Christmas

If you want to put some "Polish" in your Christmas traditions, there's no better place to start than at PACT's annual Wigilia Celebration.  This year, Stan Machosky, PACT Board member and resident MC, did an excellent job explaining some of the Christmas Eve traditions observed in Poland.  Some of this year's Wigilia participants also shared their Polish Christmas Eve traditions with everyone.  The first tradition of lighting a candle in the window to signify the start of Wigilia was performed by Nick. Other traditions observed at the Wigilia were an 11 course meatless meal, sharing of oplatec and singing koledy.  The koledy was led by our "singing nuns" otherwise known as the sisters of St. Francis.  They included Sister Maurice Wodarski, Sister Geraldine Paluszak, Sister Aloise Paluszak, Sister Bernice Pasiowitz, Sister Rozalma Kmiec, and Sister Cabrini Warpeha.  This year there was also a surprise visit by a mailman (Ken Stein) which will bring good fortune to all who were in attendance.  There was also an opportunity to write a name of a loved one who would not be able to share Christmas with the family this year on a Christmas bulb and hang it on the memory tree.   Thank you to all who attended this years Wigilia and a special thank you to those that volunteered to participate in the Wigilia traditions.

 Thank you to all the brave souls who defeated nature and ventured out to Ski's Restaurant on Sunday, December 12th, for the second annual Wigilia Celebration. Even though the weather was frightful, Wigilia was delightful. Participants this year were Stan Machosky as the Masters of Ceremony, and Claire Gunther who lit the candle that represented the first star of the evening. Father Gerald Knieven did the honor of explaining the Christmas story and giving the blessing of the food. On hand to sing koledy (Christmas carols) were Sister Maurice Wodarski, Sister Geraldine Paluszak, Sister Aloise Paluszak, Sister Bernice Pasiowitz, Sister Rozalma Kmiec, Sister Rachel Najikowski and Sister Josetta Konopka. They did an excellent job singing the carols in Polish and we are very grateful to them for helping us out. Everyone agreed that the food was delicious this year, especially the fish, pickled herring, and cruchiki. The compote made with Polish vodka was quite good too. PACT also raffled off a Christmas paper cut art that was generously donated by Mary Gaynier. The lucky winner of the artwork was Tim Burnett. Wesolych Swiat!