Page Eight

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Friday, December 5, 1969

PageEigt TH MIHIGA DALY Fida, Deembr 5,196

How to enjoy a
Polish Christmas
By LESLIE WAYNE
LIKE THEIR weddings, confirmations and other feasts, the Poles
approach the Christmas season with a gusto and style that
makes any WASPish celebration pale in comparison.
While the Christmas season has been commercially designated
as the period roughly extending from Dec. 20 -to Jan. 2, the tradi-
tional Polish celebrations begin with fasts the first week in.December
and ends Feb. 2 with Candlemas day.
The fast, which is held on every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
in December and is strictly observed Dec. 24, is finally broken when
the first star appears in the East and the "Wilia" supper is served.
The Willa supper is usually more than ample payoff for all the
torments of fasting as all guests dig into steaming "pierogi," sauer-
kraut and mushroom "uszkra."
Unlike most Polish feasts which are infinite forays into steaming
masses of sausages and sauerkraut, the number of courses for the
Willa supper is fixed at seven, nine or 11 and there must never be an
odd number of people at the table-otherwise, some of the guests will
not live to see another Christmas.
A lighted candle is placed in the window symbolizing the hope
that Christ will appear in the form of a stranger and an extra place
is set for his visit. This practice stems from the ancient Polish adage,
"Guest in the home is God in the home.
Polish Catholics then go to Midnight Mass, the Pasterka (shep-
herd's watch) and sing Kolendy (Polish Christmas carols). In the old
Polish villages, the farmers used to believe that during the Christmas
night domestic animals assumed voices but only the innocent of heart
could hear them. My Uncle Stan contends that this was a way for
those who imbibed too much of the Christmas liqueurs to prove their
purity.
The Christmas Season, or "Gody," finally closes on Feb. 2, or
Candlemas Day. On that day, people carry candles to church and
have them blessed while the housewives begin to prepare the goodies
for next year's Willa feast.

Two outfits for total holiday perfection from Kay Baum; on the left a
metalic after-5 pantsuit and on the right a sweater-dress accented with an
orlon beret and scarf.
H ow to eat Polish Christmas

IF YOU LIKE Polish Christ- rooms, sauerkraut, prunes and
mas, you love pierogi. These (Leslie's favorite) apples. Just do
dumplings are delicious filled the following:
with cheese, cabbage and mush- 2 eggs

10 minutes in the womb of a
warm bowl.
Divide the dough in halves
and roll thin.
Cut circles with large biscuit

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" cup water cutter. Place a small spoonful of
2 cups flour filling a Uttle to the side of each
x teaspoon salt round of dough.
Remove flour from bag and Then fold each round of
pour into a mound on a knead- dough into a half moon with
ing board and make a hole in filling in center. Moisten the
the center of the mound. Drop edges and press together so
the 2 eggs.into the hole, where everything is neatly tucked
away.
they hopefully will stay. Then Drop the creation into a pan
SScut into the mess with a knife of bubbling hot, salted water.
and blend in salt and water. Do not drink, but let cook
Knead the stuff on a kneading gently for 2 to 5 minutes.
board until firm; that is all you Lift out of water carefully
Sknead. with perforated spoon.
Let the mixture rest for about They are delicious, you say.
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