Cultural: December 26 - the last day of Christmas

I’m no longer certain whether to call the 26th the second day of Christmas or the third day. People here start celebrating on the evening of December 24.

And so we continue through the 26th. Nothing is open - well, nothing except McDonalds will be open on the 26th.

I was told that this day is for friends. The first two times (24th in the evening and the 25th at lunchtime) are for family but now you go to your friends or have them over to your house. Family obligations are finished.

The ladies typically cook so much before the holidays start that they are able to relax a bit on the 25th and 26th and just eat leftovers during that time. It is a bit more of a chance to just chill. F

So, while you in the states head often to after Christmas sales or go to return things that don’t fit, etc…no one does that here as the stores aren’t even open! Plus, stores here don’t have such a generous return policy as typically they do in the states, so I don’t think that happens all that much!

I guess my point is this - it’s still a holiday here.

I one time asked someone “why?” is the 26th also a holiday. She didn’t really know - but said simply that “Polish people like to celebrate.”

I know that they do have an Easter Monday after Easter Sunday which they get off - but at least that one makes more sense to me, since I think it is mostly because they didn’t feel like it was a real holiday because it was a Sunday - and in order to feel like it was “off” - it needed to be a work day. Maybe Christmas is the same way - especially for years like this one when Christmas falls on a weekend. They somehow feel like they are missing some days off they are due because Christmas day fell on a day that was already off for most people. By giving them that extra day - they usually then get at least a full work day off besides the normal weekend. It’s not that I begrudge holidays- not at all - but I do like to understand “why”.

In the UK, today is Boxing Day which is a day of giving. It’s probably degenerated to another day of sales. This, however, is not how the 26th is celebrated in Poland as NOTHING is open yet again.

The 26th is St. Stephen’s Day. However I’ve never heard regular people refer to it - ever - in my almost 30 years of living in Poland. It’s always just part of the Christmas holidays. Many people start on their trips out of town, or take a week long family ski trip to the mountains.

As an American, this one has traditionally been a hard day for me to want to have as a holiday. I am so typically American that I can’t help but think, “It’s over for the year, what’s next?” But that’s not how it is here. However, I’ve been learning (however slowly) to enjoy the quiet days and just to plan sufficiently ahead to not need anything from the store on these days when the stores are closed. I’ll admit, it is easier now that it’s just Mike and me - and not a lot of children.

I do know for the moms who have worked so hard BEFORE Christmas, this day is possibly a wonderful, refreshing day for them to not work so hard before possibly returning to a more regular routine.

And there you go - it’s not a holiday, probably, where you are, but it is here in Poland.

Have a great day wherever you are reading this.

Thanks for coming along on my journey!

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Becky Petersen1 Comment