Must-do activities during Easter in Poland

1. Relax while egg-painting

How do Poles get into the festive spirit in the spring? They rely on traditional egg-decorating sessions. Although egg hunts are practically non-existent in Poland, Poles have their own egg-based family activity that is still widely popular. Forget stickers or colourful pens – some Polish people still like to do it the old-school way. Eggs are boiled with natural dyeing substances, such as onion peels or beetroot juice, and later scraped or covered in patterns with the use of wax. Are you up for the task?

2. Prepare your Easter basket

The faithful in Poland prepare the Easter basket for religious reasons, but even being non-Christian does not mean you have to refrain from this activity! You can omit traditional contents of a Polish basket and fill yours simply with chocolate bunnies and colourful eggs. Whether it is a table centrepiece, or a product of your kids’ creativity, you will definitely fit in with the spirit in Polish households around Eastertime.

3. Stuff yourself up with delicious Polish food

When the actual holidays arrive, do not hesitate to accept any invitation from your Polish friends! After all, it may be a perfect opportunity to taste traditional Polish delicacies. If you are a meat-lover – you will be delighted with the selection of traditional Easter foods – starting from white sausage served solo or in żurek, the sour rye soup, to variations of hams and pates appearing on festive tables. And if you have a sweet tooth, you will not feel neglected either. A majestic babka (pictured on the left), flat mazurek cakes or a traditional Polish cheesecake will be served all across Poland and as a foreigner you will have loads of opportunities to taste them. After all, Poles love showing off their cooking and hosting skills to people coming from abroad!

4. Get ready for the water fight

Beware of the Monday after Easter – it is the traditional day of water fights in Poland, called Śmigus-Dyngus. Although the custom is well-known in other Slavic countries, for people from remote parts of the world it may come as a surprise – not everyone is used to being soaked with a bucket of water by complete strangers in the street as soon as they step out of their home. For tradition’s sake, however, it is nice to be equipped with a small water gun (pictured on the right) and sprinkle your friends or loved ones – it brings good luck!

5. Enjoy your extra day off

If none of the above speaks to you – do not worry, there is one aspect of Polish Easter that you are simply bound to love. Mondays after the Easter Sunday are always bank holidays and you get to stay at home and relax after the weekend celebrations! You can sleep in, eat the leftovers and gather your strength before new challenges at work. Have fun then this Easter!