Appreciating the underestimated - Polish Christmas

Have you ever experienced the surprising feeling of homesickness? Surprising, because you never thought you would miss your motherland. When you lived there you never ceased to notice something annoying, something that "would never happen in other countries". However, when your dream comes true and you finally move to live among other nation, you suddenly start appreciating what you have been underestimating before. Living abroad makes you miss all traditions and customs you are used to, especially in the period of big, family celebrations, such as Christmas. In my case, it's longing for Poland. It is a country extremely experienced and rich historically. All the things it had been through has made it's inhabitants patriotic and dedicated to cultivating it's traditions. Since we're near the Christmas time, here is the description of  Polish Christmas Beliefs and Traditions.

Christmas in Poland is the most elaborate holiday during the whole year, and Polish people prepare for it days before the actual celebration. Shopping for ingredients for homemade food, christmas presents for relatives (which they give each other not only on 6th of December but also on Christmas Eve), searching for decoration they put in and outside their houses is a typical fever of this time of year. However, one of he most important part for Poles is to have their house or apartment sparkling clean. When it comes to weather, only a white Christmas is considered a real Christmas; therefore, everybody is happy when there is fresh snow outside. Before Christmas Eve supper (known as Wigilia) Polish farmers bless their fields with holy water and place crosses made from straw into the four corners of a room. This is supposed to protect the household from evil powers and bad luck. The supper itself consists of twelve different dishes, that never include meat. There are typical salads, carp and other types of fish, cakes, soups... . Before sitting down at the table after all traditional foods are ready and brought to the table, everyone anxiously awaits the moment when the first star, known as the Gwiazdka, appears in the eastern sky. For that is when the feast to commemorate the birth of the Christ Child begins.

Now everybody breaks the traditional wafer, or Oplatek and exchanges good wishes for health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. This is such a deeply moving moment that often tears of love and joy are evoked from the family members who are breaking this symbolic bread. This is the moment, when people open their hearts and their deeply hidden emotions towards their relatives are revealed. The Oplatek is a thin, unleavened wafer similar to the altar bread in the Roman Catholic Church. It is stamped with the figures of the Godchild, the blessed Mary, and the holy angels. The wafer is known as the bread of love and is often sent by mail to the absent members of the family. The framgent of the Bible describing the birth of Jesus Christ is read by the oldest member of the family. Many people believe that additional plate on the table is a way to reunite with those who we cannot be with during Christmas supper. It can be for deceased relatives or friends who supposedly come during Christmas Eve to eat the food with us. On the other hand, this symbolic additional seat represents Polish hospitality. No one should be left alone at Christmas, so strangers and also the homeless are welcomed to join in the holy supper. This belief derives from the times when Mary and Joseph were looking for shelter and they couldn't find one.
Pooles also sing christmas carols. The children dress themselves like the figures from the Bible and sing christmas songs in different houses in hope to get some more sweets.

After supper, they pull out blades of straw from beneath the tablecloth. A green one foretells marriage; a withered one signifies waiting; a yellow one predicts spinsterhood; and a very short one foreshadows an early grave. Some people also put money under the white cloth, which symbolizes prosperity in the household. This is also the time of opening the presents that before were put under the christmas tree.

At midnight on Christmas Eve animals are believed to speak with a human voice. What is more, in the middle of the night  the whole family goes together to the mass called Pasterka, in which they pray and give thanks for the rebirth of Christ and their families.