My mother and her family immigrated to the United States
from Poland when she was just a toddler. We have continued many of the Polish
traditions through the years. One of them is Wigilia, or Christmas Eve supper.
It consists of twelve different foods, although not everyone prepares all
twelve and there are some regional differences. Before the meal begins, there is the sharing
of the opłatek,
or Christmas wafer. In our family, the eldest would bring the opłatek
to each of the other family members and they would break off a piece and eat it
as the eldest asked God’s blessing on them for the coming year. I vividly remember my grandmother’s blessing
for many years was to “…..be healthy, be happy, find yourself a nice wife”. I’ve
had a wonderful wife for the past 31 years so I guess the blessing turned out
well!
As I write this on Christmas Eve, I pray that God’s richest
blessings might be yours in the coming year.
May you know His love and care for you, may He fill you with His peace
and joy, may He guide you and bless all that you do, may He be your help in
times of trial, and may He comfort you in times of sorrow. May you
grow ever closer to Him in the coming year.
Merry Christmas! To our family and friends, you are always
welcome at our table for Wigilia!
“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
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