Did you know about Dyngus Day before today?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the celebration of Dyngus Day, a Polish-American holiday that some participants compare to St. Patrick's Day. The conversation touches on personal experiences, cultural significance, and reactions to media coverage of the event.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about others' experiences with Dyngus Day, noting its cultural significance among Polish-Americans.
  • One participant emphasizes that Dyngus Day is an old custom in Poland, dating back to at least 1420, and suggests that it is not merely an "answer" to St. Patrick's Day.
  • Several participants express that they do not celebrate Dyngus Day, citing a lack of local traditions or Polish community presence.
  • Comments about Anderson Cooper's media coverage of Dyngus Day are mentioned, with some participants noting that his reactions were not well received in certain areas.
  • There is a humorous suggestion that Anderson Cooper should accept an invitation to serve as "Pussy Willow Prince" to improve international relations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of experiences with Dyngus Day, with some celebrating it and others not participating at all. There is no consensus on the significance or reception of the holiday, particularly in relation to media portrayals.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference cultural practices and local traditions that may not be universally recognized or celebrated, indicating a dependence on regional demographics.

jtbell
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Did anybody here celebrate Dyngus Day, Polish-Americans' answer to the Irish St. Patrick's Day?

It looks like Buffalo is the "hometown" of this event in its modern form. I don't remember ever hearing about Dyngus Day while growing up not far from Cleveland and it's large Polish-American population. I learned about it this morning when NBC's "Today" show featured a clip of Anderson Cooper cracking up on the air while doing a story about the event.
 
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jtbell said:
Did anybody here celebrate Dyngus Day, Polish-Americans' answer to the Irish St. Patrick's Day?

To put things in perspective, it is hardly an "answer", as in Poland the custom is pretty old. It is clearly mentioned in documents from 1420, but it existed much earlier.

I learned about it this morning when NBC's "Today" show featured a clip of Anderson Cooper cracking up on the air while doing a story about the event.

As you may guess his comments and reaction were not well received in some parts of the world.

Back to the question - yes, we celebrate. Usually just some sprinkling, but at the time Junior was young it was not that symbolic :biggrin:
 
No Dyngus Day for me. No kitty willows to be seen.
 
Borek said:
As you may guess [Anderson Cooper's] comments and reaction were not well received in some parts of the world.

It looks like he had better accept the invitation to serve as kitty Willow Prince in Buffalo next year, in order to prevent a souring of international relations. :biggrin:
 
Evo said:
No Dyngus Day for me. No kitty willows to be seen.
We had kitty willows, but the ladies hereabouts might be a bit miffed about having water dumped on them and having their legs switched with the kitty willows. Not a lot of Poles in this area.
 

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