Holly Jolly Dialogue
We invite you to an event complementing the Łódź of Many Cultures Festival and closing this year’s edition. It will be a December afternoon devoted to secular folk Christmas traditions, filled with music, workshops, and storytelling. The event is intergenerational and intercultural in nature. We especially invite people who have recently moved to our country and would like to learn about Polish Christmas customs in a friendly, warm atmosphere.
Holly Jolly Dialogue
18 December, 5 p.m. 17:00
The Marek Edelman
Dialogue Center, st. 83 Wojska Polskiego
FREE ADMISSION TO WORKSHOPS AND CAROLING; REGISTRATION FOR STORIES
IN THE PROGRAM:
LIVE STORYTELLING BY MONIKA STASIAK (SECULAR RITUALS) AT THE CHRISTMAS TABLE | registration
December marks the death and rebirth of the Sun. It is a time of omnipresent darkness and returning light. It is a time of returning to the mythical beginning, when words, songs, and gestures must be used to recreate grains and fruit trees, farm and forest creatures, the Earth, and celestial bodies. A time when deceased loved ones are invited to the table, a place is made for them in the straw diduch, and they are asked to intercede in fortune-telling and for prosperity in the fields.
Although today the story of Christmas is a collage of shop window decorations, winter songs on the radio, and frantic gift shopping, its roots go much deeper. Deeper not only than “Last Christmas,” but even than the story of the divine child who had no room at the inn and had to find a manger. You will hear about these roots, the syncretic Slavic-Christian nature of Christmas, and the hidden meanings of Christmas Eve customs during a lively chat at the Christmas table.
The event will take place in three half-hour rounds:
5:00 p.m. – in Polish
5:30 p.m. – in Polish
6:00 p.m. – in English
The number of places is limited, registration is required: zapisy@centrumdialogu.com
OPEN WORKSHOPS ON MAKING CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS | Free admission
- LET’S CREATE A COMMON CHRISTMAS TREE CHAIN
Do you remember chains made of colored paper? We love this tradition! And we want to create the longest one possible together with you. We know that the longest one is 128 km, so we won’t be able to beat that record, but the longer it is, the better! Following the old custom, we will be able to integrate, talk, and feel the joy of working together. And when we’re done, we’ll hang it on the Christmas tree in Survivors’ Park, and in case of bad weather, it will decorate the interior of the Dialogue Center. - CHRISTMAS DECORATION WORKSHOP WITH THE STREFA NATURA FOUNDATION
– at this station, you will be able to make decorations using natural products such as dried oranges and pine cones.
MACRAMÉ – we will try our hand at macramé techniques. These will be two-hour macramé workshops, during which participants will learn basic knots and make simple Christmas tree decorations (e.g., Santa Clauses, pendants, mini Christmas trees),
ECO – an eco-decoration zone where you can create unique decorations for your Christmas tree with your own hands. In just a few minutes, the instructors will show you how to use natural and simple materials – colored paper, Christmas napkins, paper rolls, or jute string – to conjure up colorful baubles, Santa Clauses, 3D Christmas trees, etc.
The workshops are open to the public – you can join at any time during the event.
JOINT CAROL SINGING | 6:30 p.m. | free admission
Magda Gaj-Nowicka, known as Bergamutka, and Jacek Pietrzak, who will accompany her on the piano, would like to invite you to an intimate winter gathering featuring Christmas carols and pastorals.
They don’t call it a concert — they prefer to think of it as a shared space where voices blend naturally and music becomes conversation.
In a duet: Magda Gaj-Nowicka – vocals, Jacek Pietrzak – piano, and YOUR voices!
Come and join us!