In Poland, Easter Monday is Smingus-Dyngus Day when boys try to drench girls with buckets of water, squirt guns, whatever's available. In some towns, they use twigs to switch the girls. The tradition has it if a girl receives a drenching or switching, she will marry within the year. I imagine more than one young lady with marriage on her mind allowed herself to be caught!
This somewhat bizarre practice has the commemoration of the birth of Christianity and the baptism of Prince Mieszko in 966 A.D. on Easter Monday at its core.
The soaking tradition is kept alive in many American towns, most notably Buffalo, N.Y., where a festival is built around it. And not only are females on the receiving end, turnabout is fair play with everybody dousing everybody else!
If getting soaked to the skin isn't your idea of fun, try celebrating with a Smingus-Dyngus Casserole. The dish is decidedly of American origin and it's not clear how it got its name. Perhaps because it's served on Easter Monday with leftover kielbasa and sauerkraut from Easter dinner.
But don't wait until next Smingus-Dyngus day to try it. It makes a great fast dinner and potluck dish any time of the year.
