Oplatek - My Favorite Polish Tradition

In my Polish Catholic family our Christmas holiday is steeped in tradition. There is one part in particular that is my favorite - the sharing of the Christmas wafer called oplatek.

Oplatek is a thin wafer - sort of like a communion wafer - that is made of wheat and water.  It is a rectangular shape and is embossed with a nativity scene. This gets broken into smaller pieces and put on a platter for all to take. Oplatek is flavorless really, and if it tastes like anything at all, I’d say it tastes like a piece of cardboard.  The flavor is irrelevant though, because its power is magnificent.  

Here’s the tradition: when the first star shines in the evening sky the celebration begins.  Wafer in hand, each member of the family pairs up with someone else. The pair exchanges both words and wafer.  It is a powerful moment of connection, the intention being to share a very personal wish for the new year.  As you share your wish with the other, they break off a piece of your wafer and eat it. Metaphorically speaking, it’s like ingesting your words. The words can be wishes, appreciations, confessions, and/or vulnerable moments of intimacy that can sometimes stop time and definitely bring the two of you closer.  There is laughter and tears and the silent sound of love as it floods the room. It is magnificent.  Once you are finished you move on and find another family member to exchange with.  This continues until every family member has shared with every other family member.  I have been a part of this family tradition for over sixty years. Knowing that the next generation is also experiencing this brings me so much hope.  

The Darkest Night of the Year

For the third year in a row, we've celebrated the Winter Solstice with friends. We hiked up to Lone Tree Hill, gathered with one another and sang carols.  It was cold but fabulous this year. Warm hot cocoa and cookies ended the celebration of the darkest night of the year.

 

Photography Game

                

We've played a photography game in our family where we all take our best photos somewhere in a certain time limit and then we choose our best to share.  We then see which we think is the best photo.  We were recently in Montreal and this is what we played in the Old Town one evening.  

It was super fun to see what we could see in thirty minutes!    

MATILDA!

Matilda!!!!!!!!!!

Watch here!

Kuba was in his high school musical this weekend, and it was fantastic!

He was the Trunchbull and NAILED it! 
What an absolutely amazing show! 

Watch here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjRe22R2be8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U__OvkQvFwU

  

The Thanksgiving Play

 

Anders was in his first college play and it was so good! He made a great punk rocker, a kindergarten turkey and a dramatic teen.   He was in the ensemble along with seven others.  They would interrupt the "story" being told by  the four main characters, with a reenactment of a true Thanksgiving performance put on by some school somewhere in the country.  The juxtaposition of these little snippets and the drama taking center stage was interesting and poignant.  I wasn't allowed to take video or photographs, but was able to get these from a professional photographer credited below.

"Absurd assumptions and good intentions collide in this Broadway hit comic satire by groundbreaking Native American playwright, Larissa FastHorse. In it, four well-intentioned and terminally “woke” teaching artists scramble to create a culturally sensitive and historically accurate Thanksgiving play for kids that endeavors to somehow celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month."

 

photo credit to Lindsay of raymonjack.com 

Young, Wild, and 17!

It was a wonderful birthday weekend for the newly minted 17 year old.

A game party with friends, a second game party playing Blood on the Clock Tower - which is Kuba's dream come true.  Then, more birthday celebrations....waffles, family, friends, gifts.

 
I could write a book about Kuba, telling all of the beloved things about him.
And I will.  Stay tuned for a more detailed post.

In the meantime - hurrah for 17!!!

Home in the Fall Season