May the magic of Christmas never end

Text: Maryla Adamčíková, Kateřina Czempková, Anna Moskała | Photo: Lukáš Duspiva

With the holidays approaching, we bring you an interview with our colleague Ania, who will get us in the Christmas spirit with her story about Christmas and traditions in Poland. In the interview she shares her experience of working in a Czech company and reminisces about her beginnings at FINIDR.

Ani, you’ve been with FINIDR for over six years. Can you compare your beginnings with what your work looks like today?
In the beginning of my journey at FINIDR, I started on the sewing machines, then I aspired for a position as a take-off worker and after about a year, I got the opportunity to try my hand at being a master printer. Eventually I became a foreman on the bookstore. The previous foreman left, and I stayed on. Later, I transferred to FINIDR B for the same position.

What was the biggest challenge for you?
I think the biggest challenge for me was to distribute the work to my colleagues. Unfortunately, when I decided to take this position, I had to give up the camaraderie. Starting out in my new role in life was very challenging for me. Anyone could have aspired for this position, but fate arranged it so that I managed to go through all the stages and become a leader. I really wanted to make a difference in my professional life and I am happy that I have succeeded. I am very determined in achieving my goals. I think my personality gave me the courage to make this dream come true.

What is it like to work in a Czech company?
I have worked only in Poland before, and this is my first job in the Czech Republic. Personally, I think the Czechs have a better attitude towards employees. Here everything is calm and without nerves. There is a lot of respect in the company, any problem can be solved with a cool head. Every situation has a solution. Poland and the Czech Republic differ in income, among other things. It is also worth mentioning the health care and benefits, which are at a higher level than in Poland.

A big advantage is that the company organizes different types of events, which is not common with other employers. At FINIDR, however, this positively influences relationships and enables better integration of employees, which in turn into higher work efficiency. In a well-coordinated team, work is much easier.

What about the language barrier?
It’s not easy for me. At work, we are so close to the Polish border that it’s easier to communicate. Irenka Horakova taught me the first words and concepts during the sewing process. It was under her wing that my journey with work and Czech language began. My weakness is that I speak very little Czech, I have a block that I cannot overcome. A huge plus for me is that I understand everything when I speak to someone, but I admit that Czech is all Greek to me.

Ania, where did you work before you joined FINIDR?
I worked in Skoczow in the automotive industry as an assistant shift supervisor. I helped with work allocation, shift planning and creating shift schedules. I also trained new employees. I spent four years in this industry, and I remember it fondly.

What was the reason you left?
The only reason I left my job was to change my place of residence. I moved to Těšín and Skoczów was far away, so I was looking for a job nearby and that’s how I found myself at FINIDR.

Ani, you’re a big-hearted human. You’ve been through some tough times in FINDR, like the covid or the floods this year. You were there for everything, and you helped with a big heart and commitment, just like for the preparations for the 30th anniversary of the printing house. Where does that come from?
For me, it goes without saying that in a crisis and in normal everyday situations, it is necessary to help others. I never refuse help and always try to give 100% of myself. I am very sensitive to the suffering of others or when natural disasters occur, such as floods. I firmly believe that good comes back. If we can help, one day it will come back to us in a good way. Let us remember that our words and actions have great power.

How did you handle the recent floods from a leaders’s perspective?
For me, I had to act quickly. I knew the river was about to spill, so I evacuated people quickly. It was important to me that everyone could get home quickly and safely. I stayed in the company together with Mr. Roman, Bajtek, Wróbel, Piotrowski, Wolas and Mrs. Repova. We started to rescue the web machinery, then the logistics, where the water got fastest. The biggest problem was that at 6 o’clock in the morning it was completely dark. With a torch in hand, we rescued the top layers of books from the pallets destined for the expedition. By 8 o’clock there was so much water that the decision was made to leave the site. Returning home, I quickly changed out of my wet clothes, had hot tea and was back in FINIDR B by 10am. By that time more people had arrived, the water had receded from the main courtyard and we could get down to the business of cleaning the ground floor areas and the main courtyard. I am very grateful to everyone who came and helped us clean up that day, despite their difficult situation caused by the floods.

What were you experiencing?
It was a very difficult sight for all of us. A huge life experience that we will never forget. I think we can all pull together in difficult situations. We helped each other. There were also children of some of the staff who came to help from 10 o’clock onwards, so everything went really quickly and smoothly. During this, no one looked at what position anyone held in the company, we were all equal that day.

What do you like to do after work when you get home?
I work the morning shift, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Before the end of the shift, I check that everything is in order, that all employees have arrived for the night shift and that the machines are properly manned as they should be. This is very important because the night shift is without a foreman. I get home around 7:00 p.m., make a quick dinner, grab a blanket and sit down to a good movie. My daughter often joins me, so we still have time for our evening chats.

Ania, how do you spend your free time?
In my free time I try to take care of any official business, or doctor’s appointments if necessary. I also often meet with family or friends. Sometimes we have lunch, go shopping together or go to the spa. I also like to go to the mountains to relax, Wisła and Ustroń are close by, my favourite Zakopane is a little further. Due to a difficult spinal surgery, I had, I can’t do much sport. I mainly go swimming, and it is a good form of rehabilitation for my body and soul.

Christmas is coming, what are your rituals?
My pre-Christmas ritual is going to the Christmas market with my sister and the kids. Krakow, Wroclaw, Katowice are our annual destination. We go early in the morning and stay in that city until the evening. We walk around the city, have lunch and wait for the evening when all the lights are on, the carols are playing and we feel the pre-Christmas atmosphere. The markets are most beautiful when the snow falls, it adds incredible magic and makes everything look like a fairy tale. My sister and I love mulled wine, it’s our little tradition. At the end of the day, we buy souvenirs at the markets and give them to our loved ones.

Before the holidays, we meet in smaller groups with colleagues from work, for “vilijovka”. We meet in restaurants, give each other small gifts, wish each other a nice holiday. I also get together with my friends in the same way. I’ll never forget the time I got a beautiful blanket that had a chip on it because they forgot to unpin it at the store.

How do you celebrate Christmas in Poland?
In Poland we start preparing for Christmas from Advent. Advent is a time of spiritual preparation and joyful waiting for the birth of Jesus. Children go to church with lanterns at this time. The services, called “rorat”, are usually held in the late afternoon so that the lanterns illuminate this time of waiting for Jesus to come. For example, children make hearts or other decorations for the “rorats”, which are then drawn by the priest. This drawing of hearts takes place immediately after Mass. The children then receive small gifts.

On Christmas Eve, preparations for dinner with the family take place from early in the morning. Some decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, others do it a few days earlier. I remember that the best moment in my childhood was decorating the Christmas tree and hanging the chocolate ornaments, which my sister and I often secretly ate. This is also the day when the final preparations for dinner take place. Our traditional Christmas Eve menu includes three kinds of soups, because everyone likes something different, i.e. red borscht with “uszki” (small stuffed dumplings), dried mushroom soup and carp soup. We also have fried carp, cabbage with peas, pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, vegetable salad, fish in aspic, ‘moczka’ (a dessert made of gingerbread, almonds and dried fruit that has been pickled in beer), ‘makówki’ (poppy seed dessert), and dried fruit compote. We also put cheesecake and poppy seed cake on the table. We try to have 12 dishes symbolizing the number of apostles who sat with Jesus at the Last Supper.

We’ve read many Christmas conversations with customs and traditions in Finidrak, but what are your family traditions?
We put a wafer on the Christmas Eve table to share. Some people share before dinner and others after. At my mother and grandmother’s house we share the wafer before dinner, at my sister’s house after dinner. The wafer is a symbol of reconciliation and wishing each other well for the coming year. We put hay under the tablecloth for good luck and money so that we never miss it in our wallet. Hay is a symbol of poverty and a reminder of the conditions under which Jesus was born. After dinner we clear the table and put the presents under the Christmas tree. Later at midnight, we go to church for midnight mass. We spend the first and second days of Christmas with family, gathering and celebrating together. Usually when we visit our loved ones, we take some snacks with us. It’s a small gesture, but very nice when everyone brings something of their own.

What do you like about Christmas?
I like Christmas very much. It is a special time for me spent with my family. Especially because my mom and most of my family live in Bydgoszcz. I usually spend Christmas Eve and holidays with them and come back home on New Year’s Eve.

Do you bake Christmas cookies?
I don’t bake Christmas cookies, I mostly buy it. I come from a region where it is not a custom, but my daughter and I always bake a dessert to take to the family Christmas table.

What are you planning for New Year’s Eve this year?
I don’t have anything planned for New Year’s Eve yet, but I think I will spend it with my family.

What’s your New Year’s message to your FINIDR colleagues?
For this year’s holidays I would like to wish you good health and mutual love. Time to talk together, not just chase money and work.

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas, the joy of spending time with your loved ones, and lots of peace and family togetherness. May the magic of Christmas never end.

Thank you for the nice conversation and I wish all my colleagues a Merry Christmas as well.