In the UK, Christmas is the most celebrated holiday and yet how each family celebrates it varies. As long as I can remember, my Christmas has been somewhat different from my friends. As the youngest member of a Polish family, I strongly feel it important to retain the customs of those that come before me.
A vivid memory as a child, is standing on a chair helping my ‘Babcia’ (grandmother) making the traditional Polish dish of ‘Pierogi’, Polish dumplings filled with cheese and potatoes, or mushrooms. These were always prepared just in time for the annual celebration of ‘Wigilia’, which happened on the night of December 24th Christmas Eve. When the first star appeared, a feast of fish dishes would be delivered from the kitchen, followed my favourite dish, Barszcz (beetroot soup). A number of other Polish delicacies would also be served, such as ‘Zupa Grzybowa’ (mushroom soup), ‘Śledzie’ (rolled Herring) or ‘Kluski z Kapustą’ (noodles with cabbage). However, one reward for sitting through 12 courses of fish and other foods was that I was allowed to open my presents on Christmas Eve and to my pleasure, I didn’t miss out on the excitement of also waking to a stocking full of presents on Christmas day. Even before Christmas Eve, in Poland, Christmas starts on the 6th December with another Polish tradition, ‘Mikołajki’. Święty Mikołaj (St Nicholas) visits all children who have been good, to leave a small present, a start to a season full of giving and receiving desired gifts. Growing up, I had absolutely no problem with celebrating two completely different Christmases, and as you may be able to tell, these many examples of both Polish and English customs are all advantages of taking the best of both English and Polish traditions.
While I grew up, my ‘Babcia’ fought her battle against time, but before she sadly passed, she managed to pass on the secrets of a perfect Polish Christmas, and I immediately became determined to carry on these traditions after she left us. In years to come, I would master the art of making ‘Pierogi’, ‘Uszka’ (cheese and potato / mushroom dumplings), ‘Szarlotka’ (apple pie), in addition to learning the words to traditional polish carols, such as ‘Cicha Noc’ (Silent Night). Despite the Covid 19 restrictions and not being able to celebrate with close family and friends, this year our preparations were just as important, and we still managed to deliver a full polish Christmas experience, but just for me and my parents.
My Babcia left Poland as a refugee at the age of two and travelled for 11 years through the Middle East and Africa before arriving in England, and yet she held on tightly to her traditions and sense of home. It became very clear to me how important it is to remember your origins, and even though I was born in London, I lived in Poland until the age of five and my heart remains there. I am looking forward, in future years, to passing on these traditions down to my own family.
