Easter traditions in Poland

traditional Christian feast marking the last Thursday before Lent, associated with the celebration of Carnival

Śmigus-dyngus () or lany poniedziałek () is a celebration held on Easter Monday across Central Europe, and in small parts of Eastern and Southern Europe. The Eastertide tradition is widely associated with Poland in English-speaking countries and is observed by Polish diaspora communities, particularly among Polish Americans who call it Dyngus Day. Customs surrounding Śmigus-dyngus celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Poland. A similar tradition also exists among Hungarians, the Easter sprinkling called (sprinkling) and in Slovakia, called oblievačka (the pouring).

thumb|275px|Food blessing in the 19th century, by Michał Elwiro Andriolli Święconka (), meaning "the blessing of the Easter baskets", is one of the most enduring and beloved Polish traditions on Holy Saturday during Easter. With roots dating back to the early history of Poland, it is also observed by expatriate and their descendants Poles in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden and other Polish communities in the world.

traditional Polish Easter cake

traditional Easter bundle

old Polish folk custom, celebrated on Easter Monday

thumb|A video documenting the śmiergust in Wilamowice in 2015 Śmiergust is a long-standing folk custom popular in some parts of Poland, particularly in and around the town of Wilamowice. It involves young men, often in costume, dousing young unmarried women with water. The celebrations take place on the Market Square of Wilamowice on Wet Monday (Easter Monday), and in or near the women's homes on Easter Sunday. The traditions of Śmigus-dyngus, known in the Polish diaspora as Dyngus Day, include the water dousing element.