NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES | Wigilia: Polish Christmas tradition lives on in Minneapolis

By Mary Treacy, Neighborhood Notes
December 12, 2011

“Wigilia” is a wonderful Christmas Eve celebration well-known and beloved by Twin Citians of Polish descent. "Wigilia" derives from the Latin verb vigilare, "to watch", and literally means 'eve'. The feasting traditionally begins once the First Star has been sighted, usually by children, in the heavens at dusk.

There are several options so I’m focusing on just one, the Wigilia Dinner sponsored by PACIM, the Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota on Sunday, December 11, 6:00 p.m. at the Gasthof Restaurant, 2300 University Avenue NE. It’s a fundraiser for Polish orphanages – and tickets are still available!

The celebration features breaking of oplatek, traditional foods and singing of koledy.

Tickets are $35, mail to Paul Rog, 1213 Monroe Street NE, Minneapolis 55413 – include the names of the people attending; if you have questions contact Paul at 612 789 7972.

Neighborhood Notes are updates about what's happening in Twin Cities neighborhoods, submitted by our volunteer neighborhood correspondents (and neighborhood residents), and not edited by the TC Daily Planet. Click to learn more about becoming a neighborhood correspondent.
© 2011 Mary Treacy

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