Newsletter 103

[Jaga]

Polish Culture Newsletter – Merry Christmas

Wszystkiego Najlepszego na Swieta Bozego Narodzenia i na Nowy Rok.
Above there is a Polish „Merry Christmas and the Happy New Year” – just in case you need to send good wishes to your Polish family.

CHRISTMAS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Do you know that the word “Christmas” came from “Christ’s mass”?
In Polish we call Christmas - “Boze Narodzenie” which means “God’s Birthday”.
In German we say “Weihnachten” which comes from “Weihe (holy) Nachten (nights)”. In German tradition the year was divided into 12 moon-long months (28.5 days), so 12 days remained to the end of the year cycle and they were the holly ones.
In Spanish “Navidad” means “nativity”.
The French word Noel may come from English “new” or Gaulish “noio” meaning: new and “helle” for light. Or it may originate from the old French “nael” – meaning birth.
+++++
Our website has several articles about Christmas. They are at:
www.polishsite.us/customs-and-religion.html
under CHRISTMAS
www.polishsite.us/customs-and-religion/christmas.html

Some articles have been updated with new photos:
www.polishsite.us/customs-and-religion/christmas/181.html
Shows new nativity scenes from crib exhibition in Krakow

Several articles have been written some time ago. They are still important and interesting, although they may need some editing in the near future. If you would notice something which needs editing or if you would like to help us with editing and improving some of the articles, please let us know.
+++++
NEW ARTICLE
We update regularly the main page with the newest additions. Last week the article by Martin Nowak about a popular rock group: “Three Dog Night” and their leader – Cory Wells Lewadnowski was posted:
www.polishsite.us/culture-and-tradition/music/418.html
Cory Wells Lewandowski of Three Dog Night
+++++
CHECK THE FORUM:
jagahost.proboards79.com/index.cgi

We have a beautiful collection of photos from Poland – from different festivities:
jagahost.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=imagespoland&action=display&thread=3473&page=62
as you can see there are now 62 pages of pictures in this one threat! The most recent photos display the nativities scenes from Krakow show. Almost all photographs were done by our Polish correspondent - nick Pawian.

Check also old Victorian decorations which we added yesterday:
jagahost.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=books&action=display&thread=5708&page=1#1229904207
Old Christmas Decorations

If you have a beautiful Christmas decoration in your home, please share it with us in the forum!
+++++
NEWSLETTER
Thanks for signing to our newsletter. Since we have the automatic signing option:
www.polishsite.us/home.html
much more people sign now than ever before. We have usually about 10-20 new subscribers per day. Soon we will have more than 2000 subscribers to our website!
+++++
The SWEEPSTAKES are finished. We will announce the winner at the end of January. Thanks for participation:
www.polishsite.us/lifestyle-and-entertainment/games-and-puzzles/394.html

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WEBSITE BY SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT US WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

Merry Christmas and the Happy New Year

Jagoda Urban-Klaehn (Jaga)
Issue December 21st, 2008
The Polish Culture Newsletter © 2008
All Rights Reserved.

Jaga is also the editor in Polish-American Journal:
www.polamjournal.com/
and the editor in DMOZ
www.dmoz.org/Society/Ethnicity/Slavic/Polish
e-mail: [e-mail]

[archivist]

Jaga,

You have achieved international fame! This website has been quoted (and well received) on another Polish forum (300polishsquadron). All of these people are researching the Polish Air Force (like me) and the site has a much narrower scope but also promotes Polish history. So you may get more members.

Neville

[Jaga]

Hi archivist,

thanks! I should mention again your research in the newsletter but I was so much in the hurry since we were leaving to Texas today.
I need to eliminate some bad characters from the next newsletter.

After I will be back in Idaho we will send your article to Polish-American Journal. I will get in touch with you after 1-1-09.

[archivist]

Thanks Jaga,

Meanwhile, have a very good Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year

Neville