haberkula

Many Christmas traditions are for some reasons often linked with the Advent. One can thus commence the festive time still in November. However, the common tendency for those who start in late autumn is to finish before the New Year. Personally, I do not celebrate until the Christmas Eve, but – as in most Catholic countries from Central and Eastern part of Europe – the festive season lasts till 2nd February. Among other traditions, there is one that I’m especially proud of and I continue from the time I was a child. It is a Cracovian custom of building nativity scenes. This particular type is restricted to Krakow and they are constructed only here. As one can read in a booklet “The nativity scenes are Kraków and Poland in a miniature, as revealed by the national symbols and historical figures that populate them.” The tradition of building nativity scenes dates back to the 19th century, when they were made by craftsmen from the suburbs and villages nearby Krakow. The wooden construc