12+ Days Of Christmas In Kraków

Christmas in Kraków consists of some rather quirky traditions that often leave the uninitiated scratching their heads. From the kick-off of the holiday season in late November, when the Christmas Market opens up in the main square, through December celebrations and right into January, when the Three Kings come to town in search of baby Jesus, Kraków is a bustling city full of holiday cheer. In addition to the usual religious concerts and activities, you'll also encounter odd folk creations of shiny foil, farm animals, children in creepy costumes and perhaps even a fish swimming in the bathtub when you want to shower before Christmas Eve!

The UNESCO Heritage-listed **Wawel Castle** during Christmas in Kraków!

Indeed, when Kraków decks its halls for the holidays it seems to rather effortlessly embody all the magic that Hollywood has taught us Christmas is supposed to have. It’s not all rum-pa-pum-pum and reindeer games, however. Poland has a full calendar of holiday customs and traditions, many of them Catholic in character, that stretch from early December all the way into January, and which will surely make your experience here a unique, and even at times completely foreign one. We help you get into the local spirit by detailing them below, so you’ll be well-read and ready when you find yourself smitten in mittens beneath the mistletoe.

Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!
[Phonetic translation: Ve-so-wick Shvee-ont (Merry Christmas)
ee Shchen-shlee-vay-go No-vay-go Ro-koo! (and happy New Year!)]

The Kraków Market Square Christmas Fair

The opening of Kraków's main Christmas market on Rynek Główny - typically on the last Friday of November - marks the official kick-off of the holiday season. Undoubtedly the highlight of the local holiday season, the tradition of this annual Christmas fair began before WWII, was paused during the PRL era and then rekindled after the fall of communism (you know, when people were allowed to buy and possess things again). Occupying almost half of the enormous Rynek Główny, the fair features stall upon wooden stall selling all kinds of folk art and Christmas ornaments, candies and sweets, regional products, knitwear, toys, souvenirs, jewellery, pottery, partridges, pear trees and more. Food vendors also dish up hot regional food, which families share over picnic tables, while keeping warm with hot mulled wine (called ‘grzaniec’) dispensed from enormous wooden barrels on the square. A cultural stage presents a nearly constant flow of carollers, folk acts, theatrical performances and random acts of holiday spirit. Integral to the holiday experience in Kraków, and simply impossible to miss, the festive atmosphere begins on Friday November 29th, and the stalls are generally open from 10:00-22:00.

The Christmas Fair is open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the 2nd day of Christmas, but - as you'll find written everywhere online - Thursday December 26th is technically the last day of Kraków's Christmas Fair. Don't fret, however! Those travelling to Kraków between Christmas and New Year's (or beyond) will still find the same festive magic on Kraków's market square as the 'Christmas Fair' seamlessly changes to the 'New Year's Fair.' While there is some minimal turnover amongst the merchants, the New Year's Fair is basically an extension of the Christmas Fair, with no break or cosmetic changes between them. In fact, you'd never know this is a separate fair, because it really isn't - the distinction is merely a technicality (likely due to merchant contracts); as such we can basically say that Kraków's Holiday Market runs until Monday January 6th.

Now that we've got that cleared up, what are the best souvenirs and gifts to buy in Kraków? There's a feature for that.

Advent (December 1st - 24th)

Although the holiday season indeeds begins with a Christmas shopping market, it's hardly a shameless celebration of consumerism at the same level seen in many western countries. As opposed to participating in stampedes outside department stores, most Poles embark upon the period leading up to Christ's birth - known locally as 'Adwent' - by spiritually preparing for Christ’s arrival. During Adwent, Poles are expected to refrain from indulgences like partying, dancing and drinking, encouraged to help the less fortunate, and, of course, to attend Holy Mass as much as possible. How strictly these church-established guidelines are followed is entirely up to the individual, and having a look around town you’d hardly guess the holidays were a time of self-restraint and supposed prohibition. But it does go to underline the fact that in comparison to the west, Poland really puts the ‘Christ’ in Christmas; here ‘capturing the holiday spirit’ traditionally denotes an embodiment of Christian ideals.

An angel in Kraków's market square, patiently waiting for Advent to pass!

Kraków Christmas Cribs (Szopki Krakowskie)

Around December 5th marks the Annual Kraków Christmas Crib Competition. What on earth is this, pray tell? One of Kraków’s most unique and singular Christmas traditions is the popular creation of ‘Christmas cribs’ or ‘szopki.' Something of a strange cross between a nativity scene, gingerbread house and dollhouse, 'szopki krakowskie' (as the idiosyncratic local variety are called) are the bizarre result of a slowly evolving folk tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. Originally used as mini puppet theatres upon which morality plays were performed during the holiday season, Cracovian szopki gradually became more whimsical, secular and satirical in nature, leading to an ironic ban on them on church property in the 1700s and a prohibition against their construction in the 19th century by which time they had developed into a powerful political tool used in the cafes and cabarets of the Old Town to criticise the occupying powers. Upon Poland’s return to the world map after World War I, Kraków's szopki tradition was re-embraced, becoming the celebrated custom it is today.

Popularised as a way for 19th century masons and other craftsmen to make some extra money during the drizzly autumn months, szopki are now made by all walks of life; in fact Cracovian szopki dynasties have developed as generations of the same family build new elaborate szopki every year. Using a variety of lightweight materials and covering them with coloured foil, ribbon and other shiny bits, a typical szopka is bright and cheerful and attempts to integrate the city’s topography into the traditional Bethlehem nativity scene. Though called ‘Christmas cribs’ in English, szopki look more like castles or cathedrals (in fact they in absolutely no way resemble cribs), the general rule being that they incorporate recognisable characteristics from Kraków’s architectural and historical monuments. Most szopki are loosely-based off the design of St. Mary’s Basilica, with its landmark spires; however, incorporating elements of other iconic buildings like Wawel Castle, the Cloth Hall and Barbican is also common practice. Generally, baby Jesus can be found amongst the glittering surfaces of the second floor, while the ground floor is tenanted by figures from Cracovian history and legend like Pan Twardowski, Tadeusz Kościuszko or the Wawel dragon.

Szopki-masters with their creations on Kraków's market square for the annual Szopki Competition.

To support this unique folk tradition, the city has sponsored a szopka competition since 1937. This year’s event begins on December 5th at about 10:00 when crib-makers and szopka specialists begin gathering on the main market square with this year’s entries, displaying them for the public around the Adam Mickiewicz monument until about 12:00. Everyone is welcome to participate and encouraged to admire the truly bizarre and ornately decorated art-pieces of all sizes, free of charge. From December 9th until February 23rd, the szopki are then on official display in the Kraków Museum's annual Christmas Crib Exhibition in Celestat. This is serious stuff, so don't miss your chance to observe this unique tradition.

Saint Nicholas Day (6th December)

With Christmas Day reserved for family and busy with the celebration of Christ, seasonal gift-giving chores have been mostly outsourced to Saint Nicholas (Święty Mikołaj) who really gets the holiday season rolling by showing up three weeks early on December 6th - ‘Dzień Świętego Mikołaja,’ or Saint Nicholas Day. In Polish tradition, Ol’ Saint Nick (or ‘Mick’ as the case may be) isn’t a portly pipe-smoker who lives at the North Pole, but an actual dignified saint who comes down from heaven in a rather regal purple and gold robe and bishop’s hat, carrying a crosier (you know, one of those staffs shaped like a candy-cane) on the anniversary of his death. In the run-up to Dzień Świętego Mikołaja, eager children write letters to the Saint requesting the one, maybe two (if they’ve been really good) gifts they most desire that year and put the letter outside on the windowsill so the old codger can drop by and pick up their request during the night. On the 6th, Polish children awake to discover Mikołaj’s benevolence with a gift under their pillow or next to the bed, which they rush to show their parents, who then rush them to get ready and out the door, since it's still a normal school and work day for some reason. Of course opportunities abound to see Old Saint Mikołaj in the flesh on this day, particularly at festive locations like Christmas markets, preschools and shopping malls.

Christmas Eve (24th December)

December 24th – or ‘Wigilia’ as it’s called in PL - is one of the biggest feast days of the year and an important time to be with family. As such, though Wigilia is not a work holiday you can expect virtually every shop in Kraków to close early and stay closed until the 27th, so arrange accordingly. On the afternoon of the Eve on Kraków’s main square, free food is given out to the poor and the length and composition of the resultant queues is a bit of a holiday spectacle in itself.

Sharing oplatek - the traditional Polish Christmas wafer.

In the evening it’s tradition that those gathered to eat the vigil feast together first share the blessed Christmas wafer, called opłatek. In an intimate (and potentially awkward if you don’t speak Polish) moment, each person goes to the others in turn, making a blessing for their happiness in the coming year, breaking off a piece of the other person’s wafer and eating it, then sealing the deal with a kiss (or three) on the cheek. Once that formality is out of the way, and the kids have spotted the first star in the sky, the feast can officially begin. Traditionally, bits of hay are spread beneath the tablecloth in observance of Jesus’ manger pedigree, and an extra place is set at the table in case of a visit by the ‘hungry traveller,’ Baby Jesus himself or a deceased relative (whoever arrives first).

Dinner consists of a gut-busting twelve courses – one for each of Jesus’ disciples – and because it’s meant to be meatless, the main dish is traditionally carp, which apparently isn’t recognised as meat by Catholics (fish was Jesus’ favourite vegetable). In the days before Wigilia, large, writhing, mildly horrifying pools of carp can be found on the city’s squares waiting to be purchased and brought home for holiday dinner. During the scarcity of the communist times, it wasn't uncommon for the carp to be bought early and kept in the family bathtub for several days until it was time for the man of the house to clobber it, carve it and cook it. The dish was then served cold on Christmas Eve. ‘Smacznego!’ (Bon Appetit).

Christmas carp in the bathtub during PRL times.

Other traditional dishes include żurek and barszcz – the traditional soups, poppy-seed pastries (makowiec), herring in oil (śledz), pickles and an assortment of other Polish salads and sides. The meal concludes with a round of belt-unbuckling, carol-singing and gift-unwrapping after the revelation that during the feast an angel has laid presents beneath the Christmas tree (St. Nick also gets an off-day for Wigilia). Alcoholic abstinence is the Wigila tradition most commonly overlooked, however, at midnight, most families head out in the cold to attend pasterka, or midnight mass.

Read our article on Wigilia - Poland's Christmas Eve Feast.

Nativity Scenes (Szopki)

It is on Wigilia that Kraków's churches also debut their holiday 'szopki' - which unlike the rather bonkers local mutation ('szopki krakowskie'), more resemble traditional nativity scenes centred around baby Jesus in the manger. As you wander the Old Town between December 24th and February 2nd, don't miss the chance to check out some of these elaborate displays. Of particular note are St. Bernard's Church, which usually has the most expansive and extensively motorised nativity in town; the Pijarów Church, which has developed a reputation for having each year’s most unconventional szopka on display in its crypt; and the Kapucynów Church where you can see one of the most popular szopki in Poland, dating back to the 19th century.

Christmas Day (December 25th)

After another morning mass, December 25th is reserved for visiting family and friends and a continuation of feasting (this time including meat and alcohol). While Christmas Day holds less importance and symbolism for Poles than Christmas Eve, it is still a public holiday and a time for family. Despite the gradual moves by many, particularly the younger generation, away from the Catholic Church in recent years, Christmas is still viewed with more religious significance than you might expect in your own country and even those who might not attend mass on a regular basis still respect the traditions of the holiday period. As such, you can expect the vast majority of bars and restaurants to be closed on Christmas Day and the Second Day of Christmas (December 26th), though some businesses are beginning to break this Catholic code of conduct.

Live Nativity at St. Francis' Basilica (December 24 - 25th)

While most of the city is shut down over Christmas as people spend time with their families, there is one event to get out into town for. Beginning late on Christmas Eve (22:30-24:00) and then occupying most of Christmas Day (14:00-19:00), St. Francis’ Basilica hosts an annual ‘live nativity scene’ in the field behind the church featuring large crowds, lots of singing children, a raging bonfire and live animals. [Though according to legend animals acquire the ability to speak during Wigilia, as far as we’ve observed it’s back to barnyard banter with this lot the following days.] Free food and drink (tea and bread) is served within one of the church buildings, and just about everyone in town will be stopping by at some point over the holiday.

New Year’s Eve (December 31st)

December 31st is known locally as 'Sylwester,' and on this last night of the year every bar, club, restaurant and hotel in town will be hosting an all-night New Year’s Eve bash. Unfortunately, you have to pay to play and it’s wise to plan where you want to spend your evening since expensive tickets are required to enter most venues, and therefore pub crawling is not really an option. Your celebratory options are literally limitless, but if it's the last night of the year and you're still at a loss, you can always join the masses taking part in the free shenanigans the city organise s each year.

New Year's Eve in Kraków on Rynek Podgórski

To combat extreme, borderline unsafe, congestion on the market square, as well as real concerns about smog, for the past several years Kraków's Sylwester celebrations have not included a fireworks display, and have been spread out over several stages across the city. We usually see Polish stars performing on the market square near the Town Hall Tower (pop, hip-hop and rock), dancing lessons and a 19th-century ballroom vibe on Rynek Podgórski, and top DJs celebrating the 70th anniversary of Nowa Huta on Aleja Roź. The festivities typically run between 21:00 to 01:00 and we have full details here. You can also check out the full programme online via the city's dedicated website: sylwester.krakow.pl.

Three Kings Day (January 6th)

The spirit of the holiday season is kept strong across the country until January 6th – Three Kings Day or Dzień Trzech Króli. On this day mass is compulsory, of course, and with the Parliament making Three Kings an official work holiday again in 2011, there’s no longer any excuse for missing church. After prayers, it's time join in a Three Kings Day procession - a merry parade of costumed carollers passing out candy, which honours the three wise men who visited Jesus at his birth. This year in Kraków you have three processions to choose from, each led by a different king, or magi. The Red Procession, symbolising Europe, will depart from Wawel Castle at 11:00, after a 10:00 mass in Wawel Cathedral; the Blue Procession, symbolising Africa, will start depart from Plac Matejki at 11:00 after a mass in St. Florian's Church; and the Green Procession, symbolising Asia will depart from ul. Konferedecka in Dębniki at 10:30. All three processions will make their way to the Main Market Square, arriving around 11:45 for a bit of baby adoration during a live nativity, and plenty more carolling.

Yes, unfortunately Three Kings Day in Poland still quite often involves blackface. And Jesus is white, of course.

Another tradition associated with Three Kings is writing the initials of their names – Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar – in chalk on the front door or above the threshold of the house. In Kraków this honour is reserved for a priest who visits during the holiday season, blessing the house for the coming year by inscribing the commonly seen ‘K + M + B 2020’ (for a small donation of course).

The decorations actually stay up and the Polish holiday season doesn’t officially expire until February 2nd when Saint Nick sees his shadow and it’s generally agreed that every family should toss their Christmas tree. For more information about specific holiday happenings around this merry ‘miasto’, including the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, check the links below or head to our Events section, and have yourselves a merry little Christmas, one and all.

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