Did You Dyngus This Year?

Dyngus Day, also known as Wet Easter Monday, is a Polish-American holiday dating back to 966 A.D. Originally, this holiday marked the Christian baptism of the first King of Poland, Miezsko I. Children in Poland celebrate by sprinkling water on one another and hitting each other with pussy willow twigs, an ancient act of purification and cleansing. The word "dyngus" traces back to the medieval word "Dingnus" which means "worthy, proper or suitable."

Although traditional Polish families have continued to celebrate the holiday, it was popularized in America by Judge Ann T. Mikoll. She, along with another woman, were the first two women appointed to serve as judges for the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme court in 1977. Mikoll and her late husband, Ted, arranged the first Dyngus Day celebration at a singing club in Buffalo, New York. The evenings were spent singing and dancing to Polka music and eating traditional polish food such as kielbasa, boiled (or pickled) eggs and sauerkraut. The holiday celebrations in Buffalo have continued to grow since 1977 and Buffalo is now considered the "Dyngus Day Capital of the World." However, Dyngus Day is also widely celebrated in cities in the Midwest including Chicago, Illinois, South Bend, Indiana and Cleveland, Ohio.

Mark your calendars, next year Dyngus Day falls on April 21, 2014. So, sprinkle water on your friends, boil some eggs, and cook up your kielbasa!

Na zdrowie!