Why is Polish Christmas on the 24th?

pamThreads: 22 Posts: 463 Joined: Oct 11, 11 MEMBER ♀	Dec 23, 11, 23:22 #61
a.k.: No. You can put up Christmas tree since 6th December. I put mine a week ago. thanks for information. my friends house had a forest just behind it,and the tree wasnt cut down until xmas eve. just presumed that it was only on wigilia that the the xmas tree was put up

f stopThreads: 33 Posts: 2,861 Joined: Dec 9, 09 ♀	Edited by: f stop Dec 24, 11, 06:36 #62
Christmas tree is decorated by children on Christmas Eve. Of course, you can put yours up in April, but that's not what the Polish tradition is. And yes, no meat on Christmas Eve.

♂

Dec 24, 11, 07:07 #63

Magdalena:

Because we celebrate Christmas Eve. It's not a Polish thing, it's a Catholic thing.

Nonsense. I was raised Polish American catholic and the big day was Christmas day not Christmas Eve. In fact kids who got their gifts on Christmas Eve were considered spoiled for not being able to wait until Christmas Day.

Fasting on Christmas Eve? Whoever heard of such a thing, after all Advent isn't Lent. And also we drank too but alcoholism isn't in my family, so there was no taboo about drinking.

mafketis:

On drinking for Christmas Eve. All my experience is with families who drink during wigilia dinner (moderately but steadily). This forum was the first time I'd heard of any kind of abstention (I certainly never would have guessed form observing people's behavior).

True

nunczka:

As a kid I attended a Catholic School ran by Nuns.. Over the years I saw just how most of what we were taught was a lot of crap.. I started to see the light when the Catholic Clergy sextually abused young boys.

Very true

PlasticPoleThreads: 10 Posts: 5,433 Joined: May 28, 09 ♀	Dec 24, 11, 08:23 #64
You don't fast on the Eve. If any fasting occured in antiquity, it would have occured on Christmas day. Eves are traditionally considered a time to engage in various sins of the flesh.

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,415 Joined: May 30, 08 ♂	Dec 24, 11, 08:49 #65
PlasticPole: You don't fast on the Eve. If any fasting occured in antiquity, it would have occured on Christmas day. Eves are traditionally considered a time to engage in various sins of the flesh. You can fast and still engage in various sins of flesh, one doesn`t exclude the other.

♂

Dec 24, 11, 11:10 #66

It appears there is no consensous of opinion amongst the forum members, and information you can find on the Internet.

This is my first Polish xmas in the UK and all I can say is so far I'm appalled by the whole charade. Presents give 3 weeks before, presents every day for the last week. Relatives competing against the mother by trying to buy bigger and better every day. Miserable brothers and sisters (adults) concerned they are getting less. Controlling mother in law(Grrrr!). A display of everything that is wrong with people. Where the hell Santa Claus comes into this nightmare, god only knows.

I'll miss my Romano British christmas day when we all wear paper hats for lunch to demonstrate the fact everyone is equal for one day and the children are happy with the presents they open on christmas morning.

♂

Edited by: nunczka Dec 24, 11, 11:57 #67

A Polish Christmas in America is all but gone.Growing up in America with Immigrant Parents,we were exposed to the culture that they enjoyed in Poland. After WW2 the 1st generation started to prosper and move into the suburbs. The old folks remained behind. By now they started to master the English language The Polish language spoken in the street, all but disappeared.

As the older generation died off the Polish neighborhoods began to disappear. Along with most Polish customs. My school St Casimir's no longer taught Polish. The Archdiocese replaced our Polish Pastor with an Italian.. The congregation were limited to one Koledy by the church choir on Christmas day.Many people just left the church.

There are many Polish American's in America. But the culture and language all but disappeared

♂

Dec 24, 11, 12:31 #68

nunczka:

A Polish Christmas in America is all but gone.Growing up in America with Immigrant Parents,we were exposed to the culture that they enjoyed in Poland. After WW2 the 1st generation started to prosper and move into the suburbs. The old folks remained behind. By now they started to master the English language The Polish language spoken in the street, all but disappeared.

I suppose that this demonstrates the difference between Polish-Americans and British people of Polish origin.

It seems that once Poles in the USA have been there a while, they forget their culture, or create some fake form of it; let's face it, the "Polish Dog" is just the Pol-Am equivalent of "Singapore Fried Noodles" :) Mind you, this does appear to be the "American Way" - remember that episode of The Sopranos, when the oh-so "Italian-American" characters went to Italy and needed interpreters?? lol :D

It's over 65 years since the first member of my family arrived in this country, yet I am able to pass on the language and the culture to any children or grandchildren I may have.

In the UK, Polish people can be divided into two groups. The first group consists of those who maintain the language and culture and pass it on to their children. These people tend to object to being called English/Welsh etc, but accept being called British. Christmas means a traditional Polish Christmas Eve, not an English Christmas Day. Church means the local Polish church, if it is within a reasonable travelling distance. English may become the primary language, but Polish is spoken at every opportunity.

The other group are those who never bothered with anything Polish, and exclusively refer to themselves as English/British, etc. They will, however, admit to having Polish ancestry, if the subject arises. Christmas means an English Christmas Day, not a Polish Christmas Eve. The local English church is attended, if at all.

What you will not find over here is people claiming to be Polish, but who can't speak a word of the language, have nothing to do with the culture, and will never bother visiting Poland. This latter category appears to describe the American "Polacks" which are often discussed/derided on here.

I'm proud to say that I'm in the first category.

nunczka:

There are many Polish American's in America. But the culture and language all but disappeared

They have only themselves to blame, but if that's what they chose, there's not a lot that any of us can do about it. I do feel sorry for Pol-Ams in a way, though - even I've got a heart ;) I can travel to Poland entirely by train, yet Americans have to fly thousands of miles, so it's not quite as easy to maintain contact with the old country.

Mind you, Chinese and Indians seem to manage, so my sympathy is limited :D

nunczkaThreads: 17 Posts: 624 Joined: Sep 13, 08 ♂	Dec 24, 11, 12:50 #69
Sidliste_Chodov: What you will not find over here is people claiming to be Polish, but who can't speak a word of the language, have nothing to do with the culture, and will never bother visiting Poland. This latter category appears to describe the American "Polacks" which are often discussed/derided on here Yup! You described it very well

a.k.	Dec 24, 11, 19:59 #70
pam: thanks for information. my friends house had a forest just behind it,and the tree wasnt cut down until xmas eve. just presumed that it was only on wigilia that the the xmas tree was put up I've just found out that actually the Polish tradition says that Christmas tree should be put up at Xmas Eve and only those under influence of English/American tradition put it up earlier! :)

saschaThreads: 13 Posts: 3,862 Joined: Jun 10, 10 ♂	Dec 24, 11, 20:03 #71
Why is Polish Christmas on the 24th?..... ....because the majority is of roman catholic faith and then the tree is put up on the 24.12..

a.k.	Dec 24, 11, 20:07 #72
I almost forgot: Merry Christmas to all of you! :)

♂

Dec 25, 11, 04:02 #73

Sidliste_Chodov:

I suppose that this demonstrates the difference between Polish-Americans and British people of Polish origin.

It seems that once Poles in the USA have been there a while, they forget their culture, or create some fake form of it; let's face it, the "Polish Dog" is just the Pol-Am equivalent of "Singapore Fried Noodles" :) Mind you, this does appear to be the "American Way" - remember that episode of The Sopranos, when the oh-so "Italian-American" characters went to Italy and needed interpreters?? lol :D

It's over 65 years since the first member of my family arrived in this country, yet I am able to pass on the language and the culture to any children or grandchildren I may have.

In the UK, Polish people can be divided into two groups. The first group consists of those who maintain the language and culture and pass it on to their children. These people tend to object to being called English/Welsh etc, but accept being called British. Christmas means a traditional Polish Christmas Eve, not an English Christmas Day. Church means the local Polish church, if it is within a reasonable travelling distance. English may become the primary language, but Polish is spoken at every opportunity.

The other group are those who never bothered with anything Polish, and exclusively refer to themselves as English/British, etc. They will, however, admit to having Polish ancestry, if the subject arises. Christmas means an English Christmas Day, not a Polish Christmas Eve. The local English church is attended, if at all.

What you will not find over here is people claiming to be Polish, but who can't speak a word of the language, have nothing to do with the culture, and will never bother visiting Poland. This latter category appears to describe the American "Polacks" which are often discussed/derided on here.

I'm proud to say that I'm in the first category.

If you are in the first category, why are you living in England?

legendThreads: 9 Posts: 819 Joined: Apr 23, 11 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 04:29 #74
My family and I have the dinner and open presents on 24th here in Canada. We sometimes change it up for the 25th every couple years.

MEMBER ♀

Dec 26, 11, 01:12 #75

Ant63:

This is my first Polish xmas in the UK and all I can say is so far I'm appalled by the whole charade. Presents give 3 weeks before, presents every day for the last week. Relatives competing against the mother by trying to buy bigger and better every day. Miserable brothers and sisters (adults) concerned they are getting less. Controlling mother in law(Grrrr!). A display of everything that is wrong with people. Where the hell Santa Claus comes into this nightmare, god only knows.

i havent experienced this at all. maybe the people you know have more money than sense? certainly isnt the case amongst people i know :)

pamThreads: 22 Posts: 463 Joined: Oct 11, 11 MEMBER ♀	Dec 26, 11, 01:21 #76
Sidliste_Chodov: I'm proud to say that I'm in the first category. good one!

♂

Edited by: ShawnH Dec 26, 11, 01:31 #77

We celebrated a mixed traditions Christmas this year. A wigilia dinner last night, no meat, but a little wine, and let the kids open a few presents. Had some visitors over, and more wine.

Today, balance of the presents, a nice brekkie. Roast beef dinner and finished the wine, then some more.

But the Polish side of the tradition is a lot more traditional, IMO.

Seanus:

my family-in-law have reused present bags for 3 years now.

Funny, we have on that is on the 6th appearance, best we could all remember!

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Dec 26, 11, 02:10 #78
A umiesz polerować dobrze? ;) I think the cabbage got to a couple of the guests. The babcia is always good for a laugh. She is virtually deaf and thinks her 'gaseous emissions' are discreet but they are far from it ;)

Alice218	Jan 28, 12, 21:46 #79
During my youth, over sixty years ago, Christmas Eve was a day of Fast and Abstinence. Absinence = NO meat. Fasting rules same as for Lent. No food between meals and two of the three together would be no more than the third. As of age 59, one no longer had to Fast, but still had to abstain from meat. So I am surprised that Christmas might have been commonly celebrated on the 24th in the past.

drk

Feb 4, 12, 03:28 #80

Christmas Eve or Wigilia in polish means end of advent season and preperation for Jesus birth. According to Roman Catholic Church Wigilja comes from a latin word of Vigiliare which litterly means anticipation. In ancient times of the Old Testament it was a common practice among the Jews to spend time in in prayer and anticipatioan day before festivity begun. Church has accepted tradition like that and keep continues to this very day.

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