Easter is the demonstration
of God that life itself is
essentially spiritual and timeless
~Charles M. Crowe
Our Polish Easter Traditions
By Anna Krupnik-Boudreau
For us, Easter is a religious holiday and, with my Polish background,
our
baskets are a very different than what seems to be popular.
Here's what we
have...
The baskets themselves tended to be pretty conservative...your
usual wicker
or reed...but quite large. They had to hold a lot.
Eggs Egg decorating is as big a deal for Polish tradition
as Ukranian.
Although we usually just dyed them in solid colours when we were
kids (my
mother was not at all into crafts other than knitting and crochet)
they
would be coloured using the wax resist method. Traditional symbols
would
include things like triangles, netting, fish, roosters, crosses, suns,
stars, sheaves of wheat, wavey lines, zig zags, circles, etc.
Hard boiled
eggs, of course, were eaten, but raw eggs could also be dyed and
given as
gifts. These would be kept for years and, eventually, dry up inside. My
parents still have one I did when I was in my teens and you can hear what's
left rattling around inside when you shake it. Dying blown eggs was a new
idea for us and I've never been able to do it...they keep floating and, no
matter how carefully I wash them, they end up causing mold to grow in the
dye (the dyes used can normally be used many times, as long as they are kept
well sealed in between, but I had to throw it out.)
Paska The traditional Easter loaf of bread, this often was
the centerpiece
of the basket. The top was usually decorated with braided dough,
dough in
flower shapes or something like that. Sometimes my mom would bake
one in a
bundt pan and would place an apple in the middle in the basket.
Meat Usually a ring of sausage, but a small ham would be appropriate.
A piece of horseradish root. Small containers with butter, salt, garlic and
other such things. My mother would also tuck in small cuttings from plants
that she would later root, pot and, eventually, give as gifts. Some would
also include things like candles, too.
The Baskets
Only in keeping with being in Canada did chocolate, bunnies, roosters, and
other candies make it into our baskets. There is no tradition behind that
besides the commercial one.
On the Saturday before Easter the basket would be artfully put together.
The basket would be lined with cloth, usually embroidered, protected by a
napkin. Once put together, it would be covered with another fine cloth or,
if it's big enough, the cloth under it would be pulled over the top. A
cloth ribbon would be tied into a bow on the handle. Some people would take
an egg decorated to look like a bird and hang that from the handle, though I
don't know the tradition behind that. Then we'd all take our baskets to the
church and they would be blessed. The foods inside would then be included
in the meals Easter Sunday. The horseradish would be grated and eaten with
the eggs, the salt and butter used, etc. Because it was all blessed, we had
to cross ourselves before we helped ourselves from the basket. Also, any
waste products like eggshells or sausage skins couldn't be thrown out...they
could only be burned.
Making these baskets was always a highlight for me, and it just doesn't seem
like Easter without one. My mother got a small basket for me so that I
could make my own and my daughter has since inherited it.
About the Author
Anna Krupnik-Boudreau is a faithful visitor to our community, and shared
these traditions with us. She was so kind as to let us share them with
everyone.
Visit our Old Fashioned Holiday Section for more ideas!
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