ANYONE CELEBRATE ANDRZEJKI (ST ANDREW'S EVE)?

Polonius3:

Do you celebrate or know of anyone celebrating the traditional St Andrew's eve or Andrzejki the Polish way with fortune-telling games and suchlike? I wonder if the Polsih migrants have taken the custom with them to the British Isles and celebrate it in clubs and pubs?

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08	Nov 26, 08, 12:07 / #
Do you celebrate or know of anyone celebrating the traditional St Andrew's eve or Andrzejki the Polish way with fortune-telling games and suchlike? I wonder if the Polsih migrants have taken the custom with them to the British Isles and celebrate it in clubs and pubs? Do the Scots have any St Andrew-related festivites?

polishgirltx	Nov 26, 08, 12:08 / #
I used to every year in Poland... Not in the US though :(

szkotja2007Threads: 38 Posts: 2,544 Joined: Dec 29, 06	Edited by: szkotja2007 Nov 26, 08, 12:47 / #
Polonius3: Do the Scots have any St Andrew-related festivites? Yes, it is a Bank Holiday here and there are celebrations planned all round the country URL

loco polacoThreads: 3 Posts: 421 Joined: Aug 5, 08	Edited by: loco polaco Nov 26, 08, 12:48 / #
polishgirltx: I used to every year in Poland... the pagan wax games?

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08	Nov 26, 08, 12:49 / #
Polonius3: Do you celebrate or know of anyone celebrating the traditional St Andrew's eve or Andrzejki the Polish way with fortune-telling games and suchlike? I wonder if the Polsih migrants have taken the custom with them to the British Isles and celebrate it in clubs and pubs? My students celebrate it every year. Wax, shoes, palm reading, horoscopes, blind date, etc.

Lotnik767Threads: 6 Posts: 210 Joined: Nov 12, 08	Nov 26, 08, 13:13 / #
This wore the days!! Last time I played this game was when I was in HS and our Polish Club had sponsored it. Also Polish clubs in Chicago try to organize St. Andrews party every year and if I'm not mistaking Saturday Polish schools do it as well!

polishgirltx	Nov 26, 08, 14:08 / #
loco polaco: the pagan wax games? oh yeah... to find out the name of the future husband, number of children, husband's name, how long i'll live... all those cool stuff... lol

benszymanskiThreads: 9 Posts: 510 Joined: Feb 29, 08	Nov 26, 08, 14:44 / #
wow - hadn't associated "andrzejki" with "saint Andrew's day"... In fact being English I wouldn't have had a clue when St. Andrew's day even was. I know why it's a big deal in Scotland - but is there any interesting history as to why St. Andrew's day is celebrated in Poland?

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08	Nov 26, 08, 16:21 / #
Do Scots have any special St Andrew's Day festivities or are these simply general, occasion-non-specific celebrations? In Poland the fortune-telling theme predominates.

PolskaDollThreads: 44 Posts: 4,134 Joined: Jun 15, 07	Edited by: PolskaDoll Nov 26, 08, 16:32 / #
Polonius3: Do Scots have any special St Andrew's Day festivities or are these simply general, occasion-non-specific celebrations? In Poland the fortune-telling theme predominates. Yes, szkotja2007 posted a link to some of them in his post. Anyone driving over or who is near the Forth Road Bridge this weekend will see the two giant saltires raised on the bridge. Similarly they might see the saltire projected onto the clock faces at the Balmoral hotelin Edinburgh (proving so popular it might be left until after New Year). Currently, Burns Night is more widely celebrated than St Andrews Day but it's becoming more popular, it's more "officially" recognised now, especially with the introduction (as szkotja2007 mentioned) of the bank holiday a couple of years ago. I think that people at home will celebrate it with a traditional meal of haggis, neeps and tatties. Bigger celebrations will include ceilidh-dancing plus haggis meal.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Nov 26, 08, 17:10 / #
One which has stood the test of time but, as PD said above, Burns Night is far more popular. I have a lecture to do on Scotland, hmm.... I've done one before but that was 3.5 years ago. I have to brush up and get reacquainted with some important things.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Nov 27, 09, 13:32 / #
It's amazing how the Poles see it as their holiday. I told my neighbour that it was from St Andrews and she looked sheepish and maybe even offended. Break with insularity, folks, it's worth it!

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08	Nov 28, 09, 22:01 / #
Seanus: It's amazing how the Poles see it as their holiday. I told my neighbour that it was from St Andrews and she looked sheepish and maybe even offended. Break with insularity, folks, it's worth it! Only Poles still keep old European traditions. And probably Scots do too, but on a much lesser scale. :):):):):)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus Nov 28, 09, 22:12 / #
Still reading the back of Polish matchboxes I see, pawian ;) ;) ;)

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07	Nov 26, 08, 17:07 / #
benszymanski: I know why it's a big deal in Scotland - but is there any interesting history as to why St. Andrew's day is celebrated in Poland? adaptation from old slavic (pagan) traditions.

szkotja2007Threads: 38 Posts: 2,544 Joined: Dec 29, 06	Nov 27, 09, 13:25 / #
In Edinburgh the Swietlica will be celebrating St Andrews on the 30th. Last year they had all sorts of fun

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08	Nov 28, 09, 22:36 / #
Seanus: Still reading the back of Polish matchboxes I see, pawian ;) ;) ;) :):):):):) Every evening I look through my fascinating collection of matchbox labels.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Nov 28, 09, 22:40 / #
Oh, good man! They are very old and I remember them from the days when my dad used to smoke. Poland and Scotland do tend to honour traditions. Your commentary was spot on tbh. Scots are letting their standards slip as we don't do things like first footing anymore on Hogmanay (well, not on a regular basis). I tip my hat to the Poles for honouring their traditions. Scots and Poles are steeped in history and culture and I applaud that.

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08	Nov 28, 09, 23:18 / #
Seanus: I tip my hat to the Poles for honouring their traditions. I already told my class we are going to sacrifice one English lesson to celebrate St. Andrew`s Day on Monday. Now they are preparing the necessary stuff. Shoes: Hands Hearts etc

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Nov 29, 09, 00:44 / #
It's good to get your students interested in that kind of thing. I should really be doing sth like that.