Along with the Christmas holiday, today marks the 4th day of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish “festival of lights” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, prayers, gifts, and feasting.
The annual festival, which takes place this year from December 22-30, celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the unlikely victory of a small band of Jews against a much larger Seleucid Greek army in the second century BCE.

The most visible symbol of Hanukkah – the menorah – is a candelabra featuring eight candles, one for each night of the holiday and a ninth “shamash” or “helper” candle used to light all the others. On each night of Hanukkah, a new branch is lit. As part of an annual tradition started by former President Lech Kaczyński, Hanukkah candles are also being lit in the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

Current President Andrzej Duda extended his “warmest greetings and best wishes to the Jewish community in Poland,” in a letter on Sunday, writing that this is “a joyful time that reminds us of the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil,” and a tradition which is “an inseparable part of the great heritage of the Republic of Poland.”

Source: PAP, president.pl

POLISH LEADERS SEND CHRISTMAS GREETINGS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

In an address online yesterday, President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda wished Poles at home and abroad a merry Christmas.

“Let the Christmas Eve table unite and connect us, and the carols we sing together remind us of our beautiful Polish traditions.” stated the couple. “We wish you health, peace and joy, and many wonderful moments with family and loved ones.”

Their words were echoed by those of Prime Minister Morawiecki, who posted on facebook that Christmas Eve was „a time of happiness, joy, and love” where we can sit together with loved ones at the Christmas table and share traditional Polish wafers.

In his address, President Duda also urged people to remember the needy and to „show goodness and kindness to those who perhaps do not experience it every day.”

Source: PAP, The First News

GDAŃSK HOSTS ITS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER FOR THOSE IN NEED

Gdańsk volunteers, scouts, and elected officials had a chance to share the Christmas spirit yesterday by serving a traditional Christmas Eve dinner to those in need.

Currently in its 29th year, the annual holiday tradition was organized by the Polish Chamber of Commerce for Restaurateurs and Hoteliers and was hosted in the Great Armoury in old town Gdańsk.

The mayor of Gdańsk, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, was on hand to offer holiday wishes on behalf of the city, and scouts from Hufiec ZHP Gdańsk Śródmieście troup assisted in the distribution of presents to participants.

According to the Piotr Dzik, president of the Polish Chamber of Commerce, the event shows that “no one is so poor not to help another person, or so rich that they do not need the help of another person…”

POMERANIAN ATHLETES AREN’T SILENT ABOUT THEIR LOVE OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS

As part of an annual Christmas tradition, players from the Trefl Sopot basketball team and Trefl Gdańsk volleyball team joined forces to record an international version of “Silent Night”.

“Cicha Noc” is one of the most famous Christmas carols in the world, and has been translated into over 300 different languages and dialects.

Trójmiasto’s version of the classic hymn features five different languages, with players singing both in their native languages and attempting the Polish version. In the recording, Polish point guard Łukasz Kolenda is joined by German volleyballer Ruben Schott, Argentinian volleyballer Pablo Crer, Italian volleyball coach Roberto Rotari, and American basketballers Carlos Medlock and Cameron Ayers.

The complete recording is available on the City of Gdańsk website at gdansk.pl

Source: gdansk.pl

WEATHER

Today will be mostly cloudy with only a slight chance of rain and a slight possibility for some sunshine to warm up your Christmas holiday. Temperatures will be slightly cooler than yesterday, with highs around 3-5 degrees Celsius or the mid 30s to low 40s Fahrenheit. Boxing Day day may feature some rain in the early morning but also an additional chance for see some sunshine in the afternoon.

RGNEWS/EP