Polish people are generally Catholic.  They celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ.

They have many beautiful Christmas traditions. I am Polish and grew up celebrating these wonderful traditions. Let me share them with you.

Polish people celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day.  The family gathers for a Christmas meal which is fish rather than meat.  . The total number of dishes served must be an odd number.   

While the family is dining, a lighted candle stands in the window signifying the wait for the Christ child to be born.  An extra chair and place setting at the table exists which also signifies this wait.    

A mound of straw is placed under a white table cloth.  Wafers are placed on top of the straw.  This signifies the Christ Child in the manger.  These wafers are about four by six inches.  Before the meal begins, each person takes a wafer.  People break off pieces of each other’s wafers and exchange greetings and good wishes.  Prayers to bless the food are also said.    

The evening ends with the family going to Midnight Mass where traditional Christmas carols are sung. Churches are decorated with Christmas trees and lights.  A nativity scene is set up in one part of the church.  This scene depicts a stable. The Christ child lies in a manger surrounded by Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wise men.  Worshipers visit the nativity scene to pray and make donations.     

The Christmas celebration continues for two weeks until January 6.  On this date, according to the church calendar, the three wise men brought gifts to the Christ Child.  During this period, friends and families visit each other to bring gifts and to share refreshments. Families write “K+M+B” with chalk on the doorways to their houses.  These initials represent the first letters of the names of the three wise men.  Families ask God to bless and protect their houses during the coming year.