Chic Corner: Metoda Benedek, Tatjana Rajh, Barbara Penič
When Christmas lights in early December in Laško were switched on, it was the time we – Metoda, Tatjana and Barbara – strolled through the town with a different mission compared to the visitors of our illuminated town. Every decoration on the most fairy tale Christmas tree from far around was held in our hands before. By the Polar train, we heard people saying we managed to measure it quite well and it wouldn’t depart at the first sign of wind. Near the Gingerbread house, we tasted sweet hot chocolate with marshmallows. In the house that gently echoes Holy Night, we talked to Mr. Gruber about why a brand new Christmas song was needed nearly 200 years ago instead of playing an already established song on the church organ. The Ice queen has been given a real wedding dress. Her ice kingdom was brought through Laško on the roof of our car into a mysterious house where we spent a whole month cutting, sawing, pouring concrete, painting and glueing to form and create these holiday stories. We had a happy December for the whole of November. Now we can listen what other people say about our fairy tales when they wander the Laško streets.
Where did you get that?
Yes, we often get questions where it is possible to buy such fine cookies, like on the Gingerbread house or such large flowers that were seen at the Laško Guštfest photo point background, or the flowered mugs seen during the Pivo in Cvetje Festival. Well, it can’t be bought. That idea has to be formed and then made by hand. That is the reason we formed the Chic Corner! So that we together can make surprises that take more time than we can make as volunteers, and that we can pour all of originality, knowledge and energy in projects that require a professional approach.
It’s scary!
That’s what we heard during the opening day. And we agree! It is scary beautiful in the ice cave, the most hidden corner of all five locations in Laško. On the opening day, it was the first really cold day of this winter. The people of Laško say it might be due to the arrival of the Snow Queen from the Andersen fairy tale.
It’s so calm.
We heard this by the house that tells the story of the Holy night – the most played song of all time. Every time we look through the windows, we can enter the year of 1818 and rediscover a new tiny detail. Hope mice will not try to eat it like they ate the bellows of the church organ in Oberndorf and Christmas had to be saved by singing a new song at that time.
Oh, it’s so big!
The Christmas tree located besides the free ice skating rink is larger one might think. One of us was decorating it from a crane, while the other two directed her from where children now circle with big eyes and count candies and other decorations. We filled the wish of the Christmas tree that desired the Christmas compliments most. Now it gets them in unmeasurable amounts!
It’s good.
At the Gingerbread house, many would like to taste all the sweetness of life! Surrounded by sugar canes, lollypops, gingerbread and all the foamy decorations, the original story gets a happy ending, and we get the urge to try all the fine sweets that are offered by local restaurants near our locations. There are snowballs, holiday punch (children friendly!), chocolate with foam, holiday rolls, smarties pancakes, gingerbread, canoles, mulled beer and mulled gin. Once you discover Laško, you can prepare them by yourself at home. Recipes, fairy tales and a map can be found on http://praznicno-lasko.si/en.
Thank you for letting us surprise you.
Every time we enter the Polar train, which takes us with its lights to our fairy tales, we feel a thank you. Thank you for inviting us to make the town magical! Thank you to Komunala Laško workers, Elektro Medved, carpenter Slavko, printer Gregor Lesjak, who managed to make a big icy wallpaper, photographer Monika Škorjanc, Žiga, who designed our website, and our partners that by need can be tilers and counsellors for all that will make us enjoy the end of this and beginning of the new year for which we already have new surprises planned. Stay tuned!
We wish you a surprising 2020.
Metoda, Tatjana and Barbara from Chick Corner
