Blog | 19 December, 2023

A World of Celebrations: AMC Bridge’s Festive Season Unfolded

The festive cheer is in full swing, and at AMC Bridge, we’re unwrapping more than just presents—we’re delving into delightful holiday stories and traditions of our team members from around the globe. It’s not only about the tinsel and turkey; these are narratives that shine with personality and traditions that sparkle with uniqueness. From Raymond Bass’ hilarious ‘Yankee swap’ antics in the USA, Suraj Hengne’s vibrant Diwali celebrations in India, Oliver Becker’s cozy German Christmas to Gulnara Chernova’s New Year filled with the aroma of tangerines and fresh Christmas trees in Uzbekistan, Iryna Taran’s cherished family gatherings in Poland, an intriguing tale from the UK by Andy Parnell-Hopkinson, the heartfelt celebrations of Oleksandr Pichuhin in Ukraine, and Kenji Yoshida’s reflective New Year in Japan—each story adorns our global holiday tree like a Christmas ornament, unique, dazzling, and dear to us. So, join us in this festive exploration, where enormous Christmas trees, spirited ‘polar plunges’, and nostalgic childhood reminiscences weave together a global story of celebration, family, and the universal joy of Christmas and New Year.

Raymond Bass, Strategic Account Manager, USA

“Yankee swap” and battling for spoons

I would have to say that Christmas is definitely my favorite winter holiday. These days, there is a lot of driving around because we often visit my and my fiancée’s family. On Christmas Eve, we tend to get together with all of my family and have a nice big dinner. And it’s probably 40 of us when our very large families arrive. So the Christmas Eve festivities get pretty nuts, especially with my cousins ranging in age from 9 to 45 years old. We all join in playing entertaining children’s games, making for a truly fun and chaotic celebration. It’s really a riot. We enjoy a game called “spoons” with 20 participants, where spoons are placed in the center of a circle, and the aim is for everyone to snatch one. The game involves passing cards around, and when someone collects four of a kind, you’ll have a nine-year-old and a 40-year-old literally battling for a spoon. It’s quite funny.

Then we’ll do what we call a “Yankee swap.” Everyone buys a gift that’s less than $20. A lot of them will be fun little gag gifts, and then everyone pulls a number from a hat, and in that order, you will pick your present. There is always a lot of jabbing and fun poking.

I really enjoy getting together with my family and my fiancée’s family and just really spending the day doing nothing but sitting in a room, having a couple of glasses of wine, conversing with each other, and catching up. Everyone’s so busy these days, and it is hard to check in with every person you want to talk to. So that’s one thing I really value about the holidays: everyone coming together under one roof.

Enormous Christmas tree in Boston and the “polar plunge”

One of the biggest Christmas traditions in the USA is picking out a Christmas tree, but my fiancée and I are a bit nervous of what may come in the house on a real tree, so we lazily have a fake tree. At the same time, we really put a big emphasis on decorating the house and getting the tree together. Another thing that we usually do is a little photo shoot with our dog so that we have nice Christmas cards to send to our friends and relatives.

One of the remarkable traditions in Boston is selecting an enormous Christmas tree from Nova Scotia and transporting it all the way to Boston. At the Faneuil Hall, they set up this towering, 50-foot-tall tree. A common tradition I’ve observed is hosting grand tree-lighting ceremonies. People gather, often heading to a bar or restaurant and enjoying a few drinks. After spending a couple of hours socializing, they light up the tree. It’s not a huge thing, yet steeped in tradition, and it’s quite a popular event in this area.

Now that I live on the Cape, right by the ocean, there is another tradition I came across. Locals call it a “polar plunge”. At the beginning of the Christmas festival, some brave people jump into the ocean when the temperature is as low as 40 degrees. Not me, but I’ll happily go watch and have a morning beverage while I’m here.

“Hey, I knocked down the tree; a little help here?”

I’ve got this hilarious story from when I was a kid. One Christmas morning, I woke up to this loud crash. Being just a kid, around eight or nine, my first thought was, “Wow, it’s Santa! He must’ve tumbled down the chimney.” My younger brother, who’s four years younger and shared a room with me, was nowhere in sight in his lower bunk. I raced downstairs, half-expecting to see him having caught Santa. But no, it wasn’t Santa. My brother had gotten one of those mini electric Jeeps as a gift, and he’d managed to drive it right into the Christmas tree, toppling it over. There he was, just sitting in the Jeep amidst the chaos, looking all innocent and clueless, waiting to see who’d show up next. And then, of course, my parents came in, only to find broken glass everywhere and my little brother, beaming in his Jeep, like, “Hey, I knocked down the tree; a little help here?” That was just too funny.

And then, there’s this really nostalgic thing we did as kids—Christmas cookies. We'd make these sugar cookies, decking them out with glitter and all sorts of decorations to make them our own. The funny part? We hardly ever ate them. They'd sit there for months, and my mom would threaten to toss them out. But we’d protest, “No way, we made those!” It was a blast, really. We had all those Christmas-themed stamps for the cookies. Just thinking about it brings back so many fun memories.

Ideally, I’d leave them up all year

Something I’ve started over the past few years is getting my fiancée a custom ornament every Christmas. It’s always about something fun we did that year, often featuring our photo and crafted into a unique shape. About a week ago, we went out around 6 p.m. to grab some dog food, and on our way back, we noticed all the Christmas lights up in the neighborhood. Having bought our house just two years ago, we hadn’t really had the chance to put up lights before. So there I was, in the pitch-black cold, up on a ladder, stringing lights across the front of our house. The funny thing is that since I put up our lights, I’ve seen more and more houses on our street follow suit. Now, I’m just waiting for someone to challenge me to see who can keep their lights up the longest. I mean, ideally, I’d leave them up all year!

Christmas, you see, is this universal thing that everyone seems to embrace. That’s what I find so great about it. It’s like this collective pause from work, a chance to reconnect with family and catch up with old friends. There’s just this undeniable cheerfulness about the holiday. Sure, some folks might get a bit grumbly, a bit Scrooge-like, but everyone, at least in my family, tends to set aside their differences. It’s drama-free, just people genuinely enjoying each other’s company. And then, there’s the joy in kids’ eyes, the whole Santa thing—it’s just adorable and really adds to the fun of it all.

My biggest wish is for everyone to find joy in the holidays

I genuinely wish everyone a phenomenally great Christmas. Whether it’s with family, with friends or loved ones, I just really hope everyone can soak it up to the fullest, wrap up this year spectacularly, and kick off 2024 on a high note. And then we can all write 2023 till February like we usually do. But seriously, I hope everyone can put their differences aside and just enjoy it this year. With all the unfortunate things happening globally, my biggest wish is for everyone to find joy in the holidays—to spend quality time with family and loved ones and just simply enjoy it.

Suraj Hengne, Software Development Engineer, India

Diwali is my personal favorite

In India, the holiday season starts with the grand festival of Diwali. We celebrate Christmas and New Year as well, but Diwali is my personal favorite. This holiday holds a special place in my heart, cherished since childhood. Unlike Christmas, which tends to be more popular among the youth, Diwali is a festival that resonates with all ages in India. It’s a time when the entire family unites. Regardless of where family members live or work, whether in different towns or cities, they make it a point to return to their hometowns for the celebration.


The festival of Diwali symbolizes the victory of truth over falsehood and is known for its brilliant display of lights and colors. We adorn our homes with diyas (oil lamps) and create vibrant designs. The essence of Diwali is gift-giving among friends and teammates, often involving sweet treats as tokens of affection, and is a gesture of goodwill and joy.

This five-day festival unites families in the spirit of light prevailing over darkness, embodying the triumph of good over evil. Every year, Diwali is marked by splendid fireworks displays across India. These vibrant and colorful fireworks are a highlight of the festival.

Sweets are the culinary highlight of Diwali

During Diwali, a wide array of sweet dishes is a highlight. For example, Karanji, Chakali, Shankarpale, Bakarwadi, Batata Chiwda, Kachori, and so on.

One of my favorites, Gulab Jamun, a beloved Indian sweet, is made by combining milk powder, flour, ghee, and baking soda to form soft dough balls. These are fried until golden brown and then soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup infused with cardamom and, optionally, rose water. The result is a delectable treat with a perfect balance of sweetness and rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Enjoyed during festivals and special occasions, Gulab Jamun is a delightful dessert that captures the essence of traditional Indian sweets.

Setting goals is key for New Year in India

After Diwali, the festive spirit continues with Christmas and New Year celebrations, starting a month later. Christmas is quite popular but mainly among young people and in office settings. They decorate trees, set up Santa figures for kids to play with, and exchange gifts and sweets.

We usually go to North India to celebrate our Christmas and New Year. Winter there is characterized by heavy snowfall, making it a preferred destination for winter holiday celebrations. Regions like Shimla and Manali, known for their scenic snow-covered landscapes, become hubs of joy and reunion during this time.

Setting goals is key for New Year in India. People believe that commitments for change or improvement should be made on the first day of January. Whether it’s learning new technology, taking on a new role, getting in better shape, or quitting bad habits, the resolutions are made on New Year’s Day, which we call Commitment Day. Speaking of New Year resolutions, last January 1, I pledged to attend a gym and stay fit, and I managed to keep up with it for six months, despite a few breaks. For the coming New Year, I’m still thinking about the areas I need to improve in.

Holidays bring a unique charm to our homes, with decorations including flowers, lamps, and more, creating an ambiance of warmth and festivity. Moreover, we have winter carnivals with cultural performances, parades, and entertainment like singing and dancing, fostering community spirit.

Let’s celebrate these moments together

In this joyful season and time of unity, I wish each of you to experience peace, inspiration, and plenty of happiness. Let’s enjoy these moments and celebrate them with one another.

Andy Parnell-Hopkinson, Director, Business Development, Europe

We approach Christmas slightly differently at my home

I enjoy Christmas. Well, partly because New Year’s Day is a bank holiday, but New Year’s Eve is not a holiday; it’s not a day off. So, we only get one day off. And usually, by the time you get to New Year’s Day, you’ve had enough. It feels like it’s been going on forever, and you just want it to finish and get back to normal life. For Christmas, though, we get two days. And that really is the main celebration. Christmas Day is the big one.

The key thing about Christmas for me is that my birthday is on Christmas Eve, 24th December. So, for my whole life, my birthday has been spoiled by Christmas, and that is why we approach Christmas slightly differently. So, our tradition is that on the 24th, on my birthday, Christmas is canceled. We have a rule not to discuss Christmas, so there are no ‘Merry Christmas’ wishes or related celebrations. Instead, the focus is on my birthday. I might receive birthday presents, though I’m not too concerned about that now. The day is centered around birthday cards, and I get to choose what we have for dinner, which has got nothing to do with Christmas!

Stupid hat, terrible joke, and then you have your dinner

On Christmas Day, there is a tradition that before anyone starts eating, we all have to pull Christmas crackers. These are tubes made of paper or card, twisted at the ends. You and your neighbour each hold the end of the cracker and pull it apart. Inside, there’s a small mechanism that creates a cracking sound, similar to a mini firework. Also, inside, there’s usually a really nasty plastic gift. It’s usually something terrible like a hair clip, a toy magnifying glass, or a whistle if you’re lucky. And there’ll be a little piece of paper with a joke. And the jokes are awful. I mean, they’re just terrible, terrible, bad jokes.

And the other thing you always get in a cracker is a paper crown—brightly coloured paper, and it’s always either too small, and it tears, or it’s too big, and it falls down over your eyes. They never look good, but it’s not a fashion parade, so it doesn’t matter. So, you pull the crackers, everybody puts on their stupid hat, and they read the terrible joke, and then you actually have your dinner.

When you have Brussels sprouts, you know it’s Christmas

In the UK, it’s always turkey for Christmas dinner with roast potatoes, stuffing, which is pork meat with herbs and breadcrumbs, and sausages. But the most important thing and the true symbol of Christmas is Brussels sprouts. The thing is, you can have roast dinner any time of the year. But when you have Brussels sprouts, you know, it’s Christmas. It seems every country has a traditional festive dish you ought to have on the table that no one likes. But if you don’t have it, then it’s not Christmas, so you end up having Brussels sprouts. Oh, and the other thing is this stuff called bread sauce. It’s terrible. It’s a sauce made from milk and herbs, and you blend it with breadcrumbs to make it thick and sticky, and you have this with your meat. It’s just terrible. I don’t eat it. I refuse. We never had it in my family, but my wife’s family did, so she likes that a bit. But I absolutely don’t see the point.

Christmas pudding is another classic dish, rich in cherries, nuts, beef fat, sugar, and flour. My mother would prepare it months in advance, regularly adding rum or brandy to enrich its flavor. On Christmas, it’s steamed for about two hours, served piping hot, and flambéed with brandy. It’s a rich, dark, sweet dessert, packed with fruit and particularly popular in Britain. I always look forward to it, though my wife isn’t a fan, so we get a small one for me and the kids. Christmas pudding is a highlight of my Christmas dinner.

Then after eating all that, you basically go and lie down and hold your stomach for about two hours and wait for the pain to go away.

Taking Christmas decorations down too soon feels like bad luck to me

Regarding decorating for Christmas, I do quite enjoy it, but usually my wife is in charge because she says I have terrible taste and if it were left to me, the house would be embarrassing. So she does just the tasteful stuff, and I try to sneak in decorations. She spots them and gets rid of them. One thing I’ve contributed is unique decorations from my travels in Eastern Europe and other places, like the Czech Republic, Poland, and France.

We have a family tradition of using special Christmas tableware only from early December until New Year. If anyone spots me having coffee during MS Teams meetings, they’ll notice one of these special holiday mugs.

After Christmas, my wife and I have a playful disagreement about when to take down the decorations. She prefers to do it immediately after Christmas, while I like to keep them up until the 12th day of Christmas. It’s considered bad luck to leave them up after the twelfth night, which is around January 6. But taking them down too soon feels like bad luck to me, too. So, we usually compromise on a date between New Year’s Day and January 6.

Take a break and focus on important things

My wish on Christmas for all of you is to concentrate on your friends, your family, and your loved ones and try to forget about work for a week!

Oleksandr Pichuhin, Software Development Engineer, Ukraine

Christmas in Ukraine: 12 dishes, koliadky, and Kutia

Christmas holds a special place in my heart as it’s a time usually reserved for family, in contrast to New Year, which I often celebrate with friends. Our family get-togethers, though not overly extravagant, are filled with warmth and a sense of closeness. Our typical gathering includes my parents, my elder sister, and close relatives.

A cherished tradition in our household during the Holy Supper on Christmas Eve is the preparation of 12 dishes for Christmas. The number of dishes symbolizes the twelve apostles. A practice my mother insists on is to start the supper with Kutia—a traditional sweet grain pudding made primarily from wheatberries. It’s sweetened with honey and often includes poppy seeds, nuts, and dried fruits. As is common in Ukraine, the evening is often accompanied by traditional Ukrainian carols, known as koliadky. Another tradition is that my mother always insists that we start our supper with the first star, and my father is always late.

Time for reflection, assessing achievements and areas for improvement, and moving forward with a renewed purpose

As for New Year’s Eve, I believe the essence of these celebrations lies in their ability to bring people together, offering a chance to forgive past grievances and build plans for the forthcoming year. It’s about reflection, assessing one’s achievements and areas for improvement, and moving forward with a renewed purpose. I also support the idea of New Year resolutions. For example, I have a mix of personal and professional goals for the next year.

One of my New Year resolutions is to apply for and win a grant in a charitable fund where I’m actively involved. Personally, I aim to play drums and guitar. I’m making progress and enjoy it immensely.


A broken helicopter and Christmas tree knocked down by cats

The holiday season is always the source of funny stories. I remember that we decorated a Christmas tree every year, but then the cats always knocked it down. We still buy new ornaments, especially for the tree top. It is kind of a tradition for us.

Another funny story. When I was 12, I got a radio-controlled helicopter as a gift, which turned into a family anecdote over the years due to a mishap during its first flight. It happened during hefty snow and wind. My father launched it once. The helicopter hit a fence, and its landing skids broke. It was a bit sad at that time, but now it’s something to reminisce and laugh about.

Live now!

Dear friends! During this holiday period, let everything that happened remain in the past. Whatever will happen, let it be in the future. But live now.

Kenji Yoshida, Regional Sales Manager, Japan

108 rings—release from burdens

New Year holds a special place in my heart as it symbolizes a fresh beginning. To me, it’s a day to leave everything from the previous year behind and move forward with renewed energy and hope. It’s an opportunity for a new start, a kind of reset. One of the most important traditions involves attending a ceremony at a shrine or temple, where we pray for happiness, wellness, good health, and success in business and life in the new year.

A significant aspect of this ceremony is ringing the bell 108 times. This ritual starts around 10 or 11 PM and continues until New Year begins. During this time, priests offer prayers for peace and relief from anxieties and worries.

The number 108 is significant in Buddhism, representing various human desires, feelings, and thoughts, including negative emotions like anger and sorrow. It’s believed that by ringing 108 times, we reset our desires and move ahead to the next year. It’s a deeply symbolic act, signifying the end of the year and our collective release from burdens.

An old Japanese monk once said that New Year is a milestone in the journey to death. And I always recall these words when January 1 comes. This perspective aligns with my broader outlook on life and death. So, leave behind the 108 things of the past year and embrace a fresh start. With each passing year, we age, hopefully gaining wisdom and improvement. In this sense, the New Year holds a unique and special significance.

Celebrating New Year in the age-old house in Kyoto 

In my childhood, we made regular visits to the Kyoto area for winter holidays, a tradition maintained almost every year. The connection was profound as both my parents originated from Kyoto. For those who might not be familiar, Kyoto is an ancient, traditional, and historically rich city in Japan, now a popular destination for tourists. But for me, Kyoto holds a deeper significance—it’s the final resting place of my ancestors. The close of every year and the arrival of the new one became special occasions marked by family gatherings in this ancient city. Often joined by my grandparents, our festive circle expanded to nearly 20 family members, uniting within the walls of an age-old Japanese house.

Ozo-ni and Kagami mochi—the essence of the New Year flavor

For me, the essence of the New flavor is encapsulated in Ozo-ni, a dish with many regional unique variations. My family, hailing from Kyoto, prepares it in a distinct Kyoto style, featuring white miso with a slightly sweet flavor alongside round rice cakes and specific vegetables like carrot, radish, and taro.

Traditional New Year food also includes shrimp, sweet eggs, beans, and small octopuses, each with its own symbolic meaning. For example, kuromame (black beans) symbolizes hard work and diligence, embodying a positive outlook for the new year.

Another special item is the Kagami mochi, a decorative rice cake arrangement with a larger cake at the bottom, a smaller one on top, and a mikan (Japanese orange) crowning it. Displayed from the year beginning until January 15, it’s then broken, typically with a knife or hammer, and prepared in a sweet red bean soup called Oshiruko.



Pine, bamboo, and plum (松竹梅) as symbols of a happy event, longevity, resilience, and strength

Kadomatsu is a traditional Japanese decoration typically placed at the home entrance around New Year. Similar to wreaths, made of flowers or dry flowers and hung on doors during Christmas in Western cultures, Kadomatsu serves a comparable purpose. It’s crafted using bamboo, pine, and plum branches, collectively referred to as Shochiku Bai in Japan. These elements are not just decorative; they hold significant cultural meaning. Bamboo symbolizes strength, pine represents longevity, and plum is known for its resilience. Together, they embody qualities admired in Japanese culture. Kadomatsu is also a symbol of good fortune and hope for the coming year. Traditionally, Kadomatsu is displayed from January 1 to January 7, highlighting its special role in New Year celebrations.

By the way, 松竹梅 can mean classes. 松(pine) stands for premium, 竹(bamboo)—for special, and 梅(plum)—for regular or standard. If you go to the Kobe beef steak house and select the 松 course, you spend more money than for the 梅 course—obviously, Kobe beef is always super premium if you select the right restaurant.

Carpe diem

As we step into the new year, I want to share a motto that has always inspired me: ‘carpe diem,’ meaning ‘seize the day.’ In the coming year, let’s embrace each day with enthusiasm and purpose, making the most of every moment, regardless of the challenges we may face.

Oliver Becker, Regional Sales Manager, Germany

With all the candles, flavors, and aromas in the air, you can tell it’s different

Christmas is my favorite time of the year, deeply rooted in tradition. Coming from a traditional family in Germany, our holiday celebrations span from Christmas Eve to the 26th. These days are filled with joyous family gatherings and continuous feasting.

Religious observance plays a part in my Christmas traditions, too. I don’t regularly attend church every Sunday, but Christmas is an exception. We do celebrate the birth of Jesus. And with all the candles, flavors, and aromas in the air, you can tell it’s different, especially with the enchanting German Christmas markets, which start on December 1 and run until the 24th. Here, we indulge in traditional delights like Glühwein. Another key tradition is the Advent wreath, a circular pine decoration with four candles, each representing the Sunday leading to Christmas. And, of course, there’s the excitement of choosing our Christmas tree, ideally on the first Sunday of Advent.

Lighting candles, singing carols, and a grander feast for Christmas Day

Discussing culinary traditions, Christmas Eve in Germany typically involves simpler fare. Many families opt for sausages with a potato salad, a quick and traditional meal before the grander feasts of Christmas Day, which usually feature a roast, turkey, or goose. While my family doesn’t always stick to the sausage and potato salad tradition, it remains a significant part of our cultural heritage. Alongside the feasting, Christmas television is filled with classic fairy tale movies, many from the Czech Republic, which are particularly popular in Germany.

Among my favorite holiday traditions are lighting candles on the Christmas tree and singing Christmas carols, especially Silent Night or Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht. This tradition brings back childhood memories of my parents lighting the candles on the tree, ringing a bell, and then us kids eagerly going downstairs to find the tree glowing with light, and you just knew you were going to get your presents.

Minor mishap and a sense of peace

My memorable Christmas moments include a year when my parents forgot to extinguish the candles, leading to a minor mishap with a burnt table. Another humorous memory is when my parents decided not to exchange gifts, yet my father surprised my mother with a beautiful dress while she hadn’t gotten him anything.

Above all, for me, the unique and special aspect of Christmas is its atmosphere. It’s a time when, even if just for a few hours, there’s a sense of peace before we return to the realities of life.

My hope is for humanity to find reason and peace

As I contemplate the world at large, my hope is for humanity to find reason and peace, with a specific desire for the war in Ukraine to end. My wish for everyone is health and peace.

Gulnara Chernova, Finance Specialist, Uzbekistan

A day filled with the aroma of tangerines and fresh Christmas trees

My favorite winter holiday is undoubtedly New Year, a magical and unique celebration cherished since childhood. New Year stands out as a primary winter holiday in our region, filled with the aroma of tangerines and fresh Christmas trees.

For us, New Year is a family-centric celebration involving gift-giving, home decoration, and visits to friends and family. The most heartwarming aspect for me is celebrating with my children, witnessing their joy and belief in the magic of the holiday.

A laden table—abundance in the year ahead

We start decorating our home in mid-December, but the final arrangements for New Year’s Eve start on the 30th with food preparation, and a festive atmosphere builds up from the morning of the 31st. Our celebration includes family dinners, songs, and dances.

Regarding festive dishes, there are various traditional salads, especially the one with herring. Some say that having a full fridge and a laden table on New Year symbolizes abundance in the year ahead. We also incorporate symbols of the upcoming year into our decorations and dress up according to the year’s color.

Full traditional splendor, cultural festivity, and Samanu

In Uzbekistan, apart from the widely celebrated New Year on January 1st, we also honor a traditional New Year’s Day known as Nowruz. According to the Eastern calendar, this significant cultural holiday is observed on March 21. Nowruz is a time imbued with full traditional splendor and cultural festivity deeply rooted in our customs and traditions.

These celebrations include a range of folk festivities, with people engaging in various competitions like tightrope walking and performing skits. The streets come alive with holiday-specific games and activities, creating a vibrant and joyous atmosphere.

A particular focus is on the food, which is significant during these celebrations. One such unique dish is Samanu, made from specially sprouted wheat. It has a consistency similar to chocolate or jam and is cooked over an open fire. Oil is added, and stones are placed at the bottom of the cooking vessel to prevent sticking. The preparation of Samanu is an elaborate process, often involving cooking it all night long during the festival. This sweet, delicious dish is just one example of the various national delicacies prepared in large cauldrons, embodying the festive spirit of our national holidays.

Warm wishes for a prosperous and fulfilling New Year

Dear teammates, accept my sincere congratulations on the upcoming New Year. I wish you health, a peaceful sky overhead, well-being, and prosperity. May the upcoming year become record-breaking for you in terms of professional achievements, personal victories, and successfully completed projects.

Iryna Taran, Director, AMC Bridge Poland

A time when family comes together

In my own experience of living in Ukraine and Poland, New Year’s Eve in Poland differs significantly from the Ukrainian celebration. In Poland, it’s more akin to a nightclub party with friends, without gift exchanges.

My childhood experiences were somewhat mixed, as my birthday falls on December 31. We’d celebrate my birthday, followed by New Year festivities, with gifts in the morning or after midnight. And then, there was Christmas, when we used to visit my godmother and bring her Kutia—a dish traditionally made from wheat, poppy seeds, nuts, and raisins. It is interesting that in my childhood, I remember that my grandmother used a different Kutia recipe—a mix of rice and cherries, but after some time we started to cook it from wheat. I have found that in Poland they also cook Kutia. However, Kutia is not common everywhere and varies by region and from family to family.

Personally, I have a fondness for Christmas, a time when my distant family comes together. Now we have a lovely tradition of going to a mountain hotel where it’s more likely to see snow on Christmas. In Poland, the central focus of Christmas celebrations is family reunions. Children visit their parents and grandparents. Even in the hotel where we celebrate, families come together. The festivities begin with the appearance of the first star, a moment eagerly anticipated by children. The evening unfolds with these cherished traditions, creating a time rich in cultural practices and familial bonds.

A symbol of reconciliation, forgiveness, and a gesture of friendship and love

There’s this unique Polish custom at the start of dinner involving a thin piece of dough called “opłatek”. Family members break off a piece, share it with others, and exchange words of gratitude or ask for forgiveness. This tradition of breaking bread dates back to the early centuries of Christianity. Usually, it’s a very thin, white piece of unleavened bread. It’s a symbol of reconciliation, forgiveness, and a gesture of friendship and love. I’ve recently discovered that they even sell postcards with these opłatek pieces.

Regarding the feast, it typically consists of 12 dishes, though it isn’t universally followed. The main dish is borsch, a beet soup that’s different from the usual borsch, being more of a beet broth. It’s often served with mushroom-filled dumplings, known as ‘barszcz z uszkami.’ Additionally, there are pierogi filled with potatoes and cottage cheese or with cabbage and mushrooms. These are part of the traditional Christmas Eve supper. The feast represents elements from different environments: fields—bread, orchards - dried fruits, nuts, honey, forests—mushrooms, and ponds —carp (a popular choice).

Melodies of carols drifting through the air

Caroling is another cherished tradition, with people singing carols, known as ‘kolędy,’ adding to the festive atmosphere, especially at the Christmas fairs. They are a highlight of the season, usually opening around the third week of November, well before Christmas itself. By December 23, the fairs wind down, leaving only the Christmas tree adorning the square. However, in the last few years, the fairs were extended until January 7, adding new dynamics to the festivities.

These Christmas fairs offer everything from handcrafted gifts and ornaments to traditional Polish delicacies such as “serki górskie grillowe z zurawina”—grilled mountain cheese smoked with cranberries. The atmosphere is enchanting, with twinkling lights, beautifully decorated Christmas trees, and melodies of carols drifting through the air. The aroma of mulled wine, gingerbread, and other treats like pierogi and bigos stew fills the markets, providing warmth and comfort in the cold weather.

May happiness and comfort overcome life challenges

May this year bring you moments of joy and happiness that overshadow any challenges you may face. Let it be a time when you can set aside the distractions and turmoil of the world, focusing on the warmth and love of your family instead. Amidst the hustle of life, may you find comfort in the company of those who mean the most to you.

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