Poland is a unique part of the world where traditions combine with rituals and myths. Here, people do things just because they were previously “set in stone” – “My whole family did this like that, why should I change?” So you may find customs and traditions that you might find odd/bizarre at first sight, but that are definitely worth your while.
The empty chair
The Polish people may not be as warm (at first sight) as the Romanian people, but they are great when it comes to traditional hospitality. If you have been invited over, be prepared for some food & vodka drinking! However, this unique Polish Custom is related to Christmas Eve. The families always leave an empty spot at the table for the unknown guest (representing Jesus, that may come any minute knocking at their door). There were 2 explanations I could hear about this custom: 1) Pagan roots – The Polish people (Same as Romanian people, to be honest) celebrate a feast in the memory of the deceased. During the feast, an empty chair is always left, in remembrance VS 2) Christian roots – New Testament – linking to how the Holy Family could not find shelter while Mary was due. She ended up giving birth in a stable, so the best decision is always to have an empty spot… just in case! Up to you which one you choose to go for 😉
Just the Sweets Table Weddings = WODKA Time!
A second wedding party (the day after)
We all know Weddings are important – especially in the cultures that are heavily religious like the Polish people have it. Weddings are important and they always come as a big family event, where everyone is invited – even the aunts and uncles that you have never spoken to them before… Everyone must be invited, even if they won’t come! Now the Weddings in Poland and with great fuss and they always come with a great amount of food and drinks and singing (a cappella – by the guests). But that is not the end of it 😉 Poprawiny = the party after the Wedding party. The party “after” in those cases, can last from 1 to 2 days after the initial wedding reception. The word “poprawiny” derives from the verb “poprawić“, which means to correct, improve, fix. What is there to fix? Well… you might have ordered more food & drinks than you should have… so it is time to correct that 😉 One does not simply leave a place of pierogi not eaten!!!
Fat Thursday – one of my fav days 😉
Tłusty Czwartek or Fat Thursday is one hell of a day! You need to prepare for it… If ever you will visit Poland on the day before Lent, you will certainly observe large queues of people around pastry/sweets shops (“cukiernia“). The Unique Polish Custom is to actually have one last chance to overindulge on anything sweets and savory on that day. The Catholics will “go on strike” and start fasting, but they do have this one day where everything is permitted – food-wise. The most popular treat of the day is, of course, the Polish-style donuts aka Pączki that have no hole in the middle. The 2nd favorite is the “Angel Wings” aka “chrust”.
Marzanna’s drowning…
Yes, this Unique Polish Custom is actually related to another pagan ritual. Oddly enough, people in Poland are very attached to this ritual, and every year, between the 19th and 21st of March (depending on the year) you have almost every kindergarten creating a Marzanna and later on drowning it… This custom is specific not only to Poland but also to Lithuania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic (do you sense a pattern there?). Marzanna is a Slavic witch/goddess and she is associated with plague and death. To avoid that, the fake Marzanna must be torched in order to bring in Spring. Of course, to make sure that the “witch” is dead, the same thing – after burning her – is also drowning her (you can never be too certain, can’t you?!).
Kanapki – Sandwiches?!?
Had to save the best Unique Polish Custom as the last… Well, you should have seen my face 10 years ago (fresh LadyBug in Poland) when someone asked if I wanted a sandwich. When you think of sandwiches, you usually imagine 2 slices of bread with something in between them. Imagine my surprise when my friend came back with 1 slice of bread and… something on top that resembled cream cheese and had slices of cucumber on top. Now, I do come from Romania (where we take bread with everything) so this came as a shock! (Along with the fact that I would go to lunch and wait for the basket of bread to come… yet it never did!). Kanapka is the Polish word for sandwich but in fact it is an open-sandwich with only 1 slice of bread. Always just 1 slice! The Polish people eat that for breakfast, lunch, dinner… you name it! Whenever, wherever!
Yours with love,
The Twisted Red LadyBug
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