Christmas in the Czech Republic, called Vánoce, is the most beloved, long-awaited and family holiday. In anticipation of Christmas, Prague is transformed and appears in a new light: elegant fir trees are set up in the squares; streets are decorated with perky lights and garlands; Christmas markets open shops and shopping centers announce pre-holiday sales; facades of houses sparkle with unique and individual New Year decorations; cafes and restaurants put up posters of Christmas parties and bright signs, on which each institution offers something unusual to lure inside and seat at a table. Prague and its inhabitants feel the sweet anticipation of Christmas night, plunging into the atmosphere of a magical holiday.

From November 23, bright and cheerful Christmas markets began to open in the central squares of Prague. Fairs on Christmas Eve are a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. This is not only an opportunity to buy decorations and all kinds of souvenirs, attributes of Christmas and New Year, this is an atmosphere that you can see, smell and hear. Smells, sights and sounds are difficult to confuse - this is a foretaste of the miracle of Christmas. Aromas of cinnamon, gingerbread, fried sausages and chestnuts, mulled wine, an old Czech delicacy with the cheerful name "trdlo" hover here - and all this is accompanied by the sounds of carols and seasoned with a great mood.

Craftsmen and vendors invite visitors to their beautifully decorated tents, which are full of everything! Handmade toys, straw dolls, funny puppets, knitwear, intricate Christmas tree decorations, Christmas candles and candlesticks, mistletoe twigs and Advent wreaths, souvenirs, Czech garnet jewelry and costume jewelry, Bohemian crystal dishes, beer cosmetics, gift wine and beer sets.

In addition to treats and souvenirs, Christmas performances are given at the fairs. Every day, in the late afternoon, Czech and foreign groups perform, as well as children's choirs that sing Christmas carols and show Christmas scenes.

On November 28, a Christmas tree brought to Prague from the city of Česká Lipa lit up with festive lights on the Old Town Square. A colorful light and music show was seen by thousands of gathered residents and guests of the Czech capital: the garlands on the coniferous beauty went out and lit up again in a special sequence to the music of Antonin Dvořák's "Furiant".

The tradition of decorating fir trees for Christmas in Prague appeared relatively recently, it took several centuries for this custom to reach the Czech Republic from Germany. Even the year when the first Christmas tree was installed in Prague is known: it was brought from Germany in 1812 by the director of the Estates Theatre. The tradition took root and fell in love, and after 30 years the Prague Newspaper wrote about Christmas trees and Christmas tree markets as a completely familiar phenomenon.

This year, the lights of the Christmas tree in Prague Castle were lit by the wife of the President of the Czech Republic, Ivan Zemanova, calling on them to remember the most defenseless and in need of help - children - during the days of waiting for Christmas. Under the main Christmas tree of the country, near the walls of St. Vitus Cathedral, there is a special box in the form of a house for collecting donations in favor of the well-known charitable organization SOS Children's Villages. The SOS Children's Villages movement, which appeared in the first post-war years in Austria, is now active in 134 countries of the world, including the Czech Republic. The program empowers foster families to fully care for adopted children by providing them with special low-cost housing and other support, and works with disadvantaged families to help them overcome serious problems that, if exacerbated, can lead to the removal of a child from their parents.

The tradition of helping needy children on the eve of Advent has been around for a long time in the Czech Republic. A well-known writer, journalist and translator Rudolf Tesnoglidek did a lot for this. He was prompted to create the “Christmas Trees of the Republic” movement to help children by an event that occurred on December 22, 1919, when, during a walk with friends in the Bilovitsky forest, they found a seven-month-old baby abandoned there, a girl who later received the name Lidushka. This story made such an impression on the writer that on the eve of Christmas 1924 he succeeded in installing a Christmas tree on Svoboda Square in Brno, under which a fundraiser was held for the first time to help abandoned children. The very next year, the initiative was picked up by Prague, Olomouc and other Czech cities. The collected funds were enough for 5 years later, on December 8, 1929, to open the Dagmar orphanage in the suburbs of Brno.

Since then, there has been a tradition in the Czech Republic to collect donations for children in need right under the branches of the city's Christmas trees. Therefore, the lights on the Prague Castle Christmas tree symbolize not only the Christmas star, but also the light in the soul of everyone that makes people help children in need.

On November 29, in the Czech Republic, as well as throughout the Catholic world, Advent began - a time of joyful expectation preceding the feast of the Nativity of Christ. The first day of Advent is defined as the 4th Sunday before Christmas. In Czech homes and families, the first of four candles was lit on an Advent wreath of spruce branches. On the following Sunday, the second candle will be lit, on the third Sunday, the third, and on the fourth Sunday, December 20, all 4 candles will be lit on the Christmas wreath.

The Advent wreath with four candles is associated with the globe and the four cardinal points. The circle symbolizes the eternal life that the Resurrection gives, the greenery is the color of life, and the candles are the light that will illuminate the world at Christmas.

On the same day, Czech children tasted the first delicacy of the Advent calendar, which consists of 24 days starting on the first of four Sundays before Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve. By tradition, the Christmas calendar is a beautiful postcard or a cardboard house with 24 opening windows, where each cell contains a candy, a chocolate bar, a note with wishes or a small gift.

The most beloved Christmas tradition in the Czech Republic, which appeared many centuries before spruce decorations, is the creation of nativity scenes or betlems. This is the story of the birth of Jesus (Ježišek in Czech), made of wood, straw and any other materials. The tradition of creating figurines of Jezhishek himself, his parents Joseph and Mary, a manger, magicians, shepherds is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. In a cave in northern Italy, he built a manger, brought a donkey and an ox to them, and organized Mass on Christmas Eve. According to legend, the baby Jesus appeared. Everyone was so amazed by what had happened that the monks began to spread the tradition throughout Europe.

The Franciscans brought it to the Czech Republic, opening in 1562 the first theatrical betlem in the Prague church of St. Clement. The figures of Ježyszek, Mary and Joseph were made of life-size straw, and the rest of the characters were portrayed by people who played various scenes associated with the birth of Jesus Christ. During the Baroque era, instead of liturgical plays, student plays appeared. The students at that time were called "zhatsi" in Czech, and therefore their plays were called "zhakovske". The students often included too secular scenes in their plays, and for this reason they were eventually expelled from the churches. They began to play their performances in the squares and in front of state houses, and after a while the habit of going from house to house took root. Thus the tradition of carols was born.

The image of the Holy Family was so fond of the people that even the decree of 1780, which forbade the installation of nativity scenes in churches, had the opposite effect. The number of nativity scenes increased many times over: people began to make them and install them in their homes. Entire settlements appeared where the manufacture of nativity scenes was a family affair. There was even a narrow specialization among craftsmen: some made figures, others only crowns, others only mangers. Skills were passed down from generation to generation. Nativity scenes were made from different materials: they were cut out of wood, knitted from straw, and even baked from flour.

The Czechs are proud to say that the largest betlems, both in size and in the number of figures, are located in their country. The first, listed in the Guinness Book of Records - "Crisis Lichki", is located in the museum of the city of Jindrichuv Hradec. The second largest betlem is the most unique wooden and moving exhibit, it is located in the Museum of the Nativity of the small town of Trebechovice pod Oreb. The Karlštejn Museum houses the largest collection of betlems from various private collections. Here, in the former priest's house, there are betlems made of bread, sugar, tin and walnut shells.

Prague before Christmas is what you need to create a festive mood. Here you plunge into a fabulous atmosphere, time stops its run and allows you to slightly return to childhood.

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Do you want to see New Year's Czech Republic? Come a few days before Christmas, at the beginning of the 20th of December. Prague is changing before Christmas, it is already ready for the New Year holidays - everything is decorated with multi-colored garlands, there are many live Christmas trees in tubs around. Christmas tunes are heard everywhere. A week before the celebration, a live Christmas tree is set up on the main square of the city.

How Christmas and New Year are celebrated in the Czech Republic

Christmas Eve - st. Nicolas day(in Czech "Mikulas"). Catholics celebrate it December 6.

Starting from this day, children receive their first gifts - St. Nicholas and his retinue walk along the roads and congratulate the kids.

In Russia, Christmas starts two weeks later - due to the difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars.

Catholic Christmas in the Czech Republic

The population of the Czech Republic is mostly atheists. According to the results of the 2011 census, about 80% of those surveyed said they had no religion or refused to answer this question.

The largest number of believers are Catholics.

TO Christmas Eve, which is celebrated on December 24, carps are fattened all year round. A festive table is unthinkable without them.

Carp scales are not thrown away, but washed and placed under a plate for each guest, along with a small coin - for good luck.

This scale is sometimes worn in a wallet for the next year - so that money is not transferred.

Christmas Eve is also called generous evening- on the table 12 meatless dishes, and guests should try each of them. They also put an additional plate - for a random guest.

At Christmas in Prague, it is customary to buy young carps from merchants in order to release them into the water in a minute or two.

In the city park, tame bears are treated with sweets. Bears were dangerous for the inhabitants of the medieval city, they tried to appease them so that they would not be “offended” and would not come to people.

The danger no longer exists, but the tradition remains. So Christmas Eve is also called and bear day.

And the very next day comes the turn of the Christmas goose and other various cookies and rich sweets.

Numerous nativity scenes work from December 25 until the New Year, and carolers walk the streets. If two "devils" meet each other, they can arrange a light scuffle among themselves until "Nikolai" separates them.

How would you like this:

• In the morning, go on a bus and walking tour of Prague. Price 10 euro per person.
• After the tour, go to a master class on cooking a real Christmas dinner. Experienced chefs will teach you all the tricks of the local cuisine. The prepared dish can then be eaten with appetite. Master class cost 45 Euro.
• In the evening, go to the medieval show in Detenitsa. Show cost 35 euro per person. A generous New Year's dinner, an interesting festive program, fireworks and salutes are waiting for you.

Or this schedule:

• Dedicate the morning to an overview.
• Take a walk in one of the city parks. Each of them provides ski and skate rental for outdoor enthusiasts. Equipped slopes for sledding.
• Take a master class on baking zukrovi. The cost of the course is 45 euros.
• And in the evening, join the mysterious, and walk along the route ">Mystical Prague". As a rule, it is conducted by a guide dressed as a skeleton. Price 15 euro per person.

And on January 1, in the late afternoon, fireworks begin throughout Prague. The most popular firework show takes place on the banks of the Vltava River.

New Year's Prague for children

For Russian-speaking children on Christmas holidays in the theater Koruni Traditional Christmas tree performances are held with Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden. Start at 10.00 am.

A visit to the Prague Zoo will bring a lot of pleasure to a child. There are enclosures where pets roam freely, it is allowed to communicate with them. This zoo is the pride of the citizens of Prague, you can spend half a day in it unnoticed. Ticket price from 35 Euro.

Take your child to a cooking class, he will love it.

Classical opera and ballet lovers are recommended to visit the production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Prague State Opera (Státní opera Praha). Not everyone likes the modern production of the ballet The Nutcracker at the National Opera, people often remain dissatisfied, they believe that only music remains from the ballet.

Travel preparation

The most convenient way to get from Russia to Prague is by plane from Moscow or St. Petersburg. It is better to entrust your trip to one of the time-tested tour operators.

Trips to the Czech Republic of various durations are offered, for example, a New Year's tour - "Magnificent Prague", the cost 580-700 euro, you can pay in rubles.

At the airport, as usual, the group leader will meet you and provide you with all the necessary information.

There are also bus tours to Prague. They depart from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad. These tours are much cheaper than traveling by plane.

If you plan to go on an independent trip, please note that you will have to develop the entire program yourself.

You can stay in a hotel, hostel or rent a luxury apartment, you just need to take care of the reservation in advance.

The cost of living will depend on the location of the hotel, its star rating, and of course on the choice of a particular room.

It is better to find a Russian-speaking guide in advance who will meet you and take you for a walk around Prague. Such a service must be taken care of in advance.

Christmas atmosphere:

New Year in Prague - reviews of tourists

• “We have long dreamed of going to Christmas Prague. We could not even imagine such a fairy tale - two weeks practically in the center of Europe. Live shopki - just a feast for the eyes. They ate sweets and brought them with them. In every square we were treated to them. I bring home a dozen recipes.

  Maria

• “Stayed in a regular 3 star hotel. The staff turned out to be wonderful, the boy at the reception, having learned that we were in Prague for the first time, gave us a map of the city, showed us what and where is located on it. And the other remembered the phone of the Russian guide and immediately phoned him. Everything is great, I enjoyed the trip. There were, of course, minor inconveniences, but they did not spoil our mood.”

  Victor

• “I never thought that New Year's Prague is such a bewitching sight. And that I, a serious person over 45, suddenly want to forget about everything and have fun, like a five-year-old kid. And so imbued with the history of the ancient medieval castle. And all our guide is a funny old lady. Started us all, remembered youth, came off to the fullest. And fell in love with Prague forever.”

  There is a good tradition in Prague: on Christmas Eve to pour an ear for free to everyone who will come to the Christmas market in the Old Town Square. You can try the soup prepared according to a special recipe with caramel and cognac from 11:00 to 13:00.

  This year, the organizers are counting on 3,000 servings, which will also be distributed on Wenceslas Square. The Mayor of Prague Adriana Krnachova herself will stand at the distribution. It will take almost 100 kg of vegetables, 70 kg of flour, 50 kg of butter and 45 liters of cream to prepare the soup.

  On Christmas Eve, December 24, from 9 to 14:00 you can visit the botanical garden in Prague for free, including the Fata Morgana greenhouse (on normal days, the ticket costs 100 kroons).

  - The Prague Zoo will also be open on Christmas Eve, but will not make entry free for all visitors. Gifts will only be given to children under 15 years of age, who will be able to enter before the end of the ticket office (until 14:00) for only one kroon. Most of the pavilions will be open until 16:00.

  On Christmas Day, the festivities will continue on the Old Town Square. At 16:00 a fabulous performance for the whole family will be shown, at 18:00 you can listen to the bells playing.

  In Prague, it begins when you can try your hand at a variety of sports disciplines without paying a single crown.

  From 26 to 31 December Prague Vaclav Havel Airport invites you to excursions on different routes lasting 2 hours. Excursions are paid (170 kroons), and you must register on the official website of the airport at least a day in advance. You can also select the route you are interested in.

  In the Public House on Republic Square, in the Smetana Hall, there will be a big concert at which only works by Mozart will be performed(on the occasion of his 225th birthday). It will be possible to hear both well-known and less famous instrumental compositions, as well as arias from the operas Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and others.

  At the exhibition center Vystavistě Praha Holesovice will work until February 1 educational exhibition of Lego models. On an area of ​​2 thousand square meters. m will feature hundreds of exhibits that will interest not only children but also adults. Sights of ancient and modern architecture were collected from Lego, historical events were restored, robots, musical instruments, etc. were created.

  You can see the first steps of a man on the moon, the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as famous scenes from films and fairy tales, for example, the fortress of Erebor from the Hobbit trilogy. Even the Titanic, 3 meters high and 11 meters long, will be presented at this unique exhibition. The cost of visiting depends on the time, but the most expensive ticket will cost 240 kroons.

  The premiere of the new film by the cult director will take place in January Jim Jarmusch"Paterson", and this event will be preceded by retrospective of all his films in cinemas in the Czech Republic. In Prague on December 28, two films by the legend of independent American cinema will be shown - "Endless Vacation" and "Mystery Train". Screenings will take place at the Kino Aero cinema. On December 31, you can also see the pre-premiere screening of "Paterson" there.

  At Vystavishte Holešovice will work until January 3 free street skating rink. You can come ride from 9 to 21:00. There is a skate rental shop and a food stall on site.

  In the Czech Center Prague ( Rytiska 31) December 30 will be the last day of the temporary exhibition Hapestetika, which is held under the motto "Touch, please". This means that all exhibits can be touched and stroked to get a real tactile sensation from works of applied art. The exhibition is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of professional services for people with vision problems. Free admission. Working hours - from 11 to 18:00.

  Hello friends! You have the opportunity right now to plunge into the Christmas adventure. Oleg KRIS, a regular reader of the blog, tells excitingly what surprises and wonders Christmas Prague once presented. Oleg knows Prague very well, and his story reveals this wonderful city in a new and very sincere way.

  Christmas surprises in Prague

  At that time we were not going to Prague at all, but by chance we saw a last-minute tour for 4 nights with a departure the next day for very cheap. Having quickly decided on a job and a child, we decided that we had to go. Moreover, the visa soon expired. In general, at a time when a dollar cost 30 rubles, if you had a visa, you could sometimes afford to rush somewhere, like “on the weekend, take a walk, drink beer,” really for very inexpensive.

  The first day in Prague we always start from the top, from Pogorzelec. The first stop, of course, is the Strahov Monastery, or rather its restaurant-brewery, where Christmas beer is already brewed, and an observation deck.

  The weather then was very unlucky - rain, sometimes heavy, windy, chilly. But our man cannot be frightened by the weather, and Prague, especially Christmas, cannot be spoiled by anything.

  

  We go down the Uvoz, then somewhere to the right... We really like to turn off the tourist trail and get lost in the streets of the Lesser Country. And at this time, there is really a holiday atmosphere.

  

  The owners decorate their establishments with various toys, tinsel, garlands, take out Christmas trees, and live Christmas trees of different sizes, in pots, barrels, etc. Waiting and preparing for the holiday is already a holiday, sometimes even better. I saw how the owner of one establishment in the pouring rain came out with a watering can and watered the Christmas tree, they are so reverent about this.

  Usually we just walk along the streets, not paying attention to the name, buildings, in what style, by whom and when they were built. You just slowly walk along these streets with gingerbread houses and enjoy visiting street cafes, shops, souvenir shops, Christmas markets along the way ...

  

  And at this time everywhere there is a smell of a holiday. I don’t know how to explain it correctly ... Well, it’s like in childhood - you come into the entrance from the frost, and each apartment has its own culinary aroma ... And in my mother’s kitchen the whole stove is occupied, and something is stewed in the oven, and from The rooms smell like Christmas trees...

  And in Prague, everything else smells of mulled wine and beer ...

  But the weather was conducive to somewhere to stop and rest. We went to the Barachnitskaya Rykhta. And here the first alarm bell rang in my soul when I saw on the doors “We are all reserved!” Well, of course, they let us in for a cup of tea and a glass of beer. And I wanted it like this:

  

  During the Christmas holidays in Prague, it turns out that all institutions, including museums, churches, exhibitions, etc., each work according to their own specific schedule, and they warn about this.

  It's not that I didn't know about it, but given the suddenness of the trip, it somehow slipped my mind. Be sure to check the opening hours of the places you plan to visit, and during this period book well in advance. And the price tag can be (but not a fact) unpleasantly high at this time! ...

  We approach the Charles Bridge, the people there are dark. How does the bridge not collapse?! The Czechs knew how to build bridges in 1357! Having passed the bridge, we approach the heart of Prague - the Old Town Square. That's where the fairy tale is, the atmosphere of the holiday, the main Christmas tree, illumination ... The smell of trdlo, mulled wine, gas heaters is simply intoxicating, but my Prague is still in the alleys, a little away from the tourist trails ...

  Our always obligatory place to visit is the terrace on the roof of the Prince's Hotel. Amazing view of the tiled roofs and the Old Town Square. That Christmas the weather didn't allow me to take a picture of this beauty, but I found a picture from another trip:

  

  Naturally, on our favorite terrace everything was “All reserved” on the holiday, at first they didn’t want to let it in, then they agreed. The prices, of course, are appropriate there, but you can afford a cup of coffee. Inside the hotel is also beautiful, glass elevator, Christmas trees everywhere, lights...

  

  We warmed up, admired Prague from above and again plunged into the street festive atmosphere. ... Staromak, Orloi, Christmas trees, toys, tinsel, illumination, shopping malls, mulled wine, sausages, trdlo, songs, dances, parties, noise-din, all languages ​​of the world, in general, class, but the traitor is rain ...

  Christmas miracles in Prague

  A little wet and tired, it would be necessary to go somewhere in a normal way to have lunch and dinner. Already realizing that there was nothing to catch in the center without prior reservation, we decided to rush to the good old one - we’ll definitely immediately find where to “nest” there. Naive!

  Leaving the tram, we go up (and there is a pretty decent climb) to Borzhivoyeva Street, with a dream to visit our favorite institution "U Hodku". They cook ribs in bread so well ...

  In a narrow street, a strong headwind with rain broke the umbrella. Finally, we get to the treasured door and what do we see? Closed! Those. completely closed! I ran left and right, the neighboring institution is also closed. I feel my wife’s gaze on the back of my head, I’m afraid to turn around, I think where to go next. And suddenly, a miracle! Out of the corner of my eye I see the familiar figure of a lady with a dog. Such miracles probably only happen around Christmas. With faint hope I shout: "Martha?" Her: "Yes." Suitable, looking at:

  - Oleg, what are you? - I AM.

  — What are you doing here? "Yes, we've come to eat."

  - You're crazy, right? - Yeah! ..

  She invited us to U sadu, where she and her friend had a reservation. The evening was saved!

  "U sadu" has a very unusual interior - old chairs, samovars, radios and other crap, in general, a complete assortment of a flea market on the walls and ceiling. My wife liked the shelf with meat grinders and at that time there was a Christmas tree decorated with old glass Soviet toys and sweets. Where did they just get them?

  We ate and drank, as always in Prague, everything is very tasty. It is clear that I do not photograph dishes every time. For example, your treat in the Czech Republic could be like this:

  

  ... I met Marta in a pub on one of my previous visits, and since then we have been meeting periodically, Zizkov is small, then God simply sent her to us. Czech, about 55-60 years old, with a difficult fate, studied in Moscow, speaks Russian and English fluently with a wonderful Czech accent. Interesting companion. Then she said that she even feels some nostalgia for the Soviet times, that in recent years they have been very fed up with democracy and freedom, that there are many unjustified hopes, that the EU limits the production of local meat and dairy products, and international beer giants are ruining local breweries, which in the Soviet for a while they were not evicted from the apartments, and there were almost no beggars and homeless people on the streets of Prague, etc. ... That is, it turns out that everything was not so bad! Well, what guide, guidebook will tell you this? I mean, behind the beautiful facade of Prague's sights, ordinary people live, like us, with their own problems, feelings, experiences ...

  I also want to say a few words about Czech beer. I hardly drink beer at home (more precisely, the liquid that we sell under the name beer), but in Prague I come off to the fullest. It's a completely different drink. For example, near the Charles Bridge at Lokal U Bile kuzelky, I really like their Pilsner Urquell tank beer, and judging by the number of people there, I'm not the only one who likes this beer...

  And if, for example, you see an elderly woman in a pub, it will at least seem strange, but in Prague it’s normal, in the order of things, to go for a glass of beer, chat, exchange news with the owner, waiters. Do you know how noisy and emotional Czechs can be? The Italians are on holiday! If someone is “lucky” to live in a hotel with Italians, they will understand me. In Zizkovskie pubs, mostly locals, there are few tourists, and there is such a special, sincere atmosphere that invites you to chat “for life” under a mug of beer. I don’t know how to explain it, but for me it’s like an integral part of the national culture, like Charles Bridge and! My wife, however, for some reason does not really share this opinion of mine ...

  Thanking Marta for a wonderful, sincere, almost family evening, we left the institution, went in to look at the evening party, since it is two steps away. The wind and rain have stopped. Okay, so, quietly, calmly ...

  Krumlov was waiting for us the next day...

  Merry Christmas and good weather everyone!

  

  Friends, after getting to know Oleg's story, I personally immediately wanted to go to Prague ... Despite the possible bad weather and "All reserved"))) I think that this story stirred your feelings too.

  Oleg Kris often leaves comments on my articles. And already from the comments it is obvious that he is familiar with Prague - that real, atmospheric ... I suggested that Oleg tell about Prague on Christmas holidays by participating in the competition. And although my dear reader immediately considered this idea a gamble, I am infinitely glad that his opinion has changed “out of respect for my blog”, for which I am doubly grateful.

  P.S.: The year 2019 has come, and Oleg told about another Christmas excursion. This time .

  Your euro guide Tatiana
  

  In the Czech Republic, Advent begins, the time of waiting for Christmas, when believers prepare for the holiday. Prague is gradually changing. Christmas trees are set up on the squares, the streets are blooming with illumination lights, noisy fairs open. Life is in full swing, the public is animated, merchants are inviting people.

  Christmas in Prague, photo by Petr Spergl

  In the Catholic Czech Republic, Christmas is one of the main holidays. The Czech word for Christmas is Vánoce. The people of the country celebrate it with sincere enthusiasm. Czechs honor Christmas symbols, love holiday surprises, and keep traditions.

  Czech capital on Christmas Eve

  In 2017, on December 3, Advent begins in the Czech Republic, the time of waiting for Christmas, when believers prepare for the holiday. Prague is gradually changing. Christmas trees are planted on the squares, the streets are blooming with lights of illuminations. Each restaurant, cafe or shop decorates the entrance in its own way, decorates the hall.

  Trade enterprises - from large markets to small shops - arrange sales. During this period, discounts are significant, shopping in Prague becomes truly profitable. Choose gifts in advance, buy traditional souvenirs, Christmas sweets, advent calendars. Do not put off shopping for the last days, when crowds of townspeople and tourists rush to shops and fairs.

  Prague restaurants are also getting ready for Christmas, they notify ahead of time of festive parties. Pay attention to posters and signs: you may want to spend a festive evening in one of these establishments.

  The houses of the capital's inhabitants are being transformed. Citizens decorate entrance doors with wreaths, and windows with garlands; Every family decorates a Christmas tree. Prague lives in anticipation of the holiday, waiting for Christmas Eve and a magical Christmas night.

  Bring home the traditional symbols of the Czech Republic, buy gifts with national flavor in Prague.

  Christmas sweets

  Christmas for Czechs is unthinkable without sweets. Here are some classics that you should try in Prague and be sure to buy as a gift for family and friends.

  Cukrovi is a traditional Czech Christmas treat. These are small cookies that melt in your mouth. They start baking long before Christmas. Crispy zukrovy biscuits or nutty wasp nests with cream and chocolate icing are an indispensable attribute of the Czech Christmas table.

  Vanochka (vánočka) is a traditional braid made from sweet yeast dough.

  Vanochni shtola (Vánoční štola) - an analogue of the German "stull", a cake with the addition of lemon peel, raisins, candied fruits and almonds.

  Painted honey gingerbread is a symbol of Christmas. They are baked long before the holiday: the products must rest for several weeks, become softer, acquire a special unique taste.

  Vanilkove rohlicky vanilla croissants are another type of classic pastry without which Czech Christmas is unimaginable. Delicate little bagel-shaped cookies are rolled warm in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanillin.

  traditional drinks

  In the squares and streets of Prague, in shops and fairs, warming drinks are sold everywhere. In addition to tea and coffee, here you can try Christmas and winter options: punch, mead, mulled wine.

  Holiday menu

  If you go to a restaurant these days, you will be offered a special menu made up of classic Christmas dishes. First, take carp soup with croutons. Order a Czech festive appetizer - "wine sausage" made from several types of meat mixed with white wine. Be sure to try the traditional fried carp served with potato salad, very reminiscent of our Olivier.

  It is a great success for tourists to get to the Czech Republic for Christmas. If you are going to celebrate a bright holiday in fabulous Prague, use these tips. What to buy as a gift and what to order for the table, we have already found out. And now let's talk about Czech Christmas traditions, folk customs and signs.

  Christmas story in the Czech Republic

  This is how they do "trdlo"

  Before Christmas, the face of Czech cities changes. Noisy fairs open on the squares and main streets, as in the old days. Life is in full swing, the public is animated, merchants invite people to their shops and tents. It is impossible to leave the festive markets without a unique souvenir - craftsmen's products win the hearts of buyers. It sells knitted items, straw dolls, Christmas stockings and wreaths, wax candles and handmade Christmas decorations. Right at the fairs you can refresh yourself: drink mulled wine or mead, have a snack with sausages, roasted chestnuts or the original Czech trdlo (or trdelnik (Trdelník)) roll - a kind of yeast dough tube baked on coals and sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar and crushed nuts.

  Christmas and New Year's concerts

  On Christmas in Prague, in addition to traditional Czech carols, Christmas music from all over the world sounds ...

  • Christmas and New Year's concerts in the church of St. Nicholas in Malaya Strana
  • The Nutcracker - A Christmas Story is a fabulous ballet at the National Theatre.

  St. Michael's Day

  St. Michael's Day

  St. Mikulas Day is a holiday beloved by children, it opens a number of Christmas holidays and is celebrated on December 6th. On this day, he walks the streets himself, along with an angel and a devil, and asks the kids if they behaved well in the year. Obedient children receive sweet gifts as a reward.

  Saint Lucy's Day

  One week after St. Michael's Day, St. Lucy's Day is celebrated. Girls in white clothes with powdered faces and big wooden noses go out into the street, their task is to scare passers-by until they give them sweets.

  Christmas Eve

  Christmas carp to be released into the wild

  Believing Czechs a month before the holiday begin to fast. On December 24, on Christmas Eve, the long-awaited Generous Day comes. In the churches there is a morning mass; parishioners consecrate sweets intended to decorate the Christmas tree. Before sitting at the festive table, many residents go to the banks of the Vltava. Toward evening, sellers of live fish gather there. The townspeople buy carps, but not in order to cook them - everyone's Christmas dinner is already ready. The fish are released into the wild, into the river, to the delight of the children. Perhaps that is why the evening of Christmas Eve is called Generous.

  Signs that accompany the arrival of Christmas are carefully preserved in the Czech Republic from ancient times. On December 24, early in the morning, you need to wash yourself in an icy stream - then heroic health will be ensured for the whole year. In the houses of the Czechs do not turn on the light to the first star. Dinner is served as the star rises.

  An even number of people are invited to dinner. If an odd number of guests gathered at the table, the hosts simply put an extra device for an imaginary "guest". A small talisman is placed under each plate - a coin or a scale of a festive carp. This item is supposed to be kept in a wallet - to attract wealth, happiness, good luck.

  Christmas dinner each guest must eat in full. Everyone should get up after a meal at the same time. The rest of the food should be buried in the garden under the trees - this is the key to a bountiful harvest next summer. See more about fortune telling on Christmas Eve.

  Saint Stephen's Day

  After Midnight Mass (Virginia), Christmas comes into its own. On December 25, meat, baked goose, festive cookies are served at the Czech table. "Second Christmas" is often called a - December 26th. From time immemorial, Czechs caroled on the streets on this day. Now only a few dare to carols - you can see the old custom only in the provinces. Praguers on this day continue their home holiday or visit relatives. The series of Christmas celebrations ends with the day of John the Evangelist (December 27).

  Czechs celebrate the New Year on December 31st. On this day, coinciding with, it is customary to visit and congratulate distant relatives.

  Procession of the Three Kings

  Christmas ends with Three Kings Day. On January 5 at 15:30, three kings-sorcerers on camels and accompanied by carolers will start the procession from Hradchanskaya Square, then they will walk along Loretanskaya Street to Loretanskaya Square to the living den to bow to the baby Jesus and present their gifts to him.

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