FOOD ET TOUS: CHRISTMAS IN POLAND

Let's face it: Christmas in Poland is all about the food. As the traditional society, we like to refer to the past and so, for many, Christmas 2015 won't be any different than Christmas 1990 or Christmas 1972. From my experience (27 Christmases) the only change is excitement - it fades or rather switches as you grow. I used to get excited about creating the atmosphere, now I'd rather have someone create it for me (I know, horrible!) and enjoy the simple fact of spending Christmas with family and friends. But that doesn't interest you at all. That's our all adult experience. What interests you is how you should go about creating your OWN real Polish Christmas experience.

# Stick with number 12

12 apostles, 12 dishes, 12:00AM Christmas mass and so on and so on. Apparently the number of the dishes (12) refers to the number of Jesus apostles (12), so there you go. I'm not sure of biblical references of 12AM mass, but it's a nice or at least romantic tradition - snowy night, carol singing etc. As both my Mum and Dad come from Cieszyn where, opposed to the rest of Poland, most dwellers are Protestant I know of another, slightly less romantic tradition: 5AM Christmas mass on the 25th. My Mum states she loved it as a kid. Thankfully, she never made me try!

# Buy a tone of cabbage 

We Poles love cabbage and on Christmas we love it even more. Like my friend Charlie said: boil a cabbage, dip it in cabbage, sprinkle it with cabbage, tatadam you have a Polish meal. Truth be told it's nowhere near that simple, but yeah - we Poles LOVE cabbage.

# Go local 

Another thing we love: roots - both historical and literal, some unavailable for sale from a usual Christmas shelf. As tradition suggests 12 meals should be made of all of God's earthly gifts you may use mushrooms, honey, poppy seed, nuts and grain as well as smoked dried fruits, root vegetables of all kind and yes - cabbage.

# Become superstitious 

As you wait for your pets to start talking take a few steps towards becoming a billionaire (nah, I don't mean work):
1. Put a banknote and/or a bit of hay under the tablecloth
2. Put a piece of yeasty bread on the table
3. Eat or at least try each of the 12 dishes
4. Keep and carry a Christmas fish bone / husk in your wallet in the coming year

# About that fish... 

It's a carp.

# Yes you can flush it with spirit, but there's a rule for that too

...and I wouldn't call it a classical Christmas cocktail. What you'll need is spirit (96%) or clear vodka, lemon, sugar, cloves and cinnamon. First caramelise the sugar. When it's nice and gold add the lemon peel, spices and spirit (careful, it will flame!). Drink hot/warm for good digestion (and fast intoxication). PS. Please leave it to elders - two years ago my uncle almost burnt the kitchen, I wouldn't dare doing it myself.

# Learn a Polish Christmas carol! 

We like singing, you like singing, so why not try

Przybieżeli do Betlejem pasterze,
Grając skocznie Dzieciąteczku na lirze.
Chwała na wysokości, chwała na wysokości,
A pokój na ziemi.