Wedding traditions
Greeting with bread and salt, carrying the bride over the stoop or throwing vodka glasses back over the shoulder are only some of the Polish wedding customs. Equally popular is the Oczepiny ritual – removing the bride's veil and thus accepting her into a group of married women. The Money Dance - collecting money from guests to dance with the bride or the groom – is also a common wedding tradition.
Easter traditions
It is customary in Poland to bring food to church in a basket on Easter Saturday to have everything that will be eaten on Easter Sunday blessed, e.g. a small amount of egg, bread, butter. Another Polish Easter tradition is Smingus Dyngus or Wet Monday, which involves pouring girls with water so that they can marry happily in future.
Taking shoes off
When you visit someone's house, even for the first time, do not be surprised if you will be asked to take your shoes off and offered slippers instead.
St. Andrew's Day
St. Andrew's Day or Andrzejki is the last day before Advent and most people celebrate it by organising or participating in a party, involving not only food and drink but also fortune telling! You may be asked to participate in a shoe race, blind picking a name of your future spouse, or pouring wax over cold water to foretell your future.
Women's Day
Celebrated on 8 March, the Women's Day is a relic of the Communist era, when the day was celebrated as a national holiday for all women. Nevertheless, women still receive flowers and gifts on that day.
Koleda
Each year, following Christmas, a priest pays a customary visit to all homes in the parish.
Polish greetings
The Polish exchange handshakes and kiss each other on a cheek three times when they meet. Kissing a woman on her hand as a form of polite greeting is also frequent.
