In Poland we celebrate Christmas traditionally. Preparations for these days are very long. 

In Poland it is a tradition that we give presents to Christmas and send out Christmas cards. We always hide gifts under the Christmas tree. When the first star lights up some people give out presents.Later we all open them together and we are happy with them.

  One of the traditions is that we are decorating the Christmas tree with the family. We are doing it usually at the beginning of Christmas. We are hanging up a candies on a tree, which we eat next days.

Christmas Eve is on 24th December and it is a day before Christmas. It is a very important day in Poland because it is the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. In the evening people gather together and when the first star appears in the sky, they eat Christmas supper. Traditionally there should be twelve dishes and they should be all tasted. The most popular dishes are:

red borsch

sour cabbage with mushrooms

fish  

poppy-seed cake

Before people start eating, they share the holy wafer. After Christmas supper people give presents and sing Christmas carols. At midnight a lot of people go to church. Christmas is a beautiful day.

Christmas crib presents the interior of the Bethlehem stable at night, during which Jesus was born. Its beauty and special atmosphere evoke a chill in the heart of every believer. The nativity scene can be done as a miniature (traditionally placed under a Christmas tree) or as a real size. You can also go to Krakow where every year a competition for the most beautiful Cracow crib is organized. This competition is a permanent symbol of Krakow's traditions.

Gifts

 The nicest,for many,the Christmas habit.Today they are mosttly associated witch the Saint.Nicholas the tradition was born  because a man named Mikolaj once lived,he was wealthy and gave poor childer and adults gifts.Others believe that gifts are a sing of the gifts of kings to Jesus

THE POLISH TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS IS SINGING THE CHURCH. It is sung before the Christmas table, during the shepherd's day, and at concerts. The most popular of them are "Today Bethlehem," "God is Born," and "To Shepherds."