Halloween is getting more and more popular in Poland thanks to the media, especially American films, but in Poland it is All Saints’ Day which is celebrated by most people. It takes place on 1st November and has nothing to do with fun. It’s a quiet sad day when we visit the graves of our families and friends to pray for them and help them with the prayers.
Upon the graves on this day you can find thousands of flowers like chrysanthemum, wreaths, burning candles symbolising our memory and love for those who passed away. It is a great show, especially at night. People get really sad on this day, they meet their family members and talk about their dead relatives.
Our graves are quite interesting as well:
“It is worth to mention that the cemeteries in Poland are different than in any country I saw. Graves and tombs are big and very individualized. There is usually a guard standing at military graves in that day. You don’t see two graves, which looks the same except maybe military graves. They are either individual (for one person) or family vaults. They are made of rocks (granite, marble, sandstone etc.) some are completely covered with stone some have a soil with some planted flowers. They differ in their richness. Some of them are taken care on the daily basis. Many older women, mainly widows, visit cemeteries almost every day. Since Poland is a catholic country almost every grave has a cross standing or carved in stone.”
(taken from http://www.polishsite.us/customs-and-religion/saints-and-patrons/9-all-saints-day-in-poland.htm)
It is only on 30th November ( St. Andrew’s Day) that we have fun, organise parties , even at school and we will soon write about the day here.
Gimnazjum nr 18, Gdansk, Poland.
Traditions across Europe-an eTwinning project 
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