Among my New Year's resolutions, is one to carry on getting a grip on my tidying abilities - in fact, to relearn how to tidy. Tidying a home (particularly if...
December 23, 2022
As we gather for our Wigila (Christmas Eve) supper, the dishes we prepare are a mixture of traditions from our families. By repeating these customs, we create memories for future generations...
November 29, 2022
We all love crinkly sweet wrappers in dazzling colours at Christmas. I remember the delicious sweets we would string and hang on our tree as children. Poles in Kraków, however,...
December 30, 2021
When you hear the name Wyspiański or Wyczółkowski you may think of pastel portraits or paintings of Polish peasants in the vast landscapes of Poland. Sadly little is known outside...
December 21, 2021
As I wish you all Wesołych Świąt and a Happy Christmas in these uncertain times, let's look back at Polish Christmases of the past. Soon we will sit down to...
August 31, 2021
My family's quest for finding pine forests is quite legendary. Since childhood, I've been taught to look for the sosna (pine-tree) on walks in the countryside. Whether for grzyby (funghi),...
May 28, 2021
The portrait of Jan Matejko’s “Copernicus: Conversations with God” recently arrived at the National Gallery in London. It is the first work of a Polish artist to be on show there and...
March 27, 2021
With Easter approaching, Palm Sunday for Poles, is as colourful as any feast due to the "palms"- bazie or palemki made from fresh branches of willow with catkins or "kotki" (little...
December 19, 2020
This post is particularly poignant when our Christmases may be different, we may not sing as many carols but we can listen and our opłatek may not be shared with...
December 5, 2020
Are you thinking about buying new decorations? Think again. Our ancestors made their own and we all have memories of making them with our parents but homemade isn't just for...
