The youngest Polish child watches for the first star

Intermountain Catholic

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Father Andrzej Skrzypiec, a native of Poland, is treated to an American Christmas tradition. Members of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC) class of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Magna, present him with a hand-made gingerbread house Dec. 17. Among the students at the presentation were Joseph Soi, 14; Colton Small, 13; Anthony Hamilton, 14; Jessica Bulaman, 12; Amanda Ortega, 16; Jacqueline Gutierrez, 16; Sylvia-Marie Sierra, 14; and Jason Soi, 13. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

MAGNA — The spirit of Advent permeates Polish Christmas tradition. On Christmas Eve, especially, the sense of expectant waiting prevails in a Polish home.

"Even though the Viglia (vigil) dinner is prepared on Christmas Eve, no one sits down to eat until the youngest child in the family, who has been sitting by the window, sees the first star, symbolizing that Jesus had been born. When the star is seen, we begin the solemn supper," said Father Andrzej Skrzypiec, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Magna, and a native of Poland.

"I have many wonderful memories of my mother cooking and baking in preparation for Christmas," he said. "The women would cook and the men would clean the house, and then the men would go out into the woods to cut down the Christmas tree. We never put our tree up before Christmas Eve."

Fr. Skrzypiec grew up in Poland under Communism. He said Christmas was just that more meaningful because it symbolized the triumph of light and hope over a dark and cold era.

"People would go out and gather lots of wood for the fire to warm us up and bring light into the darkness," he said in a Dec. 17 interview with the Intermountain Catholic. "That was part of an old, pagan tradition, but some of my fondest memories are of going out into the woods with an axe and a little saw and bringing home the Christmas tree to decorate."

With few resources for decorating their homes, Poles under Communism made paper chains to drape around the tree. In the absence of electric lights, they clipped little candles to the ends of the branches and lit them.

"Of course we had to watch them very carefully, because those candles could create real fire hazards, but as we ate, drank, and sang Christmas carols, someone was always assigned to watch the candles."

Fr. Skrzypiec said he looked forward to the apples, oranges, and nuts that would appear on Christmas Eve as special treats.

"We could get apples and nuts any time, but we only got oranges at Christmas because the Communists wouldn’t trade them."

Because ordinary people couldn’t afford Nativity sets in their homes and Communism eliminated religious goods stores, everyone looked forward to seeing the large Nativity scenes set up in the Catholic churches.

"We would have a stable that was 10 feet tall, with wood and straw. It was impressive for the children. We didn’t have just Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, and the three kings. We had representatives of different professions in the Nativity scene, peasants, mountain people. During Communism, we even had a King Herod who looked strangely like one of the Communist party representatives."

Before the first star was seen on Christmas Eve, the people fasted, he said, "only nibbling a little bit." The evening meal, often of 12 courses, featured fish, soups, and regional meals.

Fr. Skrzypiec grew up in Upper Salesia, where they didn’t eat pierogi, but they did eat rolady, and fish, usually a tasty carp from a nearby hatchery.

"We also had sauerkraut, mushrooms, and wheat bread, and potato kluski. We would feast before going to Midnight Mass. Everyone dressed well for Mass. No one would come lumpy. We would walk to the church carrying our lanterns and singing. And while we were at Mass the Christmas angel would put gifts under the tree for us."

Among his fondest memories are his father reading the Nativity Gospel, and breaking the Christmas wafer, a piece of unleavened bread stamped with a Christmas image, among family and friends.

"The tradition is that you cannot stay angry at or make war with those with whom you broke bread."