Wednesday 15 December 2010

Corner View: Tradition.


I guess most of us think about traditions more around this special time of year. Initially I wanted to write about traditions cultivated in my family, the ones that I remember from my childhood, the ones I grew up with and took with me. But yesterday, when decorating our Christmas tree with little G. I thought about it and it hit me that now it is me who is setting up some traditions. I'm no longer a child and I have a child myself. Looking at G. happily helping me with decorations I thought of creating memories for her and traditions that one day she will leave her nest with. I thought about how important it is. I carry on traditions from my home but at the same time I add new ones; things we never did when I was a child. Baking gingerbread cookies, for example. I only started baking them after I emigrated to England. Since then every year (except for last year) I make gingerbread cookies and hang them on Christmas tree. This year G. is big enough to help with baking; I'd like this gingerbread baking to become a tradition in our little family as well as hand made decorations and hand made gifts: this year we have prepared all decorations by hands (only the lights were bought) and some of the presents are hand crafted as well (in my case, knitted). These are the new things that we add up to a long list of traditions that we carry from our backgrounds. We're mixing three cultures and traditions this Christmas: Polish, Italian and British. There will be Christmas Eve celebrated in Polish way: big dinner with borscht, dumplings and fish with the additional sit at the table for an unexpected guest. The gifts will be opened on Christmas morning as it is in Italy and England (in Poland many families open their gifts after Christmas Eve supper). There will be Italian panettone and mince pies, traditional British Christmas pies.There will be lots of resting too. So much to look forward to...

I'm off to find out about traditions all around the globe. Thank you, Cherry B for a fantastic theme this week. For more corner views, please visit lovely Theresa.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!



12 comments:

  1. I love how all the nationalities mingle to give you a wonderful Christmas! awesome pics too... xx

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  2. Traditions are there to serve us, and not the other way round, and your multi cultural family is enriched by multi-rooted traditions that grow with it!
    I'm really glad that you have a panettone:)

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  3. Wonderful to see your traditions. Baking and putting up your tree. And how you blend your families heritages into traditions!

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  4. I love your gingerbread cookies. So darling!

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  5. what a nice mix of tradtions ... and your gingerbread cookies are so pretty :)

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  6. Lovely multicoloured cookies and wonderful multicultural mix of christmas traditions!

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  7. I like how you bring all the traditions together my friend.xo

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  8. It's wonderful for our kids to start traditions. and also to borrow from these that warmed our hearts when we were young. I like your perspective.

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  9. my! lovely... you've got a proper little mix there of all things goodie... every bit of your multi cultural traditions sounds just so gorgeous. and yes, ofcourse, we do create traditions ourselves. wonder-ful!
    x

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  10. Hi Kasia,
    I love the cookies that you made with Gaia. I'm sure they are wonderful on the tree. Traditions have become more important for me since I've moved away from my family. I think we, or I, can be guilty of taking those for granted. Now that I have my daughter, I am more focused and more aware of sharing my family traditions with her. It's all up to me, you know. I'm also enjoying creating new traditions for our family. . . like you.
    Have a great day.
    D

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  11. Thank you for the reminder that it's never too late to start a new tradition!

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  12. Magical. Gorgeous photos :)
    Eleanor x

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