joyce
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Posts: 394
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Post by joyce on Nov 25, 2007 5:56:43 GMT -7
For those who are Polish and you live in the United States,. do you celebrate the Polish customs of Christmas or the American customs of Christmas or a little bit of both?
If your spouse is Polish and you are American or another nationality, who determines what & how what holiday is celebrated?
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Post by justjohn on Nov 25, 2007 7:19:27 GMT -7
Hi Joyce,
My wife is of Scots and English heritage. She grew up on a farm in Northern NH. Until we met and married she did not observe any other custom other than the above mentioned.
Once married we moved to NH. My mother asked for her to come to CT and help prepare food for a cousin who is getting married. She began making golabki. I believe they made over 400 of them.
When my wife returned home she was well versed in Polish tradition and good food.
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Post by rdywenur on Nov 25, 2007 9:51:11 GMT -7
I think we only keep the custom of the Platek for Christmas and Easter holidays. I think usually the woman tend to keep tradition unless there was none in their home growing up then maybe they would follow the males. Some try to keep both (if there are more than one)
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Post by valpomike on Nov 25, 2007 9:58:08 GMT -7
To all,
Keep your customs alive for the children, we do, each year, and my now grown children, and grandchildren, love it. Pass on some things for them to keep and remember forever. Most of our children and grandchildren what to know all of our customs, and want to understand them. Help them.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by valpomike on Nov 26, 2007 17:31:13 GMT -7
To all,
Many young people don't know if they are Polish or German, or what ever, and it is up to us, to help them understand the ways of where our parents or grandparents, or greatgrandparents came from, even if it is only one side, teach them both side, if you can. Help make them proud to be, whatever.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by leslie on Nov 27, 2007 4:26:12 GMT -7
Valpomike
I agree with your views to bring the children up so that they learn their cultural heritage and customs, but also teach the m (if this is the case) that they are first and foremost Americans (or wherever), if they have citizenship of that country by birth or naturalisation. What is, or would be on their passports?
I am of Polish origin (going back several generations) and I do not forget this and want to learn as much as possible about my heritage (which is why I joined this forum). But, I was born in UK so I am therefore British, and proud to be so, but also proud to have my other national relationships.
Leslie
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Post by justjohn on Nov 27, 2007 6:25:45 GMT -7
Valpomike I agree with your views to bring the children up so that they learn their cultural heritage and customs, but also teach the m (if this is the case) that they are first and foremost Americans (or wherever), if they have citizenship of that country by birth or naturalisation. What is, or would be on their passports? I am of Polish origin (going back several generations) and I do not forget this and want to learn as much as possible about my heritage (which is why I joined this forum). But, I was born in UK so I am therefore British, and proud to be so, but also proud to have my other national relationships. Leslie Leslie, As usual, you are eloquent in your argument. I agree with you 100%.
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Post by hollister on Nov 27, 2007 8:01:41 GMT -7
This topic has me thinking. I was raised (quasi) Mennonite and so holiday celebrations were not a big thing. In addition, I grew up in a small, rural town in the west, so the concept of ethnic neighborhoods was totally unknown and was viewed with LOTS of suspicion. As I grew up and became exposed to a larger world view, I began to ask about my family and was totally shut down and those questions were not appropriate to ask. My son is now looking for family traditions and asking where he came from, and I can not answer the questions! However, the thing that IS interesting is that I have drug home some Polish cookbooks and my Mom has found some recipes that she remembers her mother making and that lead to dragging out some family history I had never seen before, and we discovered that it appears that the family has Polish/Ukrainian roots! However, the older family sees this as a time of shame (not sure why) and they look back to the time when the family was in Austria (which turns out was actually France - but nobody likes the French so the family mis-memory holds on to Austria!). So no family traditions here - I am creating them now.
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Post by valpomike on Nov 27, 2007 8:14:51 GMT -7
Hollister,
I am sorry for you, without customs, but you can still make some for your family, and they can be passed down. Look for the good side, no bad customs either, make good happy ones. I know you will pass down some great traditions, for yours, and they will be happy.
Michael Dabrowski
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joyce
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Posts: 394
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Post by joyce on Nov 30, 2007 3:27:07 GMT -7
I appreciate everyone's response. I grew up in an American household and celebrated the American way-"commercialized" when I was a child-expecting Santa to bring toys. But as I gotten older and today, Christmas has a deeper meaning other than just getting gifts.
Do the people in Poland decorate the house in the same fashion as the Americans do-with garland boughs, lights, bows, manger scenes with figurines? Does anyone decorate their cars/trucks -by putting a Christmas bow on the front grill? Can you share some of your traditons? Joyce TX
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Post by rdywenur on Nov 30, 2007 6:53:33 GMT -7
Holly...I always thought that Mennonites were of German origin. Something similar to the Amish. Polish, Ukranian and all countries around are all so similar and are noted as Slavic. Sort of a blanket label. If you do not have any traditions then pick a favorite one and use this and this will be then the beginning of your traditions for your family.
Joyce I have seen occassionally a wreath here in Uspstate NY on some cars. (usually an expensive car) and always thought that looked pretty cool but with todays society as it is I would hesitate to do that thinking it woud target my car for vandalism. When I first moved to Rochester I had my car parked in the street overnight and someone came and robbed a little snowman hanging from my visor. (he was the 1975 Olympic logo and one of myl ittle souveniers I brought back with me) It was nothing but at the time I felt violated. Probably some kid on the street was attracted to it. So now I never leave anything on the seats or exposed in my car at least nothing I care about.
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Post by hollister on Nov 30, 2007 10:00:46 GMT -7
Chris, You are right Mennonites are German - and thus the story of my family is somewhat misty and strange. When I start to ask questions and point out how things don't fit - I get a lot of Resistance. The only tradition I think my family could ever agree on is that you open Christmas presents on Christmas eve. Never on Christmas morning. Wayne is a Christmas morning person!
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Post by rdywenur on Nov 30, 2007 10:20:01 GMT -7
Holly ...but Santa comes on Christmas Eve with your gift so you should be sleeping and open in the morning with Wayne. ;D ;D *<{}:{0}}}}} ho ho ho
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Post by bescheid on Nov 30, 2007 12:37:51 GMT -7
This topic has me thinking. I was raised (quasi) Mennonite and so holiday celebrations were not a big thing. In addition, I grew up in a small, rural town in the west, so the concept of ethnic neighborhoods was totally unknown and was viewed with LOTS of suspicion. As I grew up and became exposed to a larger world view, I began to ask about my family and was totally shut down and those questions were not appropriate to ask. My son is now looking for family traditions and asking where he came from, and I can not answer the questions! However, the thing that IS interesting is that I have drug home some Polish cookbooks and my Mom has found some recipes that she remembers her mother making and that lead to dragging out some family history I had never seen before, and we discovered that it appears that the family has Polish/Ukrainian roots! However, the older family sees this as a time of shame (not sure why) and they look back to the time when the family was in Austria (which turns out was actually France - but nobody likes the French so the family mis-memory holds on to Austria!). So no family traditions here - I am creating them now. Holly I do hesitate, but only to add. Whilst working in Regina Saskatchewan, I was to hear of some families of {Mennonite} as being from the Ukraine {known as Russian then}. Some {few} spoke a very old form of dialect German. Very difficult to understand. They were highly excellent farm growers and very family oriented. Very similar to the doukabours of escape from the Czarist Russia in the 1890s into Canada. Charles
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joyce
Full Pole
Posts: 394
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Post by joyce on Nov 30, 2007 13:04:16 GMT -7
"Very similar to the doukabours of escape from the Czarist Russia in the 1890s into Canada."
all these strange words...what is a doukabour?
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