Christmas Eve in Poland, known as Wigilia, has some very beautiful traditions. Breaking the Opłatek wafer, caroling, opening gifts, the midnight mass, or Pasterka–these are practices beloved by every Pole and person of Polish descent, including myself. But there exists a stranger side to the way Poles used to celebrate Christmas Eve, filled with mystery and…
The November 11, 1918 independence date sells Poland short. True, Poland gained its freedom after 123 years of foreign occupation, but it’s important not to forget that Poland had been a powerful, independent kingdom prior to its partitions in the late eighteenth century.
If this list describes you, then you really, really love Poland.
If you happened to be in Warsaw during February 1648 and looked up, you might have seen a cat flying a mechanical dragon.
Check out this recipe for some warmly refreshing Polish spiced beer, perfect for the colder months.
