Christmas festivities in the Czech Republic: unforgettable impressions and emotions from visiting the country in winter

Holidays, decorations, dishes in Christmas in the Czech Republic. Vanoce - so softly and bewitchingly pronounced the word "Christmas" in Czech. From the end of November, the Czech Republic begins to prepare for the main winter holiday. Residents decorate their cities and villages, gingerbread cookies are baked everywhere, mulled wine is boiled, chestnuts are roasted. Sprigs of mistletoe and spruce wreaths are sold at Christmas markets. To get into the thick of things, you need to come to the Czech Republic in a few days or even a couple of weeks, because it is at this time that fairs, concerts, and fun folk festivals begin to be held.

An indispensable assistant for tourists in the Czech Republic is the online car booking service. At Prague Airport, the average cost of renting a compact car will be about 19 euros per day, and in the center of Brno - 16 euros per day.

Christmas miracle in the Czech Republic: the legend of the HedgehogThe fulfiller of holiday wishes here is the Hedgehog, as the baby Jesus is called in the Czech Republic. Children prepare letters for him with a list of gifts they dream of, and hang these letters outside the window on strings. When the bell rings on Christmas, it means that Hedgehog has brought gifts.

Usually, on the streets of cities, villages and in the windows of buildings, betlems are exhibited - installations that restore scenes of the birth of Christ. In them you can see the manger of Jesus, figurines of people, animals and other characters, which are made of wood and other materials, and come in different sizes from miniature to huge.

Silver-plated, gilded and red mistletoe branches are also traditional Christmas decorations. You need to kiss under them, this will help strengthen love. The first Christmas tree was installed in Prague in 1812 by the director of one of the Prague theaters, and then many Czech aristocrats supported his idea. An interesting fact is that at first the Christmas tree was hung from the ceiling and decorated with sweets, gingerbread, straw crafts. Features of the celebration of Christmas in the Czech Republic Christmas celebrations begin on December 5 - St. Mikulas Day. On this day, men put on a red or white cloak, put on a bishop's headdress, take a staff and go from house to house where small children live. They give gifts to those children who have behaved well during the year, and those who have behaved badly - coal or raw potatoes, which the devil and the angel help them get out of the bag.

December 7th is St. Ambrose's Day. Costumed shows are held in which “Ambrose” in a long white shirt and a black hat with a pointed end rides the streets, arranges comic competitions with children, and treats them with sweets as a reward. On December 13, Czechs celebrate Saint Lucie's Day. According to legend, on this day, Lucia looks into the houses and announces that every day she will drink a piece of the night, because the day of her memory is celebrated on the eve of the winter solstice.

These days, fairs are held in all settlements of the Czech Republic - entire towns of festively decorated tents where you can buy all kinds of souvenirs, traditional clothes, home decorations and various goodies, drink grog, punch or mulled wine, taste roasted chestnuts, delicious pancakes, trdelniki (sweets from yeast dough in the form of tubes). Amazing smells hover around, it smells of ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and various spices. The festive atmosphere is created by cheerful Christmas songs and carols that sound everywhere.

Traditions of Christmas dinner in the Czech Republic

Traditionally, Christmas dinner is held with the family. On this evening, everything calms down around, shops and restaurants do not work, only tourists can be seen on the streets.

Dinner on Christmas Eve usually includes 9 courses, including fish soup, potato salad, barley porridge with mushrooms, lentil and pea dishes, sausages, ham, dumplings, homemade cookies with ginger, nuts, cinnamon, but the main treat - fried, stewed or baked carp with various sauces made from nuts, raisins, and even sweet beer.

According to tradition, if you keep carp scales in your wallet, then the whole next year it will not be short of money. Already on December 26, the streets are filled with people who have fun, sing songs, fireworks explode in the sky. This is also a holiday - St. Stepan's Day, everyone goes to visit relatives and friends with congratulations.

Christmas is the best time to travel to the Czech Republic to touch the national traditions of the country, taste original dishes, meet interesting people!