Public and national holidays in Poland

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

It's always interesting to know what dates are celebrated in other countries. After all, holidays are associated with the culture and traditions of a particular people. Some of them are celebrated with us. Others are characteristic only for a certain people. Well, it’s worth talking about the holidays in Poland, a country that is relatively close to Russia, and whose inhabitants are Slavs, like us.

Official non-working day

We also have some holidays in Poland. Naturally, the New Year tops the list of such celebrations. This is an international celebration! In Polish it is called Nowy Rok. A wonderful holiday that is loved by many people around the world. Although for special skeptics this is just a change of calendar.

By the way, in Poland this holiday is also called St. Sylvester's Day. He was a Roman bishop who died in 335. Then a real panic began throughout the Catholic world. People believed that the end of the world was about to come. But the apocalypse did not happen, and from that moment on December 31 is considered the day when Bishop Sylvester defeated the maliciousLeviathan, who wanted to devour the whole world, thus saving the planet.

On the night of January 1, Poland does not sleep. All restaurants and cafes are open, loud incendiary music sounds on the streets, and the sky now and then lights up with fireworks. In addition, the end of December is the time for carnivals, dances and shows! Locals arrange a round dance of sleighs, parties on the street near the fires, fry sausages on the fire, make sweet brushwood and donuts with jam. In general, they know how to celebrate the New Year here.

Winter celebrations

In general, the New Year holidays in Poland begin on the 20th of December. Mass celebrations "start" from the 25th. This is the first day of Catholic Christmas. On December 26, the celebration continues. These days the locals do not work.

It is worth noting that the holidays in Poland have retained their originality. Catholic Christmas is celebrated here in a big way. Traditions have not yet become obsolete. Many families still leave one seat free at the table - for an unexpected guest. In addition, this is a tribute to those who left the earthly world and could not be on holiday with their families. Families who have no one to celebrate with are invited to their homes. No one should be lonely on Christmas. And before starting to set the table, the hostess puts some hay, which symbolizes the barn - after all, Jesus was born in it. And then - fortune telling. Each of the guests, without looking, pulls out a straw from under the tablecloth. Did you get it straight? So it will be a good year. Broken or crooked? Most likely, you will have to deal with some difficulties.

What else is interesting:On the 6th (Christmas Eve of Orthodox Christmas), Poles celebrate Epiphany. That is Święto Trzech Kroli. Literally translated as "Feast of the Three Kings". This is one of the oldest Christian celebrations, which is dedicated to the appearance of Jesus Christ and his baptism.

Christmas Eve

It is impossible not to pay attention to him, talking about holidays and weekends in Poland. What does the word "eve" mean to us? We use it usually in relation to the New Year. The day when you need to finish all the things like cutting salads, baking meat, buying gifts and everything else (many even put up a Christmas tree only on the eve).

But in Poland, Christmas Eve is the main family holiday, which is called Vigilia. On this day, the family decorates the Christmas tree together, prepares food. It is very important to complete everything before dusk - before the appearance of the first star in the sky. Then the family proceeds to traditional rites, including reading the New Testament, sharing between all those present a host - a thin crispy leaf baked from unleavened dough. Then - dinner. There are only lean treats on the table. And there are only 12 dishes, which symbolizes the number of apostles. The obligatory treat is kutya. Traditionally served are dumplings with mushrooms, pies with cabbage, fish, pancakes and jelly, salads, poppy seeds, vermicelli, boiled potatoes, dried fruit compote (alcohol is not consumed in Vigilia), champignons and mushroom kvass. After dinner, the family goes to the liturgy.

State celebrations

It is also worth talking about them a little. On the first of May, Święto Państwowe is celebrated in Poland. That is, Labor Day, which has been celebrated annually since 1950. Here, in Russia, it is also celebrated.

A day later comes Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja - a national holiday on May 3rd. This celebration is the most Polish. It was established in 1919 and then renewed 71 years later, on the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland.

But that's not all the celebrations. Talking about the national holidays of Poland, one cannot fail to mention November 11th. On this day Narodowe Święto Niepodległości is celebrated. That is the National Independence Day. Every year a memorable event of 1918 is celebrated. It was then that Poland was recognized as an independent state.

In memory

This is not all the holidays in Poland that are worthy of attention. April 13, for example, in 2007 was designated the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Katyn. This is a really important date. Every year on the 13th day of the specified month, the people mourn the Polish officers who were shot by the NKVD in April 1940.

Five years ago, another memorable date was announced - March 1st. It's the Day of the Cursed Soldiers. Since 2011, every first of March, people remember young servicemen who were members of the anti-communist and anti-Soviet armed underground (40-50 years of the last century).

Also, when talking about the national and state holidays of Poland, one should not forget about the Memorial Day of Poznań June 1956. It is celebrated on June 28 - the daywhen in the city of Poznan, which is located on the Warta River, the first uprising broke out in the history of the republic. It was brutally suppressed by government forces.

Interesting dates

Well, let's get back to more positive celebrations. For example, on January 21, Grandmother's Day is celebrated in the country. The next day is Grandfather's Day. On February 14, as elsewhere, the holiday of all lovers reigns. And March 27 (in 2016) is Catholic Easter. The country also celebrates Youth Day. September 30, to be precise. And half a month later, on October 14, all pupils and students congratulate their teachers on Teacher's Day. Most often it is a day off. Holidays in Poland in October are few, unlike the winter months. There is another celebration celebrated on October 16 - this is the day of John Paul II. The date when the memory of the great pope is honored.

But the last month of autumn is full of different events. Holidays in November in Poland begin on the first day. 01.11 is All Saints Day. Solemn services are held in all churches and churches of the country in honor of the date.

And a day later, on November 2, the Feast of the Dead begins. Or, as it is also called, Memorial Day. How is it different from November 1st? The fact that on the Day of Remembrance, first of all, the deceased relatives and close people are remembered.

And 30.11 St. Andrew's Day is celebrated. In the evening, on the eve of the holiday, on November 29, people gather for traditional fortune-telling.

Easter

This is another significant holiday in Poland. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. In Poland, this celebration is called Wielka Noc, which literally translates as “great night”. Fairs are organized on the days before the holidays - with an abundance of Easter pastries, bread and meat products (shanks, pies, s altisons, bacon, rolls, etc.). Before going to the church, the Poles collect a “velkanotsna” basket, where they put colored eggs, sausage, ham, yeast dough, “lamb” (butter or sugar) and vinegar.

Even in Poland, the 7th Sunday after Easter is celebrated, which is the first day of Pentecost and the 9th Thursday after it. This is the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

What else is worth knowing?

As you could already understand, in Poland they love holidays and know how to celebrate them - whether they are national, state or religious.

Finally, it is worth noting the fact that all significant dates are determined by the law "On non-working days" of 1951-18-01 and the resolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Poland.

And yet, in 2007, a regulation was officially adopted prohibiting trading during thirteen holidays. Of these, 3 are state, and the rest are religious.