You probably heard about Śmigus Dyngus! It is a tradition in which people use bucket pails or water guns to soak each other with water.

Easter Monday in Poland is a holiday and is called Śmigus-Dyngus or Lany Poniedzialek (wet Monday). This is a wonderful day of fun. It was traditionally the day when boys tried to drench girls buckets of water. The more a girl is sprayed with water, the higher her chances are that she will get married (Im bardziej dziewczyna jest oblana wodą, tym większe są jej szanse, że wyjdzie za mąż). Now Wet Monday is usually celebrated by everyone drenching or sprinkling each other. Kids use water guns, water toys. Basically it is a free-for-all good old fashioned water fight and no one is immune, kids and parents alike get in on the action. When I was a little girl, from the respect to older people, we would spray my grandparents with perfume, instead of water;)

The history of Śmigus Dyngus goes back to the Middle Ages when it was called Oblewania. Some people say that by being splashed with water on Easter Monday will bring you good luck throughout the year. There is conflicting information as to the origin of this tradition. Some say it was a pagan ritual and that the pouring of water symbolized springtime to cleanse and purify. There are others who think that Dyngus represented renewal of the sacrament of baptism after Christ had risen. Another theory suggests that Wet Monday is connected with Polish ruler Prince Mieszko I who was baptized in 966 on Easter Monday. However you look at it, it is still a fun holiday!

So get your water toys, buckets, glasses ready and have some fun tomorrow!

Photo credit http://culture.pl