We've had a family tradition passed down by my grandmother on my mother's side, and I've never been able to find any source or origin for it. We kids never really asked about it - it was just part of Christmas. Basically, on the morning of Christmas Eve (not Day), the very first thing you do when you wake up is fill a sink or bowl full of water and throw coins into it, then wash your face with the water. It's supposed to ensure, in my grandmother's words, that "you'll always have at least enough money to buy a loaf of bread". I've never found a source for this. Our family is Polish, but I haven't come across any such Polish tradition. I've also never come across anyone else who's ever celebrated Christmas with this ceremony. Has anyone here ever come across anything like this?

No never heard of it; here's an Italian variant. In the days preceding Christmas and the New Year, coins were placed under rugs for good luck. On January 1st, we were allowed to lift the carpets and keep them...usually pennies, nickels and dimes however were especially prized.

My neighbor used to leave a silver dollar (a REAL silver dollar) on the back porch overnight on New Year's Eve. If it was still there in the morning, you were supposed to have a good year.

NOT A HOLIDAY STORY:
A regional prosperity preacher used to have you give him a five dollar bill (or a ten, or twenty if you didn't have a five). He would "bless it" and give you back a one dollar bill. He said as long as you kept that dollar in your billfold, you'd never be broke.

When I pointed out to a friend that it was a scam, she said, "What should I do with the dollar?" I said, "Spend it or give it away as fast as you can."

We now return you to a more edifying discussion.