member of the family is given a piece of unleavened wafer. The head of the family, typically the oldest person present however often father of the family, then takes a wafer and offers it to a family member wishing them a Happy Christmas. "God grant that we are all together again next year", they respond and break off a piece of wafer. The family member then offers the head of the family a piece of their wafer in return. The head of the family then offers their wafer to every family member or guest at the table. After them, all the diners exchange greetings and morsels of wafer. Care is taken not to skip anyone for that means terrible misfortune or even death the following year. In breaking a piece of wafer, each tries to get a piece larger than that remaining in the other's hand for it means his year will be better. The person holding the wafer tries to prevent a large piece being taken for this will "break his luck". When everyone has exchanged wafers, the family members take their pile of wafers before the head of the house. He then looks at the wafers in the family members' hands and reads a fortune from how they are assembled. After this has been completed, people return to their seats and the wafers are eaten. Origins The tradition traces its origins to the times of early Christianity (see Antidoron) and is seen as a non-sacramental foreshadowing of the liturgical partaking of the Holy Eucharist (Host), unleavened bread consecrated into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. As a Christmas custom the "opłatek" originated in Poland and was spread widely as far back as the 17th century. It was the part of the szlachta's (Polish nobility) culture and the custom had spread throughout the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and neighbouring countries. In the 19th century, in the aftermath of the partitions of Poland, it gained patriotic subtext, as the common wish during sharing of "opłatek" became the wish for Poland's regaining its independence. Since that time, "opłatki" are often embossed with religious images. In the 20th century, "opłatek" custom went beyond families and gained another meaning: the meeting of present or past co-workers or students. See also Christmas in Poland Aparon References External links Opłatki Wafers: Preserving Polish Christmas Eve Tradition. Visited 1/3/2005. Christmas Customs and Traditions Sharing my