Christmas carol singers - is this a Polish Christmas tradition?

Quick question. We had three small girls around a couple of days ago who came in, sang a song and spun a star on a little pole, collected some money from us and left. What was the significance of their visit?

That is an example of a somewhat obscure Polish Christmas tradition, where a band of people dressed up as various characters from traditional Polish nativity plays would do some caroling or make a short performance in an effort to collect some money or food from other people. Call that 'creative begging' if you will. The closest equivalent in the US would probably be the Halloween tradition of trick or treating.

However, this custom is now very obscure except in the countryside and possibly some suburban areas where kids are poor and creative.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Hallowen!!! It's called caroling!!

Ah, countryside is us! We live right on the edge of a small village 15km from Nowy Sacz. Thanks for the info Derpinard. Tamarisk - D means the knocking and begging is like trick or treat.

Yes, it's a very old tradition going back to Slavic pagan times: There are even caroling contests, apparently:

we just had some teenagers with sheets over there heads they almost got a kicking dressed up in some sort of christmas style would have got them some cash

dressing like the KKK no thanks they were probably pikeys from the osiedla nearby

Isn't "pikeys" an ethnic slur for Travellers?

It has become one, certainly. It used to mean (in my region anyway) something like the American word 'carney' but now it's mostly used to mean travellers or other people considered by the person using it to have a certain set of morals and lifestyle and is usually considered offensive.

Another dumb comment made by a Yank. Don't kid yourself KKK is a hate group of Anglo-Saxon blood at least that's what those southern mutts claim, in order to be one you have to be a WASP, fat chance of that in a Slavic and Catholic country. One has to know what P stands for in WASP to grasp the meaning hence the dumb reference on my part. If by "pikey" you mean a gypsy you're also wrong. Your ignorant statement speaks volumes, face it you're just a grumpy cheap bastard with no respect for other cultures or traditions.

A certain set of morals and lifestyle? What do you mean by that?

putting a sheet over your head doesn;t count as dressing up or making an effort its just teenagers trying to raise money for cigarettes or vodka I also had a group come who

1) made an effort with the costumes
2) could actually sing
3)had a collection tin
4) were not stinking of booze
Result I gave then 50Zl

I use the term Pikey for anyone out to swindle money from people whilst doing a half arsed job like many in the travelling community driveway tarmacers etc etc

I would too. Be blessed.

Christmas atmosphere in the continuation.