25 Days of Christmas? Day 1. I'm a little behind.

About 6 weeks ago I received an email about a class offered at the Children's Museum for a special holiday craft. When I signed up for it I was told that we would learn to make special tinfoil-covered Christmas castles. I was intrigued, so I did some research.

As the class website explains, "one of the most beautiful European Christmas traditions, the Cracow szopka (“shop – kah” ; plural: “shop –key”) is a folk art form with a rich history dating to the Middle Ages, when they originated as puppet theaters in the churches of Cracow, Poland. These structures were used for morality plays during the Christmas season. In the nineteenth century, szopki became a favorite performing art form in Cracow cafes and cabarets and featured much social and political satire. In 1937 the first Creche Competition was held in Cracow’s Market Square. Since that time the tradition has grown with hundreds of men, women and children making szopki each year and entering them into the annual competition."

A Pittsburgher named David Motak, who has visited Cracow many times, created this class in order to teach parents and their children how to make these "Szopki". Jacob and I went to the Children's Museum on a Sunday afternoon, during the time in which Jacob usually has "quiet time." You can see in these photos that he is a little spaced out. Nonetheless, you can also see the beautiful castle "Szopka" that we made!