CHRISTMAS IN CZECH REPUBLIC

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. All children and adults as well lookforward to it. A month before the Christmas madness starts. People are running from shop to shop, trying to get the best presents for their family and friends.

SHOPPING FEVER Each of four Sundays in Advent the shops are open till 3pm so that the people could buy their Christmas presents. In larger towns there is a Christmas Market in the main square. Christmas Market in Přerov

FEVER BAKING FEVER In every household people can´t imagine the Christmas without Christmas cakes. And all the hosewives want to have the best cakes and a special sweet plaited loaf called „vanocka“. Those, who don´t have time to bake their own cakes, can have it baked for example in our school Those, who don´t have time to bake their own cakes, can have it baked for example in our school

24 DECEMBER 24 This is the most important day of the whole Christmas holidays. All the members of the family have their duties. Father locks himself in the living room and he is decorating the Christmas tree and drinking the homemade egg liquor.

24 DECEMBER 24 Mother is in the kitchen from the very morning, She is preparing the festive dinner and in the afternoon she is getting more and more nervous because she is not in time.

24 DECEMBER 24 There are lots of fairy tales for the kids on TV, but they keep watching one or two of them. Then they start to be annoying because they can´t wait till the Jesus comes to bring them the presents.

24 DECEMBER 24 In the evening, at about 5 or 6pm, „all is calm, all is bright“. All are sitting at the table, smiling wide and having the dinner. It is usually fish soup and then fried carp with potato salad. Some people are afraid of going to the hospital because of the fish bone in the throat and that´s why they have chicken or turkey instead of the carp.

24 DECEMBER 24 After the dinner the family goes to the Christmas tree, they sing carols and then they unwrap the presents. In our country we believe that the presents are brought by Baby Jesus.

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

BETHLEHEM People usually have the small Bethlehem in their homes as a Christmas decoration. The figures are made of paper, wood or plasteor or many other materials. In churches you can see big Bethlehems and in the square there are so called live pictures of Nativity.

CUTTING THE APPLES People cut the apples in half. If they see the star inside, that means that they will be healthy all the next year. The cross inside means the death.

BARBORKA Young girls pick the cherry tree sprigs on the day of St. Barbara (December 4). They put them in the vase and if the sprig come into blossom till Christmas, the girl will get married next year.

NUTSHEL BOATS People put small candles into the nutshels and let them sail in the washbasin. Whose boat sails further, that goes further from home in the future.

THROWING THE SHOE Young girls throw the shoe over their shoulder. If the forepart shows to the door, the girl will get married and move from home

THE GOLDEN PIG People believe that they will see the golden pig if they don´t eat for all the day on 24 December. (After such a long starving they can see anything )

NEW YEAR´S EVE

DECEMBER 31 We call it Silvestr. It should be the funniest day of the year. There are lots of comedies and funny sketches on TV. People usually spend Christmas with the family, but on Silvestr they often go to the mountains and spend their time with friends.

DECEMBER 31 At midnight they open the bottle of champagne and drink to each other´s health. They kiss, hug and wish all the best, health, luck and happiness to all the New Year.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS People make New Years resolutions on the last day of year. Those usually are: I will be goodI will be good I will study harderI will study harder I won´t eat so much chocolateI won´t eat so much chocolate I will give up smokingI will give up smoking I will lose weightI will lose weight (But they forget them the next day )

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR