The Christmas Tree Story

A long time ago, when there was no TV or any type of electronics people were spending evenings telling stories. The stories were passed from generation to generation and this is how this story was retold and passed on to us.

Ages ago, people worked hard from dawn till night from early spring to late autumn gathering resources for the whole winter. During the winter time, women wove warm clothes and men made sure that there was always enough wood in the stove to keep the fire blazing and the place warm.

 All people looked forward to Christmas. The Christmas time meant meeting with relatives and friends, going to the Church, taking part in Christmas carols.

There was a young couple, who was married not for a long time and didn’t have any kids. Peter enjoyed listening to the bible stories. One of them about Adam and Eve was of particular interest to him. The image of a paradise tree full of apples was constantly on his mind. It reminded him of spring time, when everything bloomed. He dreamed about having such a tree during the winter time.

One day, an idea came to his mind. He went to the nearest forest and a small coniferous fir tree caught his eye. Peter brought the small fir tree home and put it in front of a window. So the tree would still have some natural day light.

Peter’s wife liked the tree, but it was missing the fruits. So she brought fruits and nuts that were stored in the pantry. They attached strings to fruits and nuts and hang them on the tree. Peter made few ornaments from straw that were shining like gold. The tree looked beautiful.

All relatives and friends visiting Peter’s hub during the Christmas time loved the tree with its decorations. From now on Peter’s family had Christmas tree every year.

The relatives and friends followed Peter’s idea of a Christmas tree. This custom spread from house to house, from village to village, from country to country. Today almost every home has a Christmas tree.

Interesting People: Maria Sklodowska-Curie – the genius of science

Maria Sklodowksa was born in Warsaw in 1867 and received her first lessons in physics and chemistry from her father. Both parents were well-known teachers and encouraged education. Back then advanced study was not possible for women in Poland. So Maria moved to Paris, where she studied at Sorbonne. Here she also met her husband Pierre Curie. Together, they discovered polonium and radium. They received a Nobel Prize in Physics. She received the second Nobel Prize in Chemistry. She gave the beginning to the world’s first research for treatment of neoplasms and founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and Warsaw, which remain major medical research centers. She died from exposure to the radium that made her famous.

Santa Claus Story

December 6^th in Poland is a day, when Santa Claus brings presents to the kids. (FYI: Santa Claus in Poland is called St. Nicholas).

A long long time ago and far far away, there was a boy by the name of Nicholas. He had all the toys he wanted, plenty of clothes and food and loving parents. He wasn’t missing anything. But Nicholas was a very smart boy. He liked observing everything that was surrounding him including the people. He took a notice of many kids hardly having anything. It made him sad. He didn’t understand why he had so much and others so little. So he decided to take the matters into his own hands.

Every Sunday, he would take as much food as he could carry to the church and after the mass, he would give it away to the kids. Once a year, he would give away all the toys that he received during the last year.

When Nicholas grew up, he inherited a big fortune and decided to share it with others. His good deeds continued and one day he was named Saint Nicholas. His house became a workshop, where throughout the year he makes the toys for kids and on December 6^th gives them away.

Interesting Historical Facts: Chopin and his story

Frederic’s father was a violin player and his mother was a piano player. According to the legend, Frederick was born, while his father was playing violin. And as a young boy he cried, when his mother was playing piano. However, Frederic as a young boy was able to play piano music from just listening to what his mother played. Parents seeing boy’s talent hired a teacher. Very quickly Frederic surpassed his teacher. At the age of seven, he composed his first music. At the age of eight, he gave his first concert. At the age of twenty, he left Poland for France, his father’s native country. At the age of thirty nine, he died of tuberculosis in Paris. His sister brought his heart back to Poland. It rests at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw. Frederic Chopin was one of the greatest pianists and masters of Romantic music of his time.