Poland - Blessing Baskets and a Monday Splash
The Polish tradition of Easter Monday "watering" is a wish for good health, but first, the blessing baskets.
The "blessing basket" is one of the essential Easter traditions in Poland. People
prepare the "blessing basket" Saturday morning before Easter, in which
they put colored eggs, bread, cake, salt, paper, and white
sausages and go to the church to bless the food. Everything in the basket has
a symbolic meaning: the red colored eggs symbolize the risen Christ,
the bread and salt are a wish for good health and a successful life.
The sausages are a special kind- very tasty and, as an integral part
of the Polish way of life, express a wish for enough food and fertility
during the coming spring. The basket also contains cheese cake and marzipan.
In addition, the family breakfast on Sunday morning is as important as the Christmas dinner here. At the beginning of the breakfast, each of the participants wishes the others of the family good luck and happiness, carrying one fourth of an Easter egg to their seat. Another unique Polish tradition connected with Easter Monday, is "watering." They splash each other with water, considering this a wish for good health. Even passers-by on the street are not safe from a bath of cold water on Easter Monday.
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