What happens on Christmas Day in Poland?
Christmas in Poland is called “Boże Narodzenie”, which translates to ‘God’s Birth’. The Day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December is the unofficial beginning of the festive season in Poland. Well-behaved children receive small gifts on the day, whereas naughty children receive a lump of coal or a twig, called “rózga”.
What is a bûche de Noël commonly eaten in France at Christmas?
sponge cake
Traditionally, a bûche de Noël, which literally means “Christmas log” in French, is a sponge cake and buttercream roulade that is modeled after the Yule log. The chocolate frosting is scored to resemble bark and the cake is typically embellished with exquisite meringue mushrooms, marzipan holly, and berries.
Why is Christmas important in Poland?
Christmas Day is a national holiday in Poland on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a festive event and many people have the day off work and school.
What is Polish Christmas Eve called?
Wigilia
Christmas Eve dinner, also known as Wigilia, starts when the first star appears in the sky. Nothing is to be eaten until all members of the family have broken the Christmas wafers (opłatek) together and exchanged wishes for good health and prosperity.
What is Santa Claus called in Poland?
In Polish, he’s called Gwiazdor (gvia-zdoohr) and he’s an older fellow dressed a bit like a bishop. He not only carries presents with him but also the aforementioned birch switch – if you’ve been bad, you’d better watch out.
Why do the Polish celebrate on Christmas Eve?
Many Christians in Poland and around the world start celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve. It is also known as the Vigil of Christmas and is perceived as the culmination of the Advent season.
Why do the French eat bûche de Noël?
In French culture, this revised Bûche de Noël tradition is believed to have stemmed from a medieval feudal tax taken at Christmas times called the “right of the log.” Peasants were required to bring a large piece of wood to the feudal lord’s manor house. Years later, they began doing it for their own homes.
What does the French dessert bûche de Noël represent?
The Bûche de Noël cake is a French Christmas tradition that dates back to the 19th century. The cake represents the yule log that families would burn starting on Christmas Eve. The burning of the yule log symbolized the new year to come and would bring good luck to the family.
What does marzanna mean?
Marzanna is the Polish incarnation of the old Slavic goddess of winter, plague and death. In medieval times, the rite involved making a Marzanna effigy out of straw which was then wrapped in linen and beautified with ribbons and beads.