After spending a relaxing Christmas in Turku I flew to Warsaw on boxing day to visit my relatives and enjoy some of the polish Christmas traditions. Going on the trip together with my wife and son we went on a typical family tour around Warsaw's numerous Christmas Cribs. We started from the most known, even in my childhood in the early 80s', kept by the Capuchin Monastery. The mobile (in a traditional way) Cristmas Crib of the Cappuchin's has changed only a little over the centuries but still has managed to keep it's big audience.
Pope John Paul II (Jan Pawel II in Polish), a recent addition to the Christmas Crib.
Admission to the Christmas Crib is free of charge. Financing it is at least partly covered by selling all sorts of religious accessories priced from 2 – 20 Zlotych. We of course had to have a few.
Some of the holy images sold at the Christmas Crib.
Another Christmas Crib we visited during our stay in Warsaw was one with real animals. A lama, a calf, sheep, a goat, pigeons and two turkeys to name just a few.
The only thing in the Crib that wasn't real was the Baby Jesus.
Euro 2012
While celebrating Christmas which is by far one of the most celebrated religious events in Poland, another approaching event can be seen on the streets and in the media. The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012 taking place in Poland in June is a big thing for the Poles.
The window of the local Nike store.
Official outfit of the Polish representation can be bought for 400 Zlotych
(around 100 €).
W walce zjednoczeni (swoosh), roughly translated "United We Stand", is the slogan of the Polish Nike campaign for the Euro 2012.
Old and new logo of the Polish Football Association PZPN (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej). A nice review of the new logo can be read at underconsideration.com.