Katowice for Christmas | Holiday Traditions & Christmas Markets in Katowice

Katowice isn't the first place anyone thinks of when it comes to capturing the holiday spirit, but the city has made huge strides in recent years in terms of creating a festive atmosphere for all in the run-up to Christmas, and beyond. The city has invested heavily in its Christmas and holiday decorations, and is so eager to deck the halls that they open the annual Christmas market in the third week of November.

How to Say 'Merry Christmas' in Polish

Glad you asked. Say it with us now:
"Wesołych Świat..."
Veh-so-wick Shvee-ont
(Merry Christmas…)

"...i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!"
...ee Shchen-shlee-vay-go No-vay-go Row-koo!
(...and Happy New Year!)

[Keep practising, you'll get it.]

KATOWICE WINTER HOLIDAY EVENTS 2023-24

Katowice Christmas Market (Nov. 22, 2024 - Jan. 05, 2025)

The Christmas Fair in Katowice is an event to remember as it takes place on the massive and recently renovated Market Square (Rynek) and really sets the city's holiday vibe. The tradition of Christmas fairs or markets in Poland is an ancient one, and while the markets in cities like Krakow, Wrocław and even Warsaw have been drawing tourists from near and far for decades, if not centuries, that certainly wasn't the case here in K-town.

*How do ya like me now?* Katowice's Christmas market in 2021.

Ah, but how things have changed. Ever since the disappointment of 2020's COVID-cancelled Christmas market, Katowice has really pulled out all the stops to deliver holiday magic, and the city's annual Christmas market opens earlier than its Polish competitors, then powers through into the new year without even a day off. Sure, like all Christmas markets, it's completely commercial, but Katowice takes it even farther by ratcheting up the kitsch to levels not seen at most holiday fairs. In addition to the handsome wooden huts selling all manner of folkwares, ceramics, handicrafts, toys and holiday decorations, Katowice's Christmas market is cluttered with dozens upon dozens of moving and singing animatronic holiday scenes to mesmerise your kids, or maybe give them the creeps.

Years later the trauma will be traced back to this moment, when little Kacper watched
a dead-eyed Mrs. Klaus rock in her chair and silently stir her bowl for seven minutes,
while his Dad watched football highlights on his phone.

The Christmas market also features a tall German-style ' Christmas pyramid ' (zee Germans' description not ours; it's one of those wooden windmill things with the candles, you know?) dispensing over a dozen(!) different flavours of hot spiced wine into souvenir mugs, a huge Ferris wheel , a carousel , an ice rink , plenty of hot food, photo opportunities and more. Bundle up and check it out!

Barbórka (Dec. 4)

December 4th in Poland sees the observance of Barbórka , the local name for the feast day of St. Barbara, patron saint of miners . Given the region's industrial heritage, this celebration of mining culture and the men who toil in darkness deep underground carries a special significance in Silesia. In Katowice, the biggest Barbórka pageantry takes place in Nikiszowiec , where the miners' marching band wakes everyone up at dawn to the sound of big brass and then the town comes out for more music and festivities around St. Anne's Church .

Jolly miners on parade in Nikiszowiec for Barbórka.

Saint Nicholas Day (Dec. 6)

With Christmas Day reserved for family and busy with the celebration of Christ, seasonal gift-giving chores have been mostly out-sourced to Saint Nicholas (Święty Mikołaj) who unofficially gets the holiday season started when he comes three weeks earlier on December 6th – ‘ Dzień Świętego Mikołaja ’, or Saint Nicholas Day. In Polish tradition, Ol’ Saint Nick (or ‘Mick’ as the case may be) isn’t a portly pipe-smoker who lives at the North Pole, but an actual dignified saint who comes down from heaven in a rather regal purple and gold robe and bishop’s hat, carrying a crosier (you know, one of those staffs shaped like a candy-cane) on the anniversary of his death. Exact traditions vary regionally to some degree; in southern PL, for example, in the run-up to Dzień Świętego Mikołaja eager children write letters to Saint Nicholas requesting the one, maybe two (if they’ve been really good) gifts they most desire that year and put the letter outside on the windowsill so the old codger can drop by and pick up their request during the night. On the 6th, Polish children awake to discover Mikołaj’s good graces with a gift under their pillow or next to the bed. In northern PL, December 5th sees children cleaning their shoes and leaving them by the door or window to await St. Nick’s, who fills them with sweets and candy.