The idea of organising such a celebration is connected with the origins of the residents living in Gromadka municipality. Immediately after the end of the Second World War, Poles arrived in the municipality from various parts of Europe: the Balkans, the Eastern Borderlands and central Poland. As a result of Operation "Vistula", Ukrainian and Lemko populations were also resettled here; they now form a national minority.
To this day, the residents who settled here live together in harmony and mutual respect. From generation to generation, they pass on the customs, traditions, ways of thinking and beliefs of their ancestors.
The Christmas Eve celebration was opened by the Mayor of Gromadka Municipality, Ryszard Kawka, who recalled the history of the celebration’s development in Gromadka municipality, mentioned the late Mayor Dariusz Pawliszczy, who initiated the Christmas Eve event, and then welcomed the invited guests, including: Tomasz Gabrysiak – Bolesławiec County Governor; Dr Habil. Piotr Rogala, professor at the Wrocław University of Economics and Dean of its Jelenia Góra branch; Krzysztof Król – Chair of the Gromadka Municipal Council; directors of the organisational units of Gromadka Municipality; councillors; representatives of the University of the Third Age in Bolesławiec, headed by coordinator Wiesława Olczyk; village heads; folk groups; parents and children from the Municipal Public Kindergarten in Gromadka; and residents of Gromadka municipality.
Parish priest Jan Trznadel of the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Osła said a prayer that the gathering might give rise to new hopes, open hearts and strengthen people in love.
As always during the Christmas Eve celebration, participants shared the Christmas wafer – a symbol of sharing goodness – drawing closer to one another and forgiving mistakes and grievances. In reflection, they thought of those who were absent from the Christmas Eve table. They expressed solidarity with Ukraine and those affected by the war, sharing prosphora.
The Christmas Eve tables were laden with regional dishes. There was traditional red borscht with mushroom-filled dumplings, cabbage and mushroom croquettes, fried carp, fish, vegetable salad, kutia, herring and wonderful cakes baked by active residents of Gromadka municipality.
And on stage, moving performances by children, young people and adults.
The "Angels" from the Municipal Kindergarten in Gromadka opened the performances with a dance to the carol "Silent Night". The folk group "Wesoła Gromadka" from Gromadka performed "Good Tidings" and "Little Child". Children from the Primary School in Osła performed the pastoral song "From Heart to Ear". The folk group from Różyniec sang the pastoral songs "The Heavenly King" and "Lull Him, Mother, Lull Him". Varvara Fytsyk from Bolesławiec, accompanied by guitar, sang the carol "Silent Night" and then "Amid the Night’s Silence". Girls from the Primary School in Gromadka sang the pastoral song "Shine, Little Star, Shine". The folk group "My Słowianie" from Osła performed "On Christmas Day" and "The Star Shines for Jesus". The carol "Ah, Poor Manger" was performed by Karolina Gurgul, a student of Natalia Prochopchenko, who leads vocal and music classes at the Municipal Cultural Centre and Library in Gromadka. Natalia concluded the performances professionally with the Ukrainian carols "Rody Boże żyto", "Dobry weczer Tobi Pane Gospodarzu" and "Nowa radist stala".
After the stage performances, the Christmas Eve participants sang the carol "They Came to Bethlehem" together, beginning a communal carol-singing session.
At the end of the gathering, Mayor of Gromadka Municipality Ryszard Kawka thanked Bożena Kuchmacz – director of the Municipal Cultural Centre and Library in Gromadka – for organising the moving celebration.