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Nov 13, 2012

A November Nostalgy. Listopadowa nostalgia.


Since I’ve started to post also about my country on this blog I have been wondering if I should write about this holiday. For it is a holiday for sure. Somehow kind of strangely when I first saw the cover of this book I thought it might work together well.;)

So first things first: thanks to Bözse who mentioned about it, my modest miniature’s library has been enriched by a new book by László Adóba Building Dioramas Stone Objects. It’s a very interesting book how to build scale models from anything you could possibly find home, full of tips and great photos. I can really recommend it to anyone interested in building miniatures oneself.


Here is the link you can see some pages of it and order it too.:)

http://adobadiorama.hu/gb_konyvrol.php

Since the book and it’s cover tells a lot about tombs I thought it will be a nice reference to the holiday I wanted to tell you about. As many not only English language speaking countries celebrate Halloween by the end of October, I think in majority Poles don’t do that.
Although we accepted many non-Polish holidays like Valentines i.e. Halloween is something that is not coming in our tradition easily. The reason of that is our holiday of All Saints which is celebrated on November 1. If anyone of you know except birthdays we celebrate namedays too. Usually the day of the name happens to be in different days of year but All Saints day means also we all have a nameday too. Of course this day we don’t celebrate our namedays. But we remember all our gone ancestors and friends who we think must have been saints now for sure.;)
Because the next day we have also All Deads Holidays, November 1 and November 2 are devoted to visit the graveyards and cemeteries.
Actually I would call it the national Polish movement to graveyards.;) You can only imagine a crowd of living people visiting dead ones these days. The graveyards full of flowers and lights are quite joyful place then. Here are some pictures I took last weekend, so almost a week later and still you can see how colorful place a graveyard can be.





This is probably one of the best known grave on the cemetery we visit most. Don’t know if it was a boy or a girl and suppose his/her parents must had come back to China long time ago, but since 1953 this is always most colorful and full of little candles place there.





Dziś trochę o tradycji Święta Wszystkich Świętych i Wszystkich Zmarłych oraz o nowej książce w mojej “miniaturowej” biblioteczce. Polecam pozycję Building Dioramas Stone Objects László Adóby wszystkim tym, którzy lubią sami majsterkować i wykorzystywać do tworzenia miniatury wszystko to, co znajdą pod ręką.:)

25 comments:

Giac said...

Hello Ewa,
I just love hearing about foreign customs, holidays and traditions. What beautiful pictures. It must be such an amazing thig to see.
Thank you for sharing the pictures and the knowledge.
Big hug,
Giac

Sans! said...

I have just bought this book too, paid about a few days ago :). But I didn't receive any notification or message from the author and am crossing my fingers that my book will be shipped. I am therefore really pleased to read that you have received your book :).

Th cemetery is really liven up with all those flowers. I don't celebrate Halloween either and in Singapore, we commemorate our dead in the Hungry Ghost Month. That is also when we visit the graves of our ancestors or those dearly departed.

Of the child's grave, you may be interested to know that the bigger characters is his name : Deng Dong Wa and the smaller characters say he was from Hankou District China and passes away in Gdynia. Wiki has a write up on Hankou District if you are interested :).

The Old Maid said...

Thank you Giac! Happy you like to read about it. I am too curious about the world.:)
Big hug
Ewa

The Old Maid said...

Dear Sam, I didn't get any notice too but from the envelope I can see the book was sent 2 days after my order so I am sure it will be fast in your hands. I really enjoyed it and think it's an interesting book. Curious of your opinion.:)

Thank you for describing your custom dear SS.:) They are always so interesting for me.:)

And about that child's grave - you should hear my Mom insisting to show this picture to you and let you know how Poles never forget about foreigners.lol!
From Polish letters it seems people didn't know properly how to write his name.
I surely will check this district in Wiki. Thanku very very much dear Sam.:)

Hugs and kisses from all of us!

Plushpussycat said...

Hi Ewa, Wow! What a colorful cemetery! The flowers are really gorgeous. Thanks for sharing more about your traditions. xo Jennifer

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

Beautiful pictures Ewa!

I would love to have the book, it looks very interesting. All Saints sounds like a wonderful holiday.

Hugs,
Victoria

BiWuBär said...

Thank you for this lovely and interesting post. I really like visting cemeteries, especially in bigger cities - they're like an oasis of peace an tranquilitiy in crowded, loud cities. In the parts of Germany that are mostly catholic like for example Bavaria we have the same tradition on All Hallows with people flooding the graveyards. But the official holiday in Germany to think about our dead is the last Sunday before the 1. Advent-Sunday, this is the Sunday of the Dead and that's why we traditionally don't decorate for Christmas until this day is over. Well, at least this used to be so... nowadays the Christmas Markets seem to open earlier every year... ;O)

Hugs
Birgit

Marisa said...

thank you for the wonderful history lesson, its always interesting to read how other cultures interpet holidays

Love
Marisa :)

Maria Ireland said...

Beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing your traditions. We do celebrate halloween. On the first Sunday on November we also celebrate our dead with flowers on the graves and a candle lit walk around the graveyard and until last year my Father lead this walk for many many years :)
Hugs Maria

Daydreamer said...

I LOVE hearing about the customs of other countries, Ewa! The Cemeteries are Gorgeous with the bouquets and decorations! But they are Gorgeous to begin with .... with all the Tombs and Statues and trees! Your photos are Beautiful.... and isn't it Awesome to have a Friend who can tell you Exactly what the Chinese Gravestone says! Such a Beautiful little portrait.... and so comforting to know your neighbors honor the Grave of a Stranger too!

John said...

It's so interesting how we all celebrate this holiday each in our own different ways! Your Polish customs remind me of the 'Day of the Dead' traditions of Mexico. I've recently incorporated a Celtic custom of putting out an extra plate at Halloween dinner (just in case any ghostly ancestors drop by)! Thanks for sharing, Ewa!

CWPoppets said...

Thanks for the book link. I've decided to give myself a pre-Christmas treat and ordered it immediately. ;-)
We here in Germany do celebrate All Saints on Nov, 1st like you do. I think it's because our countries are deeply catholic.
Christine

The Old Maid said...

Happy you like this post Jennifer!:) Glad also it's not non-mini post either,lol!
Hugs

The Old Maid said...

It's an interesting book Victoria. It mostly shows how to make scale models looking like they were made of stone.:)

Thank you!
Hugs

The Old Maid said...

Thank you for sharing your traditions with me, dear Brigit! I thought that in Bavaria it can look alike.;) Good to learn something new! Thank you so much!
Yes, for me a cemetery is a quiet place too.:)
Hugs and kisses

The Old Maid said...

Happy you like it Marisa!
Hugs

The Old Maid said...

Thank you for sharing your tradition Maria!:) I really appreciate it.
Big hug!

The Old Maid said...

So it is, Betsy! I do think blogland is a great place with great Bloggers and Friends.:)
Thank you and happy you like this post!
Hugs

The Old Maid said...

John, do you know we have also a tradition of empty chair but in a different time. We leave one place free by the table during Christmas Eve. In tradition it is left for an unexpected guest but for me lately it's a place for all those who died in my Family.;)
Thank you for sharing, John!

The Old Maid said...

Thank you for sharing Christine!

I hope you will find this book an interesting one.:)

Hugs

Eliana said...

It is very interesting to know that.
Here in Brazil also celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 and the All Deads Holiday on November 2, when there is an intense visitation to the cemeteries.
Hugs

Ascension said...

Gracias por esas fantasticas fotografias, por la informacion y el enlace.
Aqui en España tambien se llenan de flores los cementerios españoles, para celebrar el dia de los muertos.
besitos ascension

The Old Maid said...

Thank you for sharing Eliana! Just like here!:)
Hugs

The Old Maid said...

Muchas gracias Ascension! It's good we all have alike holidays everywhere! :)
Hugs and kisses

World Costume Dolls said...

This is the most beautiful graveyard I have ever seen. Fantastic!