Polish Christmas Eve Dishes

One of the most significant elements of Christmas Eve is gathering around the table with family and having a Christmas Eve Dinner. It’s hard to imagine anything more heartwarming than enjoying this special meal with your loved ones, forgetting about your quarrels and remembering the good times you’ve had together. But have you ever wondered where did the dishes on the Christmas Eve table come from and what do they stand for? This article will give you information about some of the most popular Polish Christmas Eve dishes.

Red borsch with ravioli (uszka) – the Christmas Eve borsch is said to give beauty thanks to the inclusion of beets, which also guarantee good luck and many long years of healthy life.

Carp and other fish – fish on the Christmas Eve table is a symbol of fertility and rebirth. It is associated with immortality and resurrection. Anyone, who eats carp on Christmas Eve, will have a peaceful life in the next year.

Dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms – some people used to believe that this dish brings you magical and supernatural powers.

Kutia – this is a dish prepared from poppy. It is supposed to enable peacemaking with God and the dead. That’s because wheat, which is also used to make Kutia, symbolizes immortality, while the almonds give wisdom and reasons to rejoice.

Compote of dried fruits – fruit is known for bringing good health – even if it’s dried fruits cookws in compote. These fruits include apples, which bring redemption, and also symbolize love and power, dates, which symbolize mutual love of spouses and justice, and figs, which are supposed to bring safety and wealth to the house.

Poppy seed cake – many believe that this cake is a connection of the world of the living with the world of the dead because of its poppy seeds, which are also a symbol of good harvests. If the poppy seed cake has buts, it can also symbolize fertility and good health.