New Year's Day in Poland

January 1 is New Year’s Day (Nowy Rok) and is a national public holiday in Poland every year.

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Fireworks are lit to celebrate events such as the New Year in Krakow, Poland.

©iStockphoto.com/irekkrak

What do people do?

New Year's Day and New Year’s Eve, known in Poland as Sylwester (St Silvester's Day), marks the start of the carnival period, which features celebratory events like balls and parties. A fun tradition that has been popular for centuries is the kulig (sleigh rides). Many people in Poland celebrate New Year’s Day with dances, concerts, and meals featuring traditional Polish dishes including bigos (hunter’s stew).

Public life

New Year’s Day is a national public holiday in Poland, so schools, banks, government offices and most private businesses are closed. There is a trade prohibition on public holidays in Poland. People intending to travel via public transport during public holidays must check with the public transit authorities on any changes to time schedules.

Background

New Year’s Day marks the start of the year in the Gregorian calendar, which is used in many countries, including Poland. This holiday is celebrated in many countries worldwide.

Symbols

The end of the old year and the start of the New Year are symbolized by a celebration of fireworks in many cities in Poland at midnight between December 31 and January 1.

About New Year's Day in other countries

New Year's Day Observances

Related holiday

• New Year's Eve ―Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Other holidays in January 2013 in Poland

• Epiphany ―Sunday, January 6, 2013