Whatshot

2026
All
September
2025
All
November
All
2024
All
June
All
April
All
2023
All
March
All
2022
All
2021
All
2020
All
March
All
February
All
2019
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2018
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2017
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2016
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2015
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
DHS
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2014
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
KZN
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2013
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2012
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All

Through My Eyes

Through My Eyes

Date: 2015-04-03
The holidays are here and so are the holidaymakers. Our little town is filling up with happy campers. The beach is bursting with kiddies and their little pink fishnets. Facebook is beaming with holiday pictures and vacation plans, I even got excited about vacationing ?but not this time? these holidays I?m staying at home.

Tradition is a big deal for my family and I am planning to go all out this Easter. Ruskie Pierogi, hand crafted Easter eggs done the customary style by boiling the eggs in onion skins the eggs get a lovely golden brown stain and then we carve fancy designs on them, such fun. There will also be fancy cakes; salads and I will not forget to make my father?s favourite barszcz, beetroot soup.

The Poles have been celebrating Easter since the thirteenth century and this tradition has been passed from generation to generation. There is no other holy celebration that matches the magic of Easter.

Easter holidays in the Polish culture are happy holidays. It?s the end of Lent and for those who have fasted for 40 days or have given up their favourite foods for lent, it has all ended and the start of feasting has begun.

For me the most magical part of Easter is getting together with family and friends and sharing each others delicacies. In my home everyone must bring something that they have cooked or prepared themselves and we share in our abundance.

It took me forty years to get it. I remember rebelling in my mom?s kitchen when she made me do certain preparations. I swore I would never go to so much trouble; I would bicker and argue with my mom and my grandmother about the relevance of all this food and why it had to be done in a certain way.

Today I see all of their perseverance and patient guidance has paid off. I am blessed to have such a rich heritage passed onto me. In my home we share a beautiful mix of dishes influence by two sides of my family. My father?s side comes from the Czechoslovakia and my mother?s side has a strong Jewish influence.

Easter has different meanings for everyone. Whatever it means to you, make sure that you share it with your loved ones. Happy Easter everyone and may you receive all the special blessings during this festive celebration.