You may have noticed all the Christmas Markets popping up in all major city squares, but there are numerous other traditions and events happening in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Here are some of the main ones:
Advent
The four weeks leading up to Christmas are when the decorations are everywhere, and you can smell mulled wine anywhere you go. Most families have a festive wreath at home with four candles and every Sunday they sit down together and light one of the candles as a little countdown to Christmas. Children also get advent calendars with sweets.
December 4: St. Barbara’s Day
On St. Barbara’s day, you will see the St. Barbara’s branches (barborky) in flower shops and in peoples homes. These are cherry tree branches, which when cut correctly and put into a vase, will blossom. The former pagan turned Christian tradition is to symbolize the advent, but also the solstice. Rumor has it that if the branches blossom in a household where there’s an unmarried girl living, she will find a husband within a year.
December 5th: St. Nicholas Day
If you happen to be in the streets of any Czech city or village in the evening of December 5, chances are that you will see many strange trios of a Santa Claus like figure accompanied with an angel and a devil. The tradition is, that these they visit families with children and ask the children whether they had been good the past year. If so, the child gets sweet treats, if not, instead of sweats it’s potatoes and coal and the devil may even put them in his sack!
Veselé Vánoce = Merry Chrismas
December 24th: Christmas Eve
cukroví
The main Christmas celebration falls on December 24 in the Czech Republic. During the day, some Czechs fast. Legend has it, that if you stick it out, you will see a golden pig appear – a sign of good luck. The Czech soda brand Kofola used this tradition in their funny TV ad, which is extremely popular and returns on TV screens every Christmas since 2003. It is very hard to fast though, especially since cukroví (little cookies of different shapes, sizes, and ingredients) are lying around the house.
At dinner time, after the first star has appeared in the sky, families sit down to have dinner together. The traditional main dish is fried carp with potato salad. The starter and the dessert vary from family to family. Children usually cannot wait until the dinner is over, because right after it’s gift unwrapping time! Presents are delivered by baby Jesus (Ježíšek), who rings the bell when the presents are ready under the Christmas tree. Many people also attend the traditional midnight mass at their local church.
December 25 and December 26: Christmas Feast and St. Stephen’s day
These two days are also national holidays in the Czech Republic, so people don’t have to go to work and can spend some time with their families. Many people also use this time to visit extended family.
December 31: New Years Eve (Silvestr)
Šťastný nový rok! = Happy New Year!
On December 31, Prague turns into a big party town with many foreigners coming to celebrate. Many Czechs prefer to leave their homes and go to their cottages (chata) or the mountains with friends to ski and celebrate there. The following day, January 1st is a national holiday.
January 6: Three Kings’ Day
The twelfth night of Christmas is traditionally the day in the Czech republic that marks the end of the holidays – Christmas decorations are taken down and Christmas markets end. On this day, children also dress up as the three wise men – a tradition inspired by the biblical story, and collect money for charity. You may have seen the letters K+M+B written in chalk on doors – it is a part of this tradition – the Three Wise Men in Czech are called Kašpar, Melichar and Baltazar, and they write their initials on the doors of homes visited.