Special food for special occasions

in PolandPrimary School nr 8 in Chrzanów,

PolandActivity for the Comenius Meeting in

Bulgaria12th-17th March 2013

ADVENT

During Advent (a time of waiting for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus) we bake the Christmas piernik (gingerbread).

Pierniki are made in a variety of shapes, including hearts, animals, and St. Nicholas figures. Old traditional decorations include handmade stars, decorated eggshells, colorful paper garlands.

Christmas time

Wigilia, the Christmas Eve Supper – 24th December

In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of feasting Christmas. The Wigilia feast begins at the appearance of the first star. On that evening, children watch the sky anxiously hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star has come!" Only after it appears, the family members sit down to a dinner table.

Opłatek

The supper begins with the breaking of the opłatek. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. They then share a piece with each family member.

12 dishes

A tradition exists among many families to serve twelve different dishes at Wigilia symbolizing the Twelve Apostles, or perhaps, an odd number of dishes for good luck.

There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp. The supper, which includes many traditional dishes and deserts, can sometimes last for over two hours.

„Barszcz” and „uszka”A traditional Christmas meal in

Poland includes barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (ravioli)

CARPThe second traditional dish is fish -

carp Carp provides a main component of the

Christmas Eve meal across Poland: fried carp, carp fillet, carp in aspic etc.

PierogiUniversal Polish Christmas foods are pierogi

Our teacher Mrs Henia Feć is teaching how you should

prepare „pierogi” for Christmas Eve

Sauerkraut with lentils

For Wigilia herring dishes are also very popular

VEGETABLE SALAD

Bread

Christmas Eve For desert, makowiec

or noodles with poppy seed (kluski z makiem)

Typical drink

There is a compote of dry fruits for a drink

N E W Y E A R ’ S E V E

31st December

• Dishes and drinks

Saint Valentine’s Day

Breakfast for people in love

Saint Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine’s Day

One week before Lent on „fat” Thursday People eat a lot of doughnuts

or carnival cakes.

„Fat” Thursday at our school

Ash Wednesday – the first day of LentTHE DAY OF STRICT FAST. YOU CAN EAT ONLY THREE TIMES

A DAY BUT YOU CAN’T EAT MEAT!

GOOD FRIDAYGOOD FRIDAY IS A DAY OF

FAST FOR CATHOLICS.YOU CAN EAT LIGHT MEALS

ONLY THREE TIES A DAY.YOU CAN EAT EVERYTHING

BUT NOT MEAT !

DISHES FOR LENT

Holy SaturdayThe priest blesses food brought to church in the morning. This food is

eaten for Easter breakfast

Decorated Easter Eggs

Easter eggs for breakfast

Żurek – typical Easter soup

Babka – Easter sponge cake

Easter - Mazurek

RELIGION AND FOOD

Understanding the role of food in cultural and religious practice is an important part

of showing respect and responding to the needs of

people from a range of religious communities.

Food is an important part of religious observance and spiritual

ritual for many faiths including Christianity, Judaism, Islam,

Hinduism and Buddhism. The role of food in cultural practices and

religious beliefs is complex and varies among individuals and

communities.

There are no forbidden foods for Christians. Although some Christians

may fast at certain times such as Lent days of fasting and abstinence

from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas Eve for the wider faithful. There is also the

traditional abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year.

Food, or rather eating and fasting, has a special importance

in Catholicism.

ASH WEDNESDAY

ASH WEDNESDAY, THE START OF THE SEASON OF LENT. A PERIOD OF

PENITENCE AND CONTEMPLATION, LENT IS THE 46-DAY PERIOD (40 DAYS NOT INCLUDING SUNDAYS) LEADING

UP TO EASTER.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS TWO PRIMARY RULES FOR EATING ON

ASH WEDNESDAY.

1. No meat if you are 14 or older

Fish is permitted, as are eggs, milk, cheese, etc. But no chicken, steak or hamburgers - animal organs and meat should be avoided.

2. Fasting if you are 18 to 59

Those between the ages of 18 to 59 are expected to fast. This doesn't mean eating nothing, however; rather, it means eating less than usual. You should eat one full meal and two smaller meals that, combined, equal less than the main meal. Snacking and eating between meals are not allowed.

However, there are some exceptions to these rules. Those who are sick, pregnant or nursing; those who perform manual labor; and those who have other physical or mental health limitations do not have to fast and may eat meat if necessary.

During Lent, Catholics are to abstain from meat on Fridays as well.

GOOD FRIDAY

GOOD FRIDAY IS A DAY OF FAST FOR CATHOLICS.YOU CAN EAT LIGHT MEALS ONLY THREE TIES A DAY.YOU CAN EAT EVERYTHING BUT NOT MEAT !

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve Catholics shouldn’t eat meat.

But they can eat fish.

Thank You for watching Activities for the meeting in Bulgaria were prepared by Students from

Primary School nr 8 in Chrzanów, Poland:Presentation and film prepared by students:

Janek Filipski and Aleksander Potockiand the teachers:Bernadetta Utzig

Henryka FećAnna Oprządek

(there ‘s also Polish film „Special food for special occasions”