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All Things Christmassy in Poland [281]
Traditionally we don't eat meat on Christmas Eve.
Even for breakfast. Then you don't eat anything till the dinner. Again no meat, just fish. It's just a Polish tradition as there's no rule in the Catholic church that forbids eating meat on this day.
Pierogi, carp and other fish, sauerkraut with forest mushrooms, beetroot soup or forest mushroom soup, kutia etc.Traditions vary depending on families but generally speaking all dishes are meatless and dishes include fish, forest mushrooms, sauerkraut, poppy seed etc so things that were easily available in the middle of winter.
As for the next two days of Christmas, as far as my family is concerned, we don't have food that is especially eaten on Christmas only (unlike Christmas Eve). Sometimes we have fish, sometimes duck or mushroom soup or beetroot soup with meat filled uszka -we don't have these on Christmas Eve.
The reality is that everyone is pretty full anyway and it's hard to eat more. So when you have guests you try to make them eat what you prepared but they're full. And when you visit people you're full anyway so it's hard to eat anything they serve.
But there's always place for some serniczek.
Within few days you say/hear: Nie jedz. To na Święta which soon changes into: Jedz, jedz, bo się zmarnuje.
