Events: Christmas Eve
Category: Traditional Celebrations
Christmas Eve in Krakow
Although Christmas Eve is not a public holiday in Poland it's probably the most widely celebrated day – or at least evening – in the country. What was to be just a prelude to Christmas in fact took over most of the celebrations.
Though not a public holiday, Christmas Eve is not entirely a weekday, so banks and shops may close earlier. The same goes for public transport in Krakow – some of the buses and trams may run according to a different schedule.
Christmas Eve Dinner
The first star on the sky is the signal for the beginning of the Christmas Dinner. The table usually has an additional place setting for an unexpected guest – and the tradition says that whoever knocks on a house's door must be let in to share the joy of waiting for Christ to be born. The Christmas Eve tradition is that there should be twelve different types of food on the Christmas table, and the most popular dishes include barszcz (beetroot soup), grzybowa (mushroom soup), different types of fish (with carp being the most popular one) and several dishes with poppy seeds. Some hay should be placed under the tablecloth for good luck. After the Christmas Eve dinner the time comes for unwrapping presents (either simply placed under the Christmas tree or handed by a real Santa) and singing carols.
The Christmas Wafer
Before the Christmas dinner, all the fellow feasters share the oplatek – a milimeter-thin white wafer – and wish each-other all the best for Christmas and the following year. It's also popular to share the oplatek on special Christmas parties in many workplaces.
The Christmas Eve Mass
A special Christmas Eve Mass is held in virtually every church in Krakow – and all Poland – starting about midnight. It's the first time in the year that Christmas Carols are sung in churches, and this, along with the late-night atmosphere of the Krakow churches, makes the mass a wonderful experience. This goes especially for Krakow's most beautiful churches, like the St. Mary's Church.
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| The Fabulous Christmas Market in Krakow |
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