of you. After all those years, you should no longer be afraid of going FULL POLISH on such things. ;)
😝
Merry Christmas !!
Hej Russki.
Since I THINK that there's even more focus on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day In Poland, I want to wish you and your family - and your subscribers -🎅🎄 Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!!
Hopefully, I didn't rzeźnik that too badly !!😀
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Wesołych świąt 🎄🎅🇵🇱😁
I would love a video on polish tongue twisters!
Very interesting. We're a Catholic family so the passing of the wafer is known to us. It's not done in every church here in the US., but some especially Polish parishes, or if you have a priest familiar with Polish tradition. Also midnight mass too, except in our parish, I'm not sure how wide spread it is everywhere in the US, but our midnight mass has become 10 o'clock mass. Which , we really don't like at all. You may some of the cathedrals in the city doing midnight mass at midnight though.
As for must see cult movies for Christmas here in the US , #1 is Diehard , then followed by Christmas Vacation , then Christmas with the Kranks , and then Home Alone. It's not Christmas if you haven't seen all 4 of those. LOL
There are two more Christmas songs often played on the radio during Christmas in Poland, "Merry christmas everyone" and "Wonderful Christmastime" :)
When you have 12 dishes to gulp down it's only natural that you will need to stay longer at the table to be able to finish it all ;) Anyway, at my home my parents always prepared only 6 and it's already difficult. Also, as the specific dishes may vary depending on the region and/or family, the carp and barszcz are mandatory at every house :)
There's barszcz or mushroom soup - it depends on a region. Sometimes there are both of soups on Wigilia table :)
As a Latvian (Latgalian) Catholic from Eastern part of Latvia which was once part of Polish Lithuanian commonwealth a number of things certainly ring true but maybe we are not as traditional as other families so for them it is more similar to Polish traditions. We have the same type of white bread we call ''oblātis'' in Latgalian, so similarity with Polish word is visible, Lithuanians call them differently - kaledai, kaladai, something. And when we eat them all family members actually break them and give each other a piece, but there are no wishes at that time actually, at least only informal ones. Before we have a small prayer, when grandparents were still alive, the prayer was rather long :D Now it's short, pretty much just Lord's prayer. And we also do not eat meat all day but in the evening actually we can then eat all we can. In the old times I think it was more similar to Polish way, also hay and just vegetarian dishes, but now it's different.
But ours is not super traditional family so no doubt there are others which are way more traditional and perhaps much closer to Polish traditions. Our traditions were fucked over a lot buy Soviet communists who were really anti-Church and also most of Latvians are Lutheran/protestant so we have also been a minority as a religious group in Latvia too.
Die Hard/Home Alone story is true... few years back - there's no Home Alone on any TV station....well, nationwide petition - Home Alone comes back xD
God bless you!
Zazdroszczę twoim studentom. Mają fantastycznego nauczyciela.
Ah, dzięki bardzo 😊
I'm surprised you didn't mention that no one may get up from the table until the meal is finished. I'm not sure how you're supposed to answer the door if the hungry stranger shows up....
There was much that I had to omit to limit it to 12 points. Good one and great question!
@@LoveMyPoland Maybe do an Advent Calendar with 24 points? ;->
Thought the same;)
@Jim - there is a host who can stand up from the table and/or open the door + everyone obviously can use the toilet 😉
@@peteroz7332 I'm sure there are variations in each family or area, but in ten years, I never saw anyone leave the table. And being the homeowner, I'm pretty sure I was the host, and nobody ever told me I could get up to answer the door. ;-> And the door was left unlocked just in case.
I am Saudi Arabian married to a Polish man. This will be our first Christmas together as a married couple .. I am here to learn a bit about his culture
😛. I learnt I have to fast on the 24th till the Christmas eve dinner..
Looking forward to it
Merry Christmas and thanks for sharing this story with us ☺️
Znów będzie pasterka i będę rzygać do wiaderka :D
I really doubt that all RUclipsrs who upload music that is not their own, contact all music companies and ask for permission to use their music. It is practically impossible.
Did you mention that there should be twelve dishes? Pierogi, karp (w galarecie) barszcz, chałka, kompot, makowiec, kluski z makiem etc?
I love the fact that we always set an extra place for the unexpected visitor (who never came.) We would always listen out for animals to talk, but I guess they preferred to sleep. The foxes however would roam the streets, barking. After eating, the youngest would dive under the Christmas Tree to collect and distribute the presents. After lashings of ice cold vodka, liqueurs etc............zzzzzzzzzz, Oh, and certainly no T.V. or pop songs! Kolendy or Christmas Carols were either sung or played on C.D. or tape.
CHRISTMAS DAY : We did it in English! Roast Turkey, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing, Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Sauce! (And, as someone once said on TV, "Roast Gravy!"
When I lived in Poland, I was told that the animals can talk to people on Vigilia night, but only people of pure souls can understand them. Well, I guess, my soul was not pure.
Nice information
The "animals speaking with a human voice" is a belief that, when they had a share of the Holy Wafer on Christmas night they will speak after midnight.
As boys my brother and I would sneak out to eavesdrop on our barn animals every Christmas Eve, simple explanation for this tradition is a time for the adults to put the gifts under the tree.
I am a traditionalist catholic, so I go to the latin Mass etc. Before the Catholic church underwent many changes around the 60's, the eve of Christmas was a strict day of fasting and abstinence, as well as 3 other 'eves'. I am not polish unfortunately (my husband is) so I don't want to say silliness and could be wrong ..but.. that could also be a reason for the absitence.. dating from the old roman rite which we still observe as a family Gb.
If you like barszcz z uszkami, you should try barszcz z pierogami z mięsem. You'll love it. :)
You're totally right now meat on Christmas Eve only 12 different dishes with all kinds of fish. I was so surprised years ago when the first time American family involved me for Christmas Eve and they had fresh ham from the oven
Actually protestants in Poland also eat meat on Christmas Eve, for my family it is a goose as a main dish on Christmas Eve.
Dear Russel. About Holy Wafer. Some of the packages have additional coloured Wafer. This one might be intended to animals.
There is one thing that you forgot about 25th and beyond. In some regions there is a tradition to make "jokes" to houses where are young unmarried girls. For example throw around some straw at backyard
Interesting, thanks 😊
Christmas Eve. The most important day in Poland, these holidays in general more important than independence holidays.
My husband is from Poland, he says that when he was a child, they got the tree on Christmas eve morning and decorated it after the first start appeared. Is that still the tradition or have things changed?
We would get the tree few days before the 24th and kept it outside to stay "fresh". The tree would be decorated on the 24th during the day to make it ready before the first star. So that we could start the celebration. We suppose to be fasting all day to be able to enjoy all the dishes on the table.
Americans go to Midnight Mass as well and many of our churches have choir in Polish Italian or Spanish
Yes, I know, thanks, Ann. However, many in my audience are unaware of Polish culture and religion, so I decided to present it this way. I'm not Polish blooded
@@LoveMyPoland thanks for understanding fyi it’s like saying all Americans are not like this though and we many of us do celebrate much like this not only Polish Americans but Mexicans Italians etc it isn’t so much a Polish way of celebrating Christmas but a Catholic way most people in America from a European or Hispanic Catholic culture celebrate Christmas Eve and just hang out on Christmas Day and the week between Christmas and New Years is for hanging out with extended family…I understand one is surprised I just was confused when saying it’s not how we celebrate in America it’s just not how some cultures in America don’t celebrate it thanks though it’s a nice video and am glad you enjoy the Polish Catholic culture it’s rich in tradition
Rusell, ale the best for you and your family :-)
I'd add reading Bible and praying before "Wieczerza wigilijna"(and it should be father to lead (but unfortunately not many men do this, they are rather their wives).. What else- after traditional supper we sing as many Christmas songs together as we only can. We open our songbooks+for some it's the first communion prayer/songbook and...we sing! Of course if there are children in the family they will be very impatient waiting for the presents. But nobody is allowed to open presents before we sing the Christian Christmas songs. What ELSE ..Gwiazdor is the one who brings presents (in the past they were trying to call him Dziadek Mróz:) Ah, and on the first /second day of Christmas there is a mass . I mean if someone went to "Midnight night=Pasterka"he will rather not go to the morning mass but on the second day of Christmas -yes.
12 things 🤣
I suspect that I know where you got that particular number from 😜
You Need to say something about "bombki" - they are hand made, and wery famous (and expensive) Christmas tree decoration. Polish company "Silverado"! You can visit them and even make your own 'bombka' (they are not so far from Warsaw)
Great video idea! 😊
I'm polish too and I know all these foods! We are basically going vegetarian for a day!
RUclips broke the Polish law. We have in Poland something called "dozwolony użytek" - you can use fragments of works of arts in your video. YT has to comply with Polish law to operate in Poland.
Nope, this was all the record company. I even had an offer to dispute it...
@@LoveMyPoland Nope what? Why you did not dispute it? If you used a fragment you had full right to do so. www.diametros.iphils.uj.edu.pl/serwis/pdf/diam19_stanislawskakloc.PDF
Sorry, I misread it. I thought you said that I broke the rules. Przepraszam i zgadzam się 100 procent! 😊
There are some beautiful songs of Zbigniew Preisner on the album called "Moje kolędy". Far from Wham and Mariah Carey. In my family when you start playing that album that means it's christmas time :) Give it a try and Merry Christmas to you and your family :)
Nobody sings Polish carrols better then Mazowsze or Śląsk ❤❤❤
U nas w dom zawsze prezenty były jak wstaliśmy rano 25 grudnia. Nie 24 grudnia. 25 rano bo to w nocy z 24 na 25 Mikołaj przychodził :)
Never heard of these modern day music~~and I belong to a Polish parish. Differences in parishes~~.
Do they watch ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE?
Russell, haven't you been recently to the gingerbread museum in Toruń? Because I saw there an American who looked exactly like you :D
Yes! About 6 days ago! Small world!
@@LoveMyPoland Haha, we were in the same group!
Christmas eave dinner is very important. Oplatek is very important.
But I really didn’t care much for the gifts nor animals speaking. It was the December night sky that mesmerized my senses as it was so beautiful,vivid and vibrant. The Milky Way was so pronounced that it impacted me greatly! It was so beautiful and nothing has compared to it since. My Childhood was amazing growing up in northeastern Poland. You wouldn’t understand.
Make new video about comparison celebration New Year in Poland and USA 😉