How do the Poles spend and celebrate Christmas and New Year holidays?

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On Christmas we eat supper with family and than we unpack our gifts, which are under the Christmastree. On New Year's Eve I meet with friends and family and play games, watch movies and at 00:00 we use fireworks

Christmas is regarded as a family holiday with lots of traditions. Some of them may vary from one family to another, so don't be surprised. We usually start our Christmas Eve dinner when the "first star" comes out (so around 4-5 pm) - we tell our kids to go look for it through the window - it's a good occasion to put the presents under the tree when the kids aren't looking ;) We dress up nicely and when everyone is ready, we gather around the table. Some families may say a prayer together and read an excerpt from the Bible, other will just exchange the wishes by sharing a special wafer (the same one that you would see in a catholic church). After that, we start the feast. On every traditional Christmas table there should be a bit of hay under the tablecloth and one additional plate for an unexpected guest and of course 12 courses. Some people also put the wafer underneath their plate to see if it sticks to the plate - if it does, this person will have a good luck next year. Traditional dishes include different kinds of soups (one with mushrooms, one with beans and borscht - slightly different than the Ukrainian borscht), different kinds of dumplings, that is our pierogi, (one kind with mushrooms and cabbage and one with cheese and potatoes - so called "pierogi ruskie"). Then there are some fish dishes (ryba po grecku, karp w galarecie... btw, in some families it's also normal to keep the fish alive in their bathtub prior to the Christmas Eve... but I think it's less common nowadays). You may also see kompot and other dishes (like kutia or groch z kapustą), depending on the family, I usually give up after pierogi because I'm too full :D After all the dishes have been served, kids may go and unpack the presents. Again, depending on the family presents may be brought by Santa Claus, Little Angel, Little Star, Star-Man, Baby Jesus or Grandfather Frost. After exchanging the gifts, we may sing or listen to some carols or just talk, drink wine and eat cakes (the choice of cakes again depends on the family). On December 25th we have a really big breakfast, with salads, pasztet (pate) etc. But for dinner we have leftovers from the Christmas Eve ;) Some families go to church, some just go on a long walk, visit other relatives... In general, the 25th and 26th of December is a time when we're supposed to relax after all that food we ate ;D And we spend these days together, watching films or playing games or just talking.

New Year's Eve is a different thing. Most people go out in the evening - to a party or a concert. They just dance, drink and eat snacks. Some people (mostly old people) stay home and have a kind of semi-formal dinner and watch the concert on tv. At midnight we watch the fireworks, exchange the wishes while toasting with champagne and call people who are close to us. The following day is a day off, so we usually wake up late and watch the New Year's concert in Vienna. I think that's all :) Merry Christmas!

In Christmas Eve we also go to church on midnight to attend a special mass called "Pasterka".

@7d8a9r wiedziałam, że zapomnę o czymś ważnym przez to, że nie chodzę do Kościoła w ogóle :D

@ikabe Twoja odpowiedź jest na tyle wyczerpująca, że tylko dopowiedziałam o tym. U mnie to tradycja, więc nie mogło zabraknąć. :)
Wesołych Świąt! ☺

@7d8a9r Wesołych Świąt :)

In my home we celebrate Christmas Eve in a traditional way. We put hay under the table cloth, take a candle with fire from the church and also place it on the table, we pray before the meal, exchange wishes & eat 12 different meals (such as pierogi, kompot, cabbage with peas, gołąbki and fish - usually a carp... Dishes also depend on what part of Poland we live ). When the supper is finished we sing or listen to the Christmas Carols. Who is brave enough he /she can go to church to take part in the Holly Mass which is called Pasterka and which starts at midnight. Next day we also go to church and than visit our family. During the whole time of Christmas there's a tradition in my region where dressed up to animals or angels kids go from home to home, sing Christmas Carols and say old rhymes to people, they get money from them XD. I forgot to write that we don't drink alcohol and do not eat meat during Christmas Eve.

We eat pierogi for a few days (not only pierogi but pierogi are the most delicious dish), we go to church, we spend time with our families. When the New Year is coming, we throw parties and we drink some tipples ;-)

@7d8a9r Рождественская Всенощная po rosyjsku ;)

We eat our traditional food on Christmas Eve and give presents, sometimes they are under the Christmas tree because Santa Clause bring it. At 00.00 we go to church. On The First and Second Christmas Day we relax and spend time with family. Before New Year we celebrate "Sylwester" and wait for 00:00:D we have also fireworks. In the cities are concerts. In school we have holidays from 20/23.12 to 02.12.