Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


In fact the only time I've mentioned him on PF is in connection with that one appraisal of French Christmas. As someone interested in ethnology, the subleties of celebrations are something I try to follow.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Any links to that? Yes, I knew him but not about any such contacts. during martial law we both used the US Embassy to despatch stories whilst sidestepping the commie censors.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Nothing wrong with that, is there? Christmas celebrated when it is was derived form the Roman Saturnalia. And the exact time of Jesus' birth is uncertain and varies accoreidng to scholars not only as to the day of the month but even the year. Exact records were simply not kept back then, but that in no wise makes the celebration of the Nativity any less solemn, uplifitng and inspiring, does it?

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Well, when asked by a Polish TV interviewer to say something about Christmas in France, why was it so important to Monsiuer Margueritte to say what he did. People have differnet takes on things and different priorities, haven't you noticed.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Would you be happy living in a place where it was legal to shoot dogs and cats on the streets? Someone could say: that's none of your business what others do, especially if it's legal. You dont' have to do it, just look away. But the environment in which one lives does affect people.

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


I reckon I need a course in Gatesian Gadgetarianism 101. Where do I sign up?

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


Cyberstalk? I dont' even know how to post an illustration on PF although I see others doing it. And I dont' know how people can scroll back several years. It's someone's guru that has the Gestapo/NKVD mentality of sneak, snoop, pry and spy. We needn't even mention his name because everyone knows who is intended.

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


Only if someone posted salacious, libellous or otherwise reckless and provocative comments. A calm and coherent presentsaiton of honest opinion should not trigger all the bad things you claim would happen. But it seems the consensus is against ditching anonymity, becuase it would make sense only if everyone agreed. It certainly would not serve those whose main reason for being on the forum is to bait, provoke, snoop, pry and cyber-stalk other posters.

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


But no more idiotic than PiSlamic state. Both are idiotic and without hiding behind nicks no-one would post such nonsense. This is a limited-access forum so the whole world wouldn't know who swas posting what. The whole reason behind this idea was to show who has the courage of theri ocnvictions and to make people think twice before recklessly throwing words and ungrounded accusations about, slandering others and going off the wall. Maybe radom chat could remain anonymous for the inveterate mudslingers who cannot live without that sort of thing, but the remaining categories would get civilised.

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


But it is. I'm not a snooper. Someone once showed me a photo of lower-case jon but I'm not sure of his name. In general I believe a non-anonymous forum would civilise the discourse and make posters more thoughtful and less reckless with their words. So are you for or against, and why?

Feedback / Would you favour a free and open PF where people could post under their real names? [55]


That would be a requirement. Otherwise it would give those hiding behind nicks and known for their sneaky snooping and cyber-stalking, an unfair advantage.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


You said Santa Claus, not some folk grandfather figure. BTW can you prove that in pre-Christian times there was a grandfather gift-giver reminsicent of Father Christmas or Dziadek Mróz?

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


A number of years ago, maybe 15 or 20, the then longest-serving foreign correspomndent in Warsaw, Bernard Margueritte (Le Monde, Le Figaro) was interviewed on Polish TV and said: "Nowhere in the world is there such a fantastic display of Christmas illumination as in Paris, cafés filled to overflowing with shoppers, people loaded down with packages rushing to and fro...except that they don't really know why they're doing it!"

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


The red suit was finalised by Coke co. Priot to then, he was clad in red, brown, blue, green, etc. and did not look exactly like today's sales agent No. 1.

The brown fur hat adorned with holly leaves and the pipe of Nast's imagination was not replicated by Coca-Cola.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


The only "authentic" Santa Claus was invented by the Coca-Cola Company in the 1930s.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


You have justt defined how lower creatures live. They don't plan ahead, they have no spirituality, no deeper thoughts, no philosophy of life, just plain, dumb, basic instinct. Their lives revolve round eating, drinking, urinating, defecating, copulating and sleeping. From your posts it appears there are also some humans who fit that description. They can only be pitied.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


But was of Greek nationality. The name was derived from the Greek word for victory (nike) and originally meant "people of victory".

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Not only is America plagued by the PC dictatorship. In Holland, even St Nick's helpers have been udner fire by the self-styled meddlers and suppressors of free speech and tradition.

vox.com/videos/2016/12/1/13802944/blackface-dutch-christmas

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


I have never seen such horrific Krampus figures that scare the living daylights out of little kids like those who roam Austria.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Historically they differed in that the American Santa Claus of Irving and Nast creation was a rotund, jovial, bacchic figure rather than a saintly one. One wonders what the Sinterklaas of the original Dutch colonists was like, since to this day Holland and Benelux are one of the world's St Nicholas the Bishop* strongholds. In present-day Poland, over 95% of the Święty Mikołajs in circulation do not differ from the American Santa: fur-trimmed elf's costume, ho-ho-ho, reindeer, etc., only Lapland has replaced the North Pole in the public legend through the high-powered efforts of the Finnish tourist industry and airlines. To see the real St Nick in Poland, Google: Św. Mikołaj Biskup w Polsce. Costumes are available at:

strojemikolaja.pl/stroje-swietego-mikolaja-biskupa/cat_24.php

*Although the Dutch Sinterklaas sports the episcopal finery of a Catholic bishop, the legend has been modified and kids are told he comes to Holland by steamboat from Spain. (There were no steamboats in existence at the time of the New Amsterdam colony {eventually New York}.) His helper is not an angel but a Negro page clad in 16th-17th century attire k nown as Black Pete.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


And even if children are told it is Dzieciątko or Święty Mikołaj that brings the gifts and treats, millions of little angels serve as their helpers.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


The surname Kalwicz is nearly extinct in Poland but that does not mean it is of Polish origin. Simialr endings, usually patronymic indicators, have been used by all the Slavonic peoples and occur in Yiddish as well.

Olaf/Olof looks to be Germanic, probably Scandinavian.
Still, Latvia was part of the giant Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, once Europe's largest land empire.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


Can't agree more. Except there is too much fuss about the extraneous and superficial, not on Chrsitmas itself. Too much commecially imposed emphasis on food, booze and presents, on shoppign till you drop amid all the alien trappings (reindeer antlers on a TV set or laptop are supposed to suggest a Christmas sales promotion) and too little focus on the Nativity -- the reason for the season.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


I indeed did once have a Roget's Thesaurus years ago but must've lent it out and it went missing. Maybe the Christ Child will bring me one for Christmas.

Life / Opłatek, not presents, epitomises the true Polish Christmas spirit [85]


The ideal gift for young (and not so young) troglodytes*! (Rush to google for a translation if needed!)
*Also for those low and moronic enough to ridicule the cherished religious beliefs of others. That shows real "class", tact, diplomacy and civility. (Again -- rush to Google for definitions!)

Feedback / Member warning system to prevent abuse / spam / off-topic posts [145]


One easy answer would be for mods to PM the offender with a warning, telling him/her precisely what it was for. Specifially, not just trolling or baiting but exactly which words or prhases the mod regards as offensive and unacceptable.

Feedback / Member warning system to prevent abuse / spam / off-topic posts [145]


Only to Pole-bashers from KOD, PO, etc., and they don't count anyway. Their activities border on treachery and sedition.

Feedback / Member warning system to prevent abuse / spam / off-topic posts [145]


Indeed, one poster believes this is a Pole-bashing forum and posts accordingly, incessantly deriding Poland, Poles, Polish culture, religion, cuisine and all things Polish. That is genrally offensive to those who come here to learn and talk about Polish affairs and provokes needless altercations.