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Poland observes eleven public
holidays, enshrined in the country's law as well as the nation's
tradition dear - one way or another - to every Pole. And two of
them, Easter and Christmas, last two days. However, Polish
national holidays aren't equal. Right, shops stay closed on
every one of them. Yet museums, for instance, and other tourist
attractions usually open on May Day, Constitution Day, or
Independence Day.
1. New Year Day, January 1st.
The first day of every year Poles
start with a toast in some sparkling wine. As elsewhere, the
ensuing 24 hours is mostly spend on recovering from the effects
of revelries on the preceding night, Nevertheless there is
always a number of special concerts on the
New Year in Krakow.
2. Epiphany, January 6th,
The Christian festival is called
Swieto Trzech Kroli in Poland.
3.
Easter,
The two-days public holiday, known in
Poland as Wielkanoc, includes Easter Sunday and the following
Monday when traditional Emaus market takes place in Krakow next
to St. Norbert convent.
4, Labor Day, May
1st
The public holiday called Swieto
Pracy in Polish is mostly an occasion for enjoying varied
open-air activities, weather permitting.
5. Constitution
Day, May 3rd.
Polish Swieto Konstytucji, Poland's
time-honored patriotic festival, commemorates the nation's first
(and the world's second ever) written constitution, passed by
the country's parliament on May 3rd, 1791.
6. Whit Sunday,
Whitsun, in Poland popularly known
as Zielone Swiatki and officially as Swieto Zeslania Ducha
Swietego, is basically a religious festival.
7. Corpus Christi
The Catholic feast day called Boze
Cialo in Polish is considered here the third most important
church festival after Easter and Christmas.
8. Assumption
Day, August 15th
The Polish Swieto Wniebowziecia, a
major Catholic festival, coincides with Poland's official Armed
Forces Day.
9.
All Saints
Day,
November 1st
On the Dzien Wszystkich Swietych all
Poles visit cemeteries to light memorial candles on the graves
of the deceased family members.
10. Independence
Day, November 11th
Swieto Niepodleglosci in Polish.
It's another major patriotic festival and a remembrance day
honoring people who fought for the independence of Poland.
11.Christmas.
Known as Boze Narodzenie in Polish,
the most popular Christian feast is December 25th though
actually it starts in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve,
December 24th. Also Boxing Day is a public holiday in Poland and
the festive season goes on till February 2nd, workdays and
weekends.
Szopka traditional nativity scenes
are an unmistakeable feature of
Christmas in
Krakow.
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