Polish traditions and holidays – a guide for the Karta Polaka interview
The most important Polish holidays are Boże Narodzenie (Christmas), with Wigilia (Christmas Eve) on 24 December, and Wielkanoc (Easter) – these are also typical topics in the Karta Polaka interview. It is also worth knowing All Saints’ Day (1 November), the national holidays (3 May and 11 November) and customs such as Fat Thursday, andrzejki and name days. The Act on the Karta Polaka requires not only knowledge but also cultivation of traditions, so in the interview it is best to talk about how you and your family celebrate holidays and keep up traditions. You can practise talking about them in Polish with a teacher at a trial lesson.
Why traditions matter in the Karta Polaka interview
Traditions are a separate interview topic, because the law requires ‘knowledge and cultivation of Polish traditions and customs’ – alongside a basic knowledge of the language. So the consul asks not only ‘co to jest Wigilia?’ (what is Wigilia?), but also ‘jak obchodzicie Wigilię w domu?’ (how do you celebrate Wigilia at home?). We describe the other requirements in our guide to the Karta Polaka interview.
We have devoted separate guides to the two biggest holidays – Polish Christmas and Polish Easter. Here you will find the other holidays and customs.
Calendar of Polish holidays and customs
The rhythm of the Polish year is set by church, national and folk holidays – many of them are celebrated in every home.
| When | Holiday or custom | What people do |
|---|---|---|
| 6 January | Trzech Króli – Epiphany (Objawienie Pańskie) | The letters K+M+B (or C+M+B) and the year are written in chalk on the door; Three Kings processions walk through towns and cities |
| the last Thursday before Lent | Tłusty czwartek (Fat Thursday) | People eat pączki (doughnuts) and faworki (crispy fried pastries, also called chrust) |
| 21 March | First day of spring | Drowning Marzanna – a straw effigy symbolising winter |
| March or April | Wielkanoc (Easter) | Blessing of the Easter basket, Easter breakfast, śmigus-dyngus |
| 3 May | Constitution Day (Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) | State ceremonies, flags on buildings |
| 26 May | Dzień Matki (Mother’s Day) | Flowers and wishes for mum |
| Thursday, 60 days after Easter | Boże Ciało (Corpus Christi) | Processions to altars in the streets, children scatter flowers |
| night of 23 to 24 June | Noc Kupały (sobótka) – Midsummer Night | Floating wreaths on water, bonfires |
| 15 August | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Polish Armed Forces Day | Blessing of herbs and flowers in church |
| end of summer | Dożynki (harvest festival) | Celebration of the harvest, a harvest wreath made of grain |
| 1 and 2 November | All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (Wszystkich Świętych i Zaduszki) | People visit the graves of loved ones and light znicze (grave candles) |
| 11 November | National Independence Day | Ceremonies; in Poznań people eat St Martin’s croissants (rogale świętomarcińskie) |
| evening of 29 November | Andrzejki (St Andrew’s Eve) | Fortune-telling, e.g. pouring wax through a keyhole |
| 6 December | Mikołajki (St Nicholas Day) | Small presents from St Nicholas |
| 24–26 December | Wigilia and Christmas | Opłatek (Christmas wafer), Christmas Eve supper, carols |
| 31 December | Sylwester (New Year’s Eve) | Parties and fireworks at midnight |
All Saints’ Day – the holiday that surprises foreigners
On 1 November, Poles visit cemeteries in huge numbers: they clean the graves of their loved ones, bring flowers – usually chrysanthemums – and light grave candles. In the evening, cemeteries glow with thousands of flames. The next day, 2 November, is All Souls’ Day (Zaduszki) – a day of prayer for the dead. It is a quiet family holiday, not a cheerful one.
– Jak obchodzicie Wszystkich Świętych?
– Jedziemy z rodziną na cmentarz, na grób dziadków. Zapalamy znicze i przynosimy chryzantemy. Potem jemy razem obiad.
Family traditions: name days, weddings, Sunday dinner
Many Polish customs are about family and home rather than the calendar.
- Imieniny (name day) – in Poland people celebrate not only their birthday but also the day of their patron saint, for example Anna on 26 July. People sing ‘Sto lat’ (‘a hundred years’).
- Wesele (wedding) – the parents welcome the newlyweds with chlebem i solą (bread and salt), and at midnight the oczepiny (a traditional ceremony marking the bride’s new status) take place. After the wedding there is sometimes a poprawiny (a follow-up party).
- Niedzielny obiad (Sunday dinner) – traditionally rosół (chicken broth), followed by kotlet schabowy (breaded pork chop) with potatoes and a salad or mizeria (cucumber salad).
- Studniówka – a ball for final-year secondary school students a hundred days before their final exams (matura), which begins with a polonez (polonaise).
Polish food you should be able to describe
The question ‘Jakie polskie potrawy pan zna?’ (Which Polish dishes do you know?) is simple, but a good answer includes the name of the dish and one sentence of description.
| Dish | Short description in Polish |
|---|---|
| pierogi | Ciasto z farszem, na przykład z kapustą i grzybami albo z serem i ziemniakami (ruskie). (Dumplings with a filling.) |
| bigos | Kapusta duszona z mięsem i grzybami. (Stewed cabbage with meat and mushrooms.) |
| żurek | Kwaśna zupa na zakwasie z mąki, często z kiełbasą i jajkiem. (Sour rye soup.) |
| gołąbki | Liście kapusty z farszem z mięsa i ryżu. (Stuffed cabbage rolls.) |
| barszcz czerwony | Zupa z buraków, w Wigilię z uszkami. (Beetroot soup.) |
| oscypek | Wędzony ser owczy z gór. (Smoked sheep’s cheese from the mountains.) |
Folk culture: dances, costumes, crafts
The Polish national dances are the polonez, mazur, krakowiak, oberek and kujawiak. Folk costumes are well known – from Kraków, Łowicz and the highlands (góralski) – as are crafts such as colourful paper cut-outs, wycinanki, and Kashubian embroidery. If your family has kept such objects or songs, talk about them – it is the best proof that you cultivate the traditions.
How to cultivate Polish traditions if you live abroad
Cultivating traditions means ordinary, everyday things – you do not have to live in Poland to keep them up. Here are examples you can talk about in the interview, if they really are part of your life:
- you celebrate Wigilia and Easter at home according to Polish customs,
- you cook dishes from family recipes, for example pierogi or barszcz,
- you go to services in Polish or belong to a Polish organisation or parish,
- you read Polish books, watch Polish films, listen to Polish music,
- you look after the graves of your Polish ancestors and know your family history,
- you learn Polish regularly – with a teacher or on your own.
Only talk about what you really do. The consul may ask about details – for example, what your parish is called or which recipe you have from your grandmother.
How to talk about traditions in the interview
It is best to use the present tense for what you do every year, and the past tense for what you remember from childhood. A few useful structures:
- U nas w domu… – U nas w domu zawsze obchodzimy Wigilię.
- Co roku… – Co roku jeździmy na groby dziadków.
- Babcia nauczyła mnie… – Babcia nauczyła mnie piec makowiec.
- Pamiętam, że… – Pamiętam, że w dzieciństwie śpiewaliśmy kolędy.
Watch the forms of holiday names: na Wigilię, w Wigilię, but na Boże Narodzenie, w święta, po świętach. You will find more sample dialogues in our list of typical consul’s questions.
It is easiest to talk about what you have practised out loud. At a trial lesson the teacher will check how you talk about your traditions and suggest what to improve before the interview.
In this section
Frequently asked questions
Which Polish holiday is the most important for families?
For most Polish families the most important is Wigilia, the evening of 24 December. That is when the whole family gathers at the table and shares the opłatek (Christmas wafer).
What is the difference between a name day and a birthday?
A birthday is the anniversary of the day you were born, and a name day (imieniny) is the day of the saint whose name you bear. In Poland people often celebrate both.
Do you have to be Catholic to know Polish traditions?
No. Many Polish holidays have religious roots, but the act refers to knowledge and cultivation of traditions and customs, not to religious denomination.
Can I show that I cultivate traditions with more than words?
In the interview, specific examples from your life work best: family recipes, keepsakes, songs, taking part in Polish organisations or services in Polish.
“Karta Polaka” course: language, history and traditions, and a mock interview with feedback.
See also
- Polish ChristmasAdvent, Wigilia, the opłatek, Christmas Eve dishes and carols – with greetings and ready-made answers in Polish.Read →
- Polish EasterLent, Holy Week, the Easter basket, Easter breakfast and Wet Monday – with vocabulary and wishes.Read →
- Consul’s questionsTypical topics of the interview with the consul, sample answers in Polish and mistakes worth avoiding.Read →