Archive for December, 2018
Why will you be celebrating Sylwester, not New Year’s Eve in Poland? Posted by Kasia on Dec 31, 2018
Why Polish people ask: “Where are you going to spend Sylwester?” Well, New Year’s Eve is not commonly used expression in Polish vocabulary (I guess it would be translated as “Noc przed Nowym Rokiem”). Insted, Sylwester is a common name used to describe that night. Saint Sylvester (Święty Sylwester), a bishop of Rome who died in year…
100th anniversary of the Greater Poland Uprising Posted by Kasia on Dec 27, 2018
On December 27th, 1918, the Greater Poland Uprising (Powstanie Wielkopolskie) started. It was one of the four victorious Polish insurrections. Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) was taken by Prussia, the predecessor of a unified Germany, as one of the partitions of Poland. Poles in this region protested against the Prussian and German policy of enforcing German culture…
Once upon a time…baby Jesus was born! Jasełka – Christmas Nativity Play in Poland Posted by Kasia on Dec 17, 2018
Through the centuries, each nation has built up different traditions centering around the amazing festivity of Christmas. One of the ways Poland expresses warm feelings that come with Christmas time is Jasełka (jasełko is taken from the world jasło which is synonymous with żłobek – crib). The custom originated in the 13th century when St…
Have you been good or bad? Mikołajki in Poland Posted by Kasia on Dec 6, 2018
A lot of my daughters’ friends are a little jealous that they get a visit from Santa twice!!! Yes! Twice! Every opportunity is good when it comes to gift giving…and gift receiving! Mikołajki is a different name for St Nicholas’ Day in Poland. On the night from December 5th to the 6th, Santa visits kids…