In someways I regret not writing about it before, but I didn't have the time to spare to this matter. Therefore I'm writing now that I have the liberty to do it.
To start I would like to mention that I'm pretty mesmerized about the fact, that despite living in the same planet, each country, region and group has its own way of celebrating the same events. When I came to Poland I had no idea about which kind of country I was going to see, but when my mom mentioned that this is a catholic country I expected familiars traditions and way of behaving. However my expectations were not exactly what I thought they would be and I experienced new things.
I will write about them based on Jesus life, meaning that not since January, but since December. I have to mention that I'm not catholic, nevertheless living in these countries has taught me their traditions, that sincerely I find as a great time to spend with the family in harmony. Also these are ways of celebrating I have had the chance to celebrate, so basically I'll write about how a common pole or mexican without being really religious spend theses days. I won't be really detailed, because the differences are so big I won't need to be so detailed. Saying this... let's begin!
DECEMBER
So everything started with Maria being pregnant and Jose searching for a place to stay at night. In Mexico everyone meet in the beginning of the month of December to imitate this event. The people gathered at this festivity divide into two groups, in which one represents Maria and Jose looking for a shelter and the other one, the ones that invite them to stay at home. They sing while acting and when finally the group representing Maria and Jose come inside the house a little party is thrown in which traditionally you're welcome with sweet bread and hot chocolate or atole (hot chocolate with corn flour.... For me very delicious). By this time under your Christmas tree you're supposed to have a Jesus birth. When Maria and Jose get inside your home, you place under the barn two figurines representing them. This event is called "posada". In Poland there's no such a thing as "posada".
Now the next thing that happens is the birth of Jesus meaning almost everyone's favorite celebration- Christmas Eve! In Mexico it's celebrated just one day. Everyone dresses elegant and the family meet the 24th of December to go to the mass and after coming back home they dine really delicious dishes. Some of them, that are traditional in my family, are "Pierna hawaina" (pork drowned in pineapple's juice and caramel), turkey and "bacalao" ( Atlantic cod drowned in tomatoes sauce, olives, almonds and chilli ). The dinner last till the dawn. The presents are given and open the next day, because Saint Claus is meant to don't be seen by the children (everything is a product of the kid's imagination). That day in your Jesus birth clipart a naked Jesus baby appears. In the other hand in Poland this festivity lasts three days! " Wigilia" it's the 24th of December. The family gather to go to the mass and eat lunch/dinner. This day you're not allowed to eat red meat and anything sweet, so in the table are served only dishes non- red meat and no candies. On the table have to be 12 different dishes that symbolize each apostle Jesus had. It is said that if you try all of them, the next year is going to be prosperous ( I can't confirm that, because after eating four of them I've got enough. My record is seven dishes... and I almost exploded. Never ever again!). Some of the traditional dishes are "pierogi z grzybami i kapusta oraz z serem" ( dumplings with mushrooms and cabbage or with cheese), barszcz (soup made of only beetroot), śledź w oleju lub wodzie (herring in oil or water... Personally I detest them). Also in the table there is one more plate and sit than the number of the participants. This is done for if an unexpected guest show at the house. After eating a member of a family dresses like Saint Claus and gives the presents concluding the first day. The next two days since the breakfast everyone meet and start eating meal that include red meat. A really traditional and polish dish is "bigos" ( cabbage with sausages and more things... Once again I'm not really found of it). And of course you just sit and eat the whole two days. In my family there are always mountains of food. We're like 10 members and the quantity of food that is served could feed a whole army... The worse is that you always finished eating, whether your stomach is full or not. But despite that I really enjoy this festivity.
JANUARY
The next date is "The Three King's Day" the 6th January. In Mexico we celebrate giving gifts in the morning and in the night there's a meeting to cut and eat the " rosca de Reyes" ( a sweet bread in the shape of a crown to symbolize the kings ), which have inside a little doll that represents Jesus. The person who gets this doll make a party in the 2nd of February - Día de la candelaria (I'll explain later). Hot chocolate and mistela (a traditional alcoholic drink with honey) are served. In the Jesus birth clipart people put the three kings around Jesus, representing their arrival.There's a mass before it. In Poland this is a more quiet celebretation. In the morning gifts are given, but really rarely ( till now I've met just one person that receives presents in this day). There's a mass. Sometimes the priest gives you a chalk or he personally come to your house to write in your door the K+M+B and the new year (the initials are of the three Kings) to represent that they were at your home in the year written.
FEBRUARY
The next one is the "Día de la Calendaria" which is only celebrated in Mexico the 2nd of February. As I mentioned before, the lucky or rather unlucky person who got the doll of the "rosca de Reyes" makes a party to sit and dress the naked Jesus that was borned in the 24th of December. The host buy traditional tamales ( regional dish made of corn flour) to eat and drinks. This is a really important meeting. Getting Jesus dressed is even a profession in my hometown.
MARCH/APRIL & MAY/JUNE
The next event are the fourty days before the Holy Week. In Mexico we celebrate on Sunday "Domingo de Ramos" - Palm Sunday and on Wednesday " Miércoles de ceniza"- Holy Wednesday. People in these days go to a mass to prepare for the Holy Week. When the Holy Week comes the parties start. On the Maundy Thursday and the Good Friday people go to a mass and in the Holy Saturday a big event takes place It's called "la quema de Judas". This is an event where a huge piñata ( a toy? originally made of clay full of sweets) is fulled with fireworks and burned to represent the fall of the traitor Judas. This celebration is made in a big scale and it's fun to watch it ( I used to go to a town near my hometown, where these "Judas"were burned in the center of the town and the view was pretty). In Poland it is different. Fourty days before the Holy Week there are for three days masses called "rekolecje", that prepares the people to the Holy Week. In the Maundy Thursday - Tłusty czwartek people eat masses of pączkis ( kind of donuts ), because they are supposed to make a post between this Thursday and the Holy Week and don't eat sweets or red meat (personally I don't follow this tradition). When Holy Week comes, people go to a mass with a basket with eggs, bread, salt, sausages or jam and some "mazurek" ( sweet polish bread). In the church they are blessed and after that the family go back to home, where they eat the things that were blessed in the church to have a good year. There a meal is served. A traditional dish is żurek (polish traditional soup .... I really love it!) and once again you will to your hearts content, and literally sayin to your "hearth's" content and no stomach, because you end up eating like a pig. After sixty days there's a mass called "Boże Ciało" to conclude this festivity.
NOVEMBER
The last one and my favorite it's All Saint's Day. In Mexico people prepare an altar, where are put the photos of the beloved ones that have left this world. Also you can find the favorite dishes of the deceased on the altar, so that when they visit, they will eat their favorite food. The first of November people go to the cemetery to visit the tombs of their dead family and to eat and celebrate their coming in big. Some sleep, dance, eat and drink till the dawn of the next day. This days though, it is said that the souls of the dead children come to visit, so in consequence to that the kids dress a terrifying costume, so that the dead children can't be feared and ask for sweets to everyone. After that the kids come back at home, where parents wait for them and a party it's thrown. The second day is when the souls of the children live and when the adults ones come. The people stay at home and spend the day in family. The next day the souls leave and the altar its gone. This festivity it's a really sad one in Poland. People go to the cemetery to clean the tombs of their dead relatives and pay them a visit. After that they go to a mass and eat in family. It is rather a really sad and depressing way of celebrating it. People are really quiet and serious. No one laughs. This way of celebrating really saddens me, but fortunately I keep the mexican tradition at home, so I spend a great time.
To conclude I would like to say that it really surprises me that in spite of being both of them, Mexico and Poland, Catholics countries and supposed to have the same traditions, they celebrate them in a completely different way. But that's not just it. No matter which religion or nationality, each place or group of people has its own culture and history what characterize them as an entity. This shows that the world is composed of very different and interesting entities. You not necessary need to go to the other part of the world to see something new, like it happened to me, but just by going to your neighbor's house you see another world than the one you know. Our world... better said planet, is full of different entities that make it a really interesting place to live always discovering new things hence never getting bored!
