Christmas traditions flat 8

Christmas traditions

Polish vs. Slovak

Slovak Christmas traditions are pretty unique in a good way. We decorate our houses both from the inside and outside (Christmas light, Christmas tree, mistletoes and such). Until the Christmas dinner (on the 24th) most of the members of the family fast - which is also called pôst (this tradition has an exception for children, elderly or sick people). I have to mention food that most of Slovak households have on their Christmas table. We eat cabbage soup named kapustnica, which is a classic. The second course contains cooked/baked carp and a potato salad. Some Slovak families buy a living carp and then keep some of the scales in their wallets because it is supposed to bring the family more money. We also bake many Christmas deserts and cookies (for example gingerbread cookies). While eating Christmas dinner no one can get up from the table - in some regions of Slovakia the tradition has an exception for housewives but only for them to serve food. After Christmas dinner we unpack our gifts and chat a little or watch some Christmas movies.

Polish traditional Christmas is that we dress the Christmas tree and if someone wants to, they can dress the yard or house from the outside. We make gingerbread, cakes and so on. On Christmas Eve we first sing carols, break the wafer and then sit down to the table. The first course is a soup with cabbage and mushrooms. There is no second course on Christmas Eve, but everyone eats what they want from the twelve dishes that are on the table and all of which should be tasted according to tradition. I'll add that there should be one empty space for a guest in every house. After eating the food, we open the presents. On the night of December 24th to 25th, there is a shepherdess church where carols are sung, it is a mass commemorating the expectation and prayer of shepherds heading for Bethlehem.

This is how our Christmas often looks.