New Year Celebrations in Poland

New Year’s Eve

(31st of December)

New Year

(1st of January)

Traditions in Poland

Halina Ostańkowicz- Bazan

December 2014

The time in and around New Year is excitedly awaited by everyone in Poland.

New Year's Day, out of its traditional relevance, is also called St. Sylvester's Eve.

According to legends, it is associated with Pope Sylvester I,

who supposedly caught a dragon named Leviathan.

Along the inaugural day of the month of the year of 1000, the dragon was able

to get himself freed from the Pope Sylvester's regime, and proceeded on to

destroy land, people, as well as lay out fire in the celestial sphere. Still, the

dragon was later caught again, and the world still survived itself on the New

Year's Day.

In the commemoration of the same,

Polish people started celebrating and

rejoicing the New Year's Day

as St. Sylvester's Day.

In the XIX century the New Year’s Eves were almost

exclusively celebrated in wealthy Polish families

The essential of New Year celebrations in Poland quotes

that no one should be lonely for the day.

There is also a tradition of wishing at least one person right

by saying, "do siego roku", which refers to "I wish you

well".

New Year’s Eve is the beginning of CARNIVAL period,

which features special events like balls and parties

The Polish Carnival Season and Carnival Balls

NEW YEAR POLONAISE | POLONEZ NOWOROCZNY

The polonaise (Polish: polonez) is

a dance of Polish origin in 3/4 time.

The polonaise has a rhythm quite

close to that of the Swedish

semiquaver or sixteenth-note

polka, and the two dances have a

common origin.

Polonaise is a widespread dance

in carnival parties. It is always a

first dance not only at New Year

balls, but also it is the dance which

opens majority of Carnival parties

in Poland.

The polonaise is similarly always a first dance at a studniówka

("hundred-days"), the Polish equivalent of the senior prom that

occurs around 100 days before exams.

Polonez - Pan Tadeusz

The last scene with the traditional Polish dance.

http://youtu.be/Vq-VmzcJa3Y?t=58shttp://youtu.be/l-WZhtsN-co?t=3m2s

A fun tradition that has been popular for centuries is the

kulig (sleigh rides).

Kulig (sleigh rides) is an old Polish winter tradition dating back to the days of the

szlachta (nobility).

The kulig was a sleigh ride party organized among the Polish aristocracy. A

cavalcade of horse-pulled sleighs and sledges went from one manor house to

another, entertained everywhere with hearty meals followed by dances.

Kulig is still very popular in Poland. It is one of the winter holiday attractions. In my

countryside (the south part of Poland) many people organizing kuligs during winter.

Present New Year’s Eve- and New Year’s festivities are spent mostly

among family or with close allies at a private party, disco, in a

restaurant or some open public location.

Many people in Poland celebrate New Year’s Day with

dances, concerts, and meals featuring traditional Polish

dishes including bigos (hunter’s stew).

Polish national dish bigos (Polish

pronunciation: [ˈbiɡɔs]), known as a

hunter's stew, is a traditional meat and

cabbage stew.

Main ingredients are sauerkraut and

different kinds of meat (largely kielbasa).

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/maincours

es/r/bigos.htm

Happy New Year

Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku

Do Siego Roku

2015

Halina Ostańkowicz- Bazan