Wigilia & Boże Narodzenie
The Wigilia supper begins with the first star, sharing the opłatek wafer, twelve meatless dishes and gifts under the tree.
Wigilia, the Christmas Eve supper, is a cherished Polish tradition that begins when the first star appears in the sky, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. Families gather around the table, which is often set with a white tablecloth and adorned with hay underneath to represent the manger in Bethlehem. The meal consists of twelve meatless dishes, representing the twelve apostles or the twelve months of the year. The supper starts with the sharing of the opłatek, a thin wafer made of flour and water, which family members break and share with each other, exchanging wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year.
After supper the presents under the choinka are opened, brought, depending on the region, by Święty Mikołaj, Gwiazdor, Aniołek or Dzieciątko, and the family sings kolędy, the Polish carols, of which there are hundreds. At midnight many go to Pasterka, the shepherds' mass, and the two days of Boże Narodzenie that follow are for visiting family over the remaining dishes: barszcz with uszka, pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, carp, and makowiec and piernik for dessert. An extra place is always laid at the table for the unexpected guest.
The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.
Same words in both. Beginner gets more help: matching and completing. Advanced listens and spells it out unaided. Pick it in practice; it locks when you take the scored run.
Practise as often as you like, all year. The scored run happens once, while the competition is open, and cannot be retaken.