So all day Christmas Eve we cleaned and cooked together, which actually was a lot of fun. I brought a few traditions from home, hanging stocking along the staircase and filling them with small gifts for everyone, and making punch again. In terms of Polish traditions we ate an eight course meal without any meat. Three soups, fish, cabbage dishes, and some pasta, followed by four different cakes. Before we set the table we put a small amount of hay under the tablecloth to symbolize Jesus’ manger, and gifts were exchanged after dinner (a secret lottery was done, so each person had another person but no one ever found out who their gifts were from). Jacek and I went to mass at midnight at the church down the street, where his brother is part of the service.
EO: Emily's Occurrences 