Christmas
The magic time before Christmas starts on 6th December. This is Santa Claus day. On this day Santa Claus comes to many houses and gives presents. But Santa Claus doesn’t give presents for “free” When you receive a present you must give something or do something in return.
For example you must sing a song, jump on 1 leg or give sweets to Santa Claus.
The next two weeks (7th- 23rd) is a very special time. Why?
Because Christmas is coming and all people are excited. Everybody goes to the big shops. These shops are full of colourful toys and other presents. People go to these shops and buy some presents for children. These shops can be useful for another thing: to buy food for traditional Christmas Eve supper.
At this magic time people have a lot of work. For example they must clean their houses. This is not all. These poor people must buy a Christmas tree. (Plastic or natural) When they buy it they decorate it. They put special balls and sweets on it. On the tip of the tree they put something special.
Many people go to church and sing carols. Sometimes people who don’t believe in God go to church too.
At the end of this time people call friends or family and invite them for Christmas. Then “this real” Christmas starts.
This “real” Christmas starts at 24th December- this day is called: ”Christmas Eve”. This day is the most exciting day of the year. On this magic day all the family sits at the table and have special dishes.
On this day people don’t eat meat and (children) don’t eat sweets. The most traditional dish is carp and “red soup”
Polish people have one traditional dish. This is “makowki”. “Makowki” is bread with poppy, almonds, nuts and raisins. But before making “makowki” the bread must soak in milk.
One place at the table is always empty for a guest. When somebody sees a star (the Bible says: “when Maria and Joseph saw a star…”) people can start eating. But first they wish each other a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. When everybody has finished eating everybody talks about future dreams and other things. Then children go to their parents room and than their parents put the presents under the beautiful Christmas tree. When children come back the presents are now under the tree.
After that the youngest person in the family (who can read names) sits under the Christmas tree and gives out the presents. When everybody has got a present, children go to bed. At midnight adult people go to church.
On Christmas Day and Boxing Day people eat rich food just like on Christmas Eve. On these two days they go to church and visit their friends.
When Christmas ends everything goes back to the normal routine.