Easter in Poland

Everything you always wanted to know about Easter in Poland

 but were afraid to ask

 Easter in Poland is a very popular holiday with many traditional customs. Here I will try to present some of them.   

FOOD BLESSING 

On Holy Saturday each Polish family go to church with a basket full of food. We put inside the basket following products:

• eggs - as a symbol of life
• bread - the simpliest food for everyone
• sausage - as a sign of rich and welfare
• salt and pepper  (sometimes horseradish) - basic spices but also salt as a main preservative
• some sweets - who doesn't like them?
  In many baskets a lamb can also be found (as a symbol of resurrected Christ).
  
  
  

    DECORATING EGGS

  In our region but not only here decorating eggs is very popular. Even in our school we are holding each year a decorating egg contest (this year photos). Usually empty eggs are used (without yolk and egg white), but some technics require using boiled eggs as well. Many years ago housewives spent a lot of time before Easter to make the most beautiful eggs; nowadays it is not really as popular as it used to be 30, 40 years ago.
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  ŚMIGUS-DYNGUS 
  
  
  The last tradition is really difficult to translate to English because it contains two archaic Polish words. The first one śmigus is an old version of today word bribe (during Easter time there were some people travelling through the village in order to be given some kind of food, sweets as a bribe. It could prevent them of being squirt). The second word has a similar meaning - these two words became a one name for a tradition of squirting people on Easter Monday. Usually young women are affraid of that day, especially they are caught unguard when coming back from church. This year for the first time in my life I haven't seen any wet girls because the temperature was very low (below zero).