Traditions… Traditions
Pierogi, Kluski, Golabki, Chrusciki, Makowiec are delicious words my sisters and I learned at birth from the Polish family we grew up with back in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Polish food is served at our weekly family get-togethers throughout the year, but they have a special meaning for the five of us sisters on Christmas Eve every year. Christmas festivities begin on December 6th; this day is known as St. Nicholas Day and is unofficially the beginning of Christmas in Poland. Well-behaved children receive small gifts in the shoes that they put at the front door or by the fireplace, and naughty children receive a lump of coal or a twig. But most of the Polish Christmas celebrations take place on December 24th. Even though this day isn’t officially a public holiday in Poland, it is one of the most significant and family-oriented days of the year. So significant, the workday ends early so that families can be together for the day.
Everyone in the family makes an extra special effort to come home for Christmas Eve, even from great distances such as Hong Kong, like one of my sisters who showed up in Chinese attire. They make the journey not so much for the meal as for the ritual that draws the family members closer, bringing everyone together and strengthening the family ties.
In the basement of my Auntie Jean’s house, we all gathered to celebrate the anticipated birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. For many generations, our Bushi, Polish for Grandma, was busy in the tiny kitchen making dozens of Pierogis until her passing when I was in college. Auntie Jean made the Kluski noodles and Makowiec, which are poppy seed rolls, for all of us to enjoy. One of my favorite traditions is sharing the Oplatek, an unleavened wafer made of flour and water embossed with a religious image. Everyone attending the Christmas celebration gets one and then shares pieces of it with everyone else. This is accompanied by the exchange of good wishes and occurs before sitting down to eat. This tradition is linked to breaking of the bread at the Last Supper.
One Polish tradition that I don’t recall as a child is the family waiting for the first star to start the Christmas Eve meal. This tradition symbolizes the Bethlehem star leading the shepherds to Bethlehem. The first star signals the end of the Advent fast. Once the first star is spotted, the special Christmas Eve feast begins. You can start eating the delicious food after everyone shares the wafer. Traditionally there should be 12 Christmas Eve dishes. None of the dishes can contain meat or alcohol.
One of the oldest cousins and oldest son of Auntie Jean, a North Chicago firefighter, dressed up as Santa Claus every Christmas Eve. The older cousins knew that it was Roger, but we still enjoyed seeing the little ones sitting on his lap as he asked them what they would like for Christmas, as every good Santa Claus does. Over the years, our family switched off opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and the first thing Christmas morning. My favorite is opening presents in the morning along with Christmas stockings filled with my mom’s unique contents, which typically included EGG pantyhose, which we wore back in the “day.”
Christmas Eve finished by going to Church for a Midnight Mass service. Churches are full during this event, and everybody sings Christmas carols. After the midnight mass, you can eat meat and drink alcohol. What are your special childhood memories? And will you pass them down to your grandkids?
