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Quick answerThis oplatek set holds 12 large Polish Christmas wafers, each about 6 x 3 in, in printed paper sleeves with nativity pictures and Christmas greetings, plus a pack of hay for under the tablecloth. Twelve wafers are enough for a large family Wigilia, with spares to post to relatives. Baked in Poland from wheat flour and water.
A small family can share one or two wafers on Christmas Eve. A big Wigilia, with grandparents, aunts, cousins and godchildren around the table, needs more: a wafer for each household, and a few more to slip into Christmas cards for the relatives who cannot come. That is what this 12 wafer set is for.
Each wafer is embossed with a Christmas scene.
What is in the 12 wafer set
12Large wafers
6 x 3 inEach wafer
HayIncluded
PolandBaked in
Twelve large oplatki, about 6 x 3 in each, thin, crisp and embossed with Christmas scenes.
Printed paper sleeves with nativity pictures and the greetings Gloria in Excelsis Deo and Błogosławionych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia ("Blessed Christmas").
A pack of hay to lay under the tablecloth on Christmas Eve, in memory of the stable in Bethlehem.
Who needs 12 Christmas wafers?
Large family gatherings: one wafer per household or per table, so everyone can break and share at once.
Families spread across cities: post a wafer in a Christmas card to parents, children or godchildren far away, so the whole family shares the same oplatek on the same night.
Parish groups and Polish clubs: a Christmas meeting (opłatek) where members share the wafer before the season.
Hosts who give wafers as gifts: the printed sleeves make each wafer ready to hand over.
Wafers in their printed sleeves, ready to share or post.
Sending oplatek by post
Posting an oplatek is one of the oldest ways Polish families keep Christmas together across distance. Slip one wafer, still in its sleeve, into a Christmas card with a few lines of wishes. Post it early in December so it arrives before Christmas Eve. Use a card or a stiff envelope so the thin wafer stays flat.
How the wafer is shared
Before Wigilia supper, everyone stands with a wafer. Each person breaks a small piece from another's wafer and offers a wish for the coming year: health, peace, a good harvest, a safe journey home. Only when everyone has shared with everyone does the family sit down to the meal.
Sharing the oplatek before Christmas Eve supper.
Ingredients and storage
The wafers are baked in Poland from wheat flour and water, with no leavening. They contain wheat. Keep them flat in a cool, dry place until Christmas Eve.
Questions people ask
Straight answers to the questions shoppers ask search engines and AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
How many oplatek wafers do I need for Christmas Eve?
One large wafer can be passed around and broken among several people. For a big gathering, many families set out one wafer per household, and keep a few spare to post to relatives. This set holds 12 large wafers.
How big are the wafers in this oplatek set?
Each of the 12 large wafers is about 6 x 3 in.
Can I send oplatek in a Christmas card?
Yes. Slip a wafer, still in its printed sleeve, into a Christmas card, use a stiff envelope so it stays flat, and post it early in December so it arrives before Christmas Eve.
What do the sleeves on the wafers say?
The printed sleeves show nativity pictures with the greetings Gloria in Excelsis Deo and Błogosławionych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia, Polish for Blessed Christmas.
Is hay included in the 12 wafer set?
Yes. A pack of hay is included to lay under the tablecloth on Christmas Eve.
What is an opłatek gathering?
Many Polish parishes, clubs and organisations hold an opłatek meeting before Christmas, where members share the Christmas wafer and exchange wishes.
What is oplatek made of?
Wheat flour and water, baked in Poland without leavening. The wafers contain wheat.
Is oplatek blessed?
Oplatki are not consecrated like communion hosts. Many families take their wafers to the parish to be blessed before Christmas.
How should I store oplatki?
Keep them flat in their sleeves in a cool, dry place until Christmas Eve.
Where can I buy oplatek wafers in the US?
Right here: use Add to cart at the top of this page, or visit the shop for the 4 large wafer gift set and mixed packs.
More oplatki sets
4 large wafer gift sets and mixed packs of large and small wafers.
