Sunday, April 4, 2010

Wielkanoc - Paște - Easter

This year we spent Easter together in Poland. So we thought about telling you a few things on how people spend this holiday here. For me, it was the first Easter I spent here, so I had a lot to learn.
Of course, I don't know about other families, but I think it is enough to get a glimpse on this one.
I should specify first that most Polish are catholic. The celebration takes three days, I think. The first day is Saturday. In the morning, we painted eggs. We just boiled the eggs together with some onion skin; they took a nice brownish color. After that we went to church, with a basket containing some of those painted eggs, bread, salt, some sausage, sweets. At the end of a small ceremony, the priest blessed everyone and the baskets by sprinkling them with what I believe to be seen as holy water.
After that, everyone went home and celebration with family began. Everyone brought some food or cakes. The celebration continued the next day, when there was what Piotrus called "the most important breakfast of the year". Everybody had to eat eggs that were painted for this occasion and to taste from what the others brought. So Easter Sunday is more about staying with family, chit-chatting and eating, I have to say this, a lot.
Monday was "Lany Poniedziałek" or "Śmingus Dyngus", something that in Romania could be similar to "Paparuda". This funny named tradition is like a ritual for good luck. People are pouring water on each other for health, good luck and, of course, for fun. I was surprised while sleeping, but it wasn't such a big amount of water as I was afraid :D
And everything continued, of course, with eating :)