The story of one Christmas Eve. “I have never been so close to others as when this happened.”

Restaurateur, host of the “Kitchen Revolutions” program and “MasterChef” juror Magda Gessler, as well as another “MasterChef” juror and chef Michel Moran and Dominican father Paweł Gużyński talked in the Christmas Eve edition of “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24 about how they spend their time Christmas time and about the values ​​and feelings that arise between loved ones during this period.

Gessler admitted that during the holidays she “craves for this whole great celebration to be absolutely perfectly harmonious.” – It seems to me that this is a kind of evening, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world (…). Christmas Eve is, surprisingly, a holiday celebrated mainly in Poland and in such an incredible way. This ceremony may have changed a little, but everyone is nervous when they sit down to celebrate Christmas Eve, she said.

In her home – she also recalled – preparations for Christmas Eve start a week earlier so that “everything is prepared on time”. – There are things that need time, such as cabbage with quince, apple and porcini mushrooms. (…) I always have some help, because this Christmas Eve is for 13-15 people, but to be honest, I'm very stressed and I want it to be very delicious, very beautiful and that everyone will find something for themselves – she said.

Moran talked about what Christmas is like in his hometown, i.e. in Poland France and Spain. He said that the issue of preparing meals is different there, which has a rich tradition in Poland.

We will prepare the best things we have at home. The best wine or champagne, or something special, perhaps oysters, shrimp, squid. There is no set diet that every household eats the same. There is a diet where everyone eats on that day what they cannot eat all year round. This is a financial and even intellectual effort, he said.

He admitted that “these are different holidays, but they are also family, beautiful and magical.”

Father Gużyński said that “there are basically three possibilities” for spending Christmas Eve evening. – At least over the last 10-15 years, they have been realized – he added.

– I was either in the kitchen preparing Christmas Eve dishes, or at the table with my brothers, talking to them, or looking for a moment to leave the table and call my family and wish them well. These are the three things that I constantly remember that I have to do and I am full of stress and tension, because each of them is important – he noted.

As he said, “this is a special evening, nothing can be spoiled, everything must be balanced.” – But I still remember that in years when I was less burdened with some activities, I could also hide a little and listen to my favorite Handel's Christmas trumpets from the Christmas mass. I have to listen to Handel for Christmas, because if I didn't do it – it's my personal tradition – I would also miss something, just like borscht, dumplings or gingerbread – he added.

The guests also recalled holidays from their childhood. Gessler emphasized that hers were “fairy-tale-like”. – Because I was fed with beauty, taste, something special, smell, such care and great love since I was born – she said.

She talked about Christmas Eve, which she spent in Komorów when she was a few years old. Her grandfather wrapped matchboxes in colorful papers and there were surprises – chocolates. – This Christmas Eve was crazy, not to mention the room smelling like a Christmas tree. (…) It was so magical, so unbelievable, full of love and care. (…) This love is in me and I have been giving it every day since then. This is something I was infected with, something I was taught as a child – she pointed out.

Moran said that in France and Spain there is a lot of fun on Christmas, and not only at the table. After finishing the meal, he said, the family visited other relatives. – We went around one uncle and another uncle and it lasted all night. My father took a plastic guitar that I had in the room and we had fun, there were jokes, it was fun – he assured.

Because – as he said – “the truth is that Christmas must also be merry, because it is a beautiful day, it is the day Jesus was born.”

The Dominican said that “what he remembers most from the past is Christmas Eve after the introduction of martial law.” – To this day I have such a deep conviction that I have never been so close to others as when it happened, when we didn't know what would happen next and we only had each other – he explained.

– It brought us closer, united us so much, I don't remember a similar strong experience from previous years – he added.

– However, my monastic years were, above all, an experience of such incredible simplicity – said Gużyński, pointing out that simplicity “creates a distance from all those unnecessary things that could distract.”

What and how to talk about at the table?

– It seems to me that difficult topics should be worked on before Christmas Eve, that Christmas Eve cannot be psychotherapy, which is not available all year round. (….) Because Christmas Eve is supposed to be about agreement and approaching a person with whom you don't even agree, who has different views than you. It should be with love, it should be with respect, if there is no love – said Magda Gessler.

In her opinion, in conversations you can praise someone's achievements or focus on building new hope if someone has suffered some failure.

Moran said the conversation could be “on any topic,” but should lead to being joyful. – I remember my father, who never tolerated us – brothers, sisters, there were six of us of different ages, you know how it works – and arguing at the table. He said that when we sit at the table together, we have no right to argue. This isn't that moment – it was like old times.

He also said that this special day is not the time to clarify family disputes or work through some issues. As he said, we have a whole year to do it.

Father Gużyński emphasized that if something is sacred, “it is, among other things, asylum, security, peace, this absolutely separated part from secular time and space.” – Sacred is not secular, so everything that concerns the ritual of celebration should really be free from all the desires, even the deepest ones, that are in us – he said.

– All the things that make us different as people are not important, cannot be important. The only important thing is that God became man and we are all people too, he added.