New Year's Day, also known as 'Nowy Rok' in Poland, is the first day of the calendar year and is considered a public holiday. Like many countries around the world, Poland sees New Year's Day as a time to close the chapter on the old year and welcome the opportunities the new year may bring. The celebration of the New Year's Day is enjoyed with enthusiasm and excitement throughout Poland.
Throughout the country, Polish people celebrate this day by spending time with friends and family, enjoying traditional Polish meals. Some also attend the special church masses that are held to bless the coming year. The night before New Year's Day, called 'Sylwester', is marked with fireworks, concerts, and parties that go on until early hours of the New Year's Day. Streets of cities and towns bustle with joy and cheer as people celebrate the beginning of a new year.
New Year's Day is also a day where you can see the Polish custom of sharing 'opłatek', a Christmas wafer, with family and neighbors to wish them good luck and happiness in the new year. In recent years, the tradition of New Year's resolutions is becoming more popular, with many people making goals for self-improvement or change. Despite below-zero temperatures in January, the New Year starts with a bang in Poland and is all about fresh beginnings, family, and joy.