Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket és boldog Új Évet kívánunk!
We wish you a nice Christmas holiday and a happy New Year!
Bé ké s, boldogkará csonyi ü nnepeket é seredmé nyekbengazdag ú j é vetkí vá nunk!
We wish you a happy Christmas holiday and a prosperous New Year!
Kö szö njü kamú lt é vbentanú sí totbizalmukot, kellemeskará csonyi ü nnepet é ssikerekbengazdag, boldog ú j é vetkí vá nunk!
Thank you for your trust! We wish you a nice Christmas holiday and a happy new year!
BoldogKará csonyt é seredmé nyes ú jesztendő tkí vá nunk Ö nnek! Kö szö njü keddigibizalmá t é sremé ljü k, jö vő reiselé gedett ü gyfeleink, partnereinkkö zö tt ü dvö zö lhetjü k Ö nt!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We thank you for your trust and hope that we will continue our cooperation in the new year!
Bé ké s, boldogkará csonyi ü nnepeket é ssikerekbengazdag, ú jesztendő tkí vá nunk!
We wish you a happy Christmas holiday and a successful new year!
Bé ké s, boldog ü nnepeket é ssikerekbengazdag Ú j É vetkí vá nunk Ö nnek é sCsalá djá nak!
We wish you a happy Christmas holiday and a successful New Year to you and your families!
Kellemes ü nnepeket é ssikerekbengazdag ú jesztendő tkivá nunk!
We wish you a pleasant Christmas holiday and a successful new year!
Kellemeskará csonyi ü nnepeket é sboldog ú j é vet!
Have a nice Christmas holiday and a happy new year!
Kö szö njü keddigiegyü ttmű kö dé sü ket! Kellemes ü nnepeket é ssikerekbengazdag ú jesztendő tkí vá nunk!
Thank you for your cooperation! We wish you a nice Christmas holiday and a happy new year!
Kö zelegaz é jfé l, ismé telteltegy é v, szí vü nkbenfelé bredegy- egyré giemlé k. Felidé zzü kazelmú ltszé ppillanatokat, atovaszá lltmegnem é lt, tű nő á lmokat. Titokbanremé ljü k, boldog é vekvá rnak, nemleszbennetö bbé szomorú sá g- bá nat. Kö szö ntjü khá takö vetkező é vet, kí vá njuk, hogy á lmunksose é rjenvé get.
Midnight is approaching, another year has passed, and old memories are awakening in our hearts. Let us remember all the wonderful moments that passed and seemed like a dream to us. We secretly hope that they are waiting for us happy years, in which there will be no sadness and adversity. Therefore, we meet New Year, and let us wish that our dreams and dreams never reach the end! Happy New Year!
AdjonIstenmindenjó t, Jobb é vet, minttavalyvolt. Mitő lfé lü nk, mensenmeg, Amitvá runklegyenmeg. Szeretetet, bé kessé get, Egé szsé get. Boldog Ú j É vet!
Grant, Lord, all good things, grant a better year than the last. Let what we fear disappear, and let what we wait for come. Love, peace, health. Happy New Year!
Kö zelegaz é jfé l, ismé telteltegy é v, szí vü nkbenfelé bredegy- egyré giemlé k. Kö szö ntjü khá takö vetkező é vet, kí vá njuk, hogy á lmunksose é rjenvé get. Ehhez kívánok nektek Boldog Új Évet!
Midnight is approaching, another year has passed, old memories are awakening in our hearts. Happy New Year, wish your dreams never come to an end. Happy New Year!
Virradjonrá dszé pnap, kö szö ntsö nrá djó é v, kedveshajlé kodbakö ltö zzö najó lé t. Alelkedbebolddogsá g, aszí vedbebé ke, eztkí vá nomNekedaz ú j é vre.
May a beautiful day bloom over you, may it greet you good year, may grace come upon you. And happiness reigns in your soul, peace reigns in your heart. This is what I wish for you in the new year!
Kö zelegaz é jfé lmá rmegintelteltegy é v ! Szí vü nkben. felé brednekaré giemlé kek! Legyé lboldog. ebbenaz é vben ! É ntisztaszí vembő lkí vá nokmindenkinekBoldog Ú j É vet!
Midnight is approaching, another year has passed again! Old memories come back to life in our hearts! Be happy this year! From the bottom of my heart I wish everyone a happy new year!
Eljö ttaz é vnekutolsó napja, jó kí vá nsá gokattö ltö kapezsgő spoharadba. Legyé lnagyonszerencsé s, gazdag é svidá m, Talá ljonRá daz ú j é vbenazigazibolddogsá g. BUÉK.
The last day has come, filling your glass of champagne good wishes. Be happy, rich and cheerful! May true happiness find you in the new year! I wish you a happy new year!
BoldogKará csonyt!
Merry Christmas!
KellemesKará csonyi Ü nnepeket é sBoldog Ú j É vetor simplyB.U.É K!
Literally: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
BoldogKará csonyt é sBoldog Ú j É vet!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Boldogkará csonyt! Kellemeskará csonyi ü nnepeketmindenkinek!
Merry Christmas! Have a nice Christmas holiday!
Ö rö mö dsoklegyen, bá natodsemmi, segí tsenazIstenbolddognaklenny. Legyé lmindigvidá m ö rü ljmindenszé pnek, BoldogKará csonytkí vá noknaked!
Be happy, let disagreements pass you by, may the Lord help you to be happy! Always be cheerful and enjoy everything beautiful, I wish you a Merry Christmas!
Kelemeskará csonyi Ü nnepeketmidenismerö sö mnek!
Happy Christmas holidays to all my friends!
Ahogyahó
piheszá
llkitartottkezedre, ú
gyszá
lljonfü
ledbeangyalok é
neke.
Melengesseszí
vedetsoksokszeretet í
gykí
vá
noknakedboldog ü
nnepeket!
As a snowflake falls on your hand, let the song of angels be heard in your ears. May your heart be warmed with lots and lots of love! I wish you a very happy Christmas holiday!
Csillagfé nyes á lmaidvá ljanakvaló ra, legyen ü nneplelkednekmindennap é s ó ra. Kerü ljeabá nat ö rö kreelhá back, é rjenannyibolddogsá g, mitembercsakkí vá nhat!
May all your dreams come true, may every day and every hour be a holiday. May disagreements always bypass your home, and may there be as much happiness as a person can wish for!
Ahó alattalszanakahá zak, Azegé szvilá gcsupavará zslat. S, mintvalamitü ndé rá lom. Eljö nhozzá nkszentKará csony. Bé ké s ü nnepeketkivá nok!
Houses sleep under the snow, and the whole world is magical, and Christmas comes to us like a fairytale dream. I wish you a happy Christmas holiday!
Mennyeiszeretetjá rja á tafö ldet, Mosolyogj , ü nnepelj, felejtsdelakö nnyet. Angyalká krepdessé kkö rbeaTefá dat, Boldogsá g, bé kessé g á ldjamegahá back! BOLDOGKARÁ CSONYT!
There is so much love on earth, smile, celebrate and forget about tears. Angels circle around your Christmas tree, blessing your home for happiness and peace. Merry Christmas!
Kiskará csony, nagykará csony, Angyalcsó kjará tokszá lljon. hozzonnektekmindenjó t, necsakalmá t, mogyoró t. Boldogsá got, bé kessé get, szé pjö vő t, melegsé get. Bé ké sKará csonytkí vá nunknaked!
Little Christmas, big Christmas, angel kisses you, may he bring you all the good things, not just apples and peanuts. Happiness, peace, a wonderful future, warmth. We wish you a peaceful Christmas!
Akkorszé pakará csony, hafehé rbentalá lom, akkorszé paz é letem, hamegosztod é nvelem!
Then it's a wonderful Christmas if it's white. And my life is wonderful if you share it with me!
Thank you to the teachers for their help in creating this post. Hungarian language Maria and Julia)
New knowledge - new opportunities!
Hello Libor! If you remember, you and I parted because today we will continue preparing for Christmas.
I remember. Only I would like to, considering that this is the last lesson this year Czech language that we, together with our radio listeners, repeated what we had already taught.
Libor, but this is impossible! Are you going to repeat everything that we have told you throughout the year within the framework of one program?!
Of course not. Today we only have holiday themes: Christmas and New Year!
Actually, you and I were planning to go shopping for gifts....
So let's go, especially since this is the last weekend before the holiday. Gold.
Not the weekend, but Sunday.
That's right. In the Czech Republic it is customary to call the last three Sundays before Christmas: bronze - bronze, silver - stříbrna and gold - zlata.
We also talked about the fact that in the Czech Republic brings gifts for Christmas Ježíšek. This is the newborn Jesus Christ. After all, the Christmas holiday is the birth of Jesus.
We also talked about good tradition when on the eve of Christmas all the children write letters Ježiškovi asking you to give them what they want. Those children who cannot write draw their wishes. In this regard, there is even this pre-Christmas wish: “bohatého Ježíška”!
We already talked about the traditional Christmas dinner in the previous program. But we never got to the gifts.
Let's do everything in order. So, December 24 is the pre-Christmas evening, because Christmas, in theory, is on the night of December 24 to 25 according to the Catholic calendar. So, December 24 - Štědry večer.
I remember how you told me that on this day you can’t eat until the first star appears in the sky, in a word, until dinner. He also said that if you don’t eat all day, then Štědry večer you will see the “golden pig”.
There is such a belief.
Let's skip dinner already. We have already discussed the entire menu.
In many families, they symbolically set an alarm clock so that after dinner the bell rings - this is Ježíšek brought gifts. And if today we have dedicated our program to Christmas traditions, then we must not forget that on this day they sing “ koledy" On this day, children go from house to house and sing Christmas carols, and people thank them and give them fruits, candies, and coins.
So please sing one of them to us.
I probably won’t be able to sing, but I’ll read:
Dej Bůh štěstí tomu domu,
My zpíváme, víme komu:
Malemu děťátku,
Kristu Jezulatku,
Dnes v Betlemě
Narozenemu.
And now we can only wish each other, all our colleagues, family, friends and, of course, radio listeners: Veselé Vánoce a Šťastný Nový Rok!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
In the Czech Republic, preparations for Christmas - Vánoce in Czech - begin long before December 25th. On St. Andrew's Day, November 30, Prague and thirteen Czech regions are plunged into magical atmosphere Advent, waiting for the Messiah. On the streets of cities here and there in large flower pots Christmas trees "grow" with Stars of Bethlehem on the tops of heads, bouquets of evergreen mistletoe miraculously appear on the front doors of houses, colored garlands are lit in the windows. In the heart of old Prague, on Old Town and Wenceslas Squares, souvenir sellers set up their stalls, and the wind carries the alluring aromas of punch, mulled wine, grog, roasted chestnuts and boiled corn throughout all the nooks and crannies.
On December 4, St. Barbara's Day, Czechs cut branches from cherry trees - barborki - and place them in water. By Christmas, barborkas should bloom, which means they should bring good luck. The day on which the first greenery appears on the chilled branches will symbolize the most successful month in the coming year. According to an old tradition, three weeks before Christmas, the housewives of Czech houses begin to bake festive gingerbread cookies (Zázvorky) and vanilla horns (Vanilkové rohlíčky). Today this custom is rarely followed, baking cookies, maximum, three to four days before the great holiday.
On December 6, on the day of St. Nicholas - Mikulas - the first children's party. Old man Mikulash, with a long gray beard and staff reminiscent of the Russian Father Frost, walks the streets with a large box of gifts in the company of a devil and an angel and is interested in the behavior of local children. Sweet gifts - candy (bonbóny), gingerbread (perníčky), nuts (ořechy) - go to diligent and well-mannered children, as well as to those who amuse Mikulas with a kind poem or a funny song. On this day, on Třebíč Square in Karlovy Vary, traditional fun is held in honor of Mikulas: city residents light Christmas trees and sing carols.
Czechs spend almost a whole week in pre-Christmas fun, and on December 13, the day of St. Lucia, the protector against witchcraft and enchantment, young Czech women put on white robes, whiten their faces with powder and go out into the street in search of carefree passers-by from whom they can get money or candy.
A week before Christmas, fish sellers and lines of traditional Czechs appear on the streets of the Czech Republic, lining up in front of large tubs of water. Selected carps splash in these tubs, which were raised in special ponds throughout the year. It is believed that there should not be a single piece of meat on the Czech Christmas table; the traditional Christmas dish of Czech cuisine is fried carp (smažený kapr) with a side dish of potato salad (bramborový salát).
Christmas Eve on December 24 in the Czech Republic is called Generous Evening. On this day, also called Bear Christmas, it is customary to feed the bears with sweets. For example, residents of the city of Cesky Krumlov feed the bears living in the fortress moat.
When the first star appears in the sky, Czech homes sit down to the table. One of good luck this evening - an even number of guests and the number of prepared dishes equal to nine. On the Christmas table you can almost always see Czech pies (koláč), pancakes (lívance), filled flour balls (knedlíky), and lentil soup. The traditional Christmas alcoholic drink in the Czech Republic is Becherovka, a liqueur made from medicinal herbs, prepared according to an old Czech recipe. In Karlovy Vary there is a whole Becherovka museum, by visiting which you can learn the history of the drink, the intricacies of its preparation and even taste it. As for Christmas beer, it is brewed in the Czech Republic in limited quantities and is sold in bars only as draft beer. In Russia, Czech Christmas beer (Pražečka Christmas) can be found in large supermarkets.
For dessert in the Czech Republic they serve traditional Christmas cake (vánočka) with almonds and raisins, waffles (oplatky) with honey, cakes (vánoční dortíky), gingerbread cookies and tiny cookies with a diameter of 2-3 cm (cukroví). Around Christmas, in Czech stores you can buy more than twenty types of this delicacy, sold in large colorful boxes by weight and individually.
On Christmas night in the Czech Republic, three masses are celebrated, which are a symbol of the birth of Christ in the womb of the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and in the soul of every believer. During religious services, Czech streets are empty. The Basilica of St. George in Prague, the Bethlehem Chapel, and the Church of Our Lady the Victorious are filled with Czechs of all ages. Everywhere, both in houses and on city streets, you can see the so-called Bethlems, models of mangers with figures of the born savior and the Virgin Mary, surrounded by shepherds and angels, donkeys, camels and other animals. Once upon a time, each Czech family made its own model of a manger from wood, straw, paper and clay. Today, the production of Bethlems is increasingly being done by professional artists, exhibiting their works in churches and city squares. Such exhibitions are akin to puppet theater shows telling the story of the main miracle of Christmas - elegant dolls move and sing, and in some places you can see live donkeys and ponies, decorously carrying happy children along the winter sidewalks. In the Czech Republic, a whole cult of the baby Jesus has been created - here he is affectionately called Jerzyška (Ezulatko) and is depicted as a festively dressed rosy doll. The Jesulatka Museum in Prague displays dresses made for the baby Jesus by queens and princesses from all over the world.
On the first day of Christmas, December 25, people come to the embankments of the Vltava - on this river the cities of Cesky Krumlov, Ceske Budejovice, Prague - with aquariums, buckets, pots and bags filled with water. This tradition appeared relatively recently, but every year more and more kind-hearted Czechs bring carp to the river, which should have become Christmas dinner. The fish, having spent Christmas evening in bathtubs and basins on tables, having already received names, are solemnly released into the cold waters of the river.
The Czech Christmas tale does not end there. On December 26, on St. Stepan's Day, it is customary for the Czechs to inspect betlemas and sing carols; On the day of John the Evangelist, December 27, a ritual of wine purification takes place, and on December 31, along with the New Year, St. Sylvester's Day comes in the Czech Republic, on which it is customary to visit relatives and give gifts.
The cheerful din on the streets of Prague and thirteen Czech regions does not subside for a minute. The lights are still burning in the windows of the houses, glittering with gold. wrapping paper bouquets of mistletoe on the front doors, spruce, fir and pine trees growing in huge flower pots still look fresh and fabulous, and over the red brick roofs, covered with white snow, the wind with renewed vigor carries the alluring smells of fried sausages and glazed gingerbread, aromas punch, grog and mulled wine.
Recipes
Christmas punch
Ingredients:
200 ml rum 
100 g raisins
½ l strong black tea
½ l red wine
a few slices of lemon
2 pieces whole cinnamon
4 things. dried cloves
Preparation:
Soak the raisins in rum for several hours. Next, bring the mixed tea, red wine, lemon slices, cinnamon pieces and dried cloves to a boil. Pour rum with raisins soaked in it into thick glass glasses, pour a slightly cooled drink of tea and wine on top, after removing the spices.
Christmas gingerbread cookies
Ingredients:
225 g flour 
90 g butter
90 g sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. ground ginger
ground cinnamon, cloves on the tip of a knife
1 packet of baking powder or 1 tsp. soda slaked in vinegar
Preparation:
Beat softened butter with sugar. Separately, beat the egg, add ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, whipped butter and sugar, baking powder or soda slaked in vinegar, flour. Knead the dough and put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Place the chilled dough on a floured work surface and roll out to a thickness of 3mm. Using various cutters, cut out the cookies, place them on a baking sheet, the bottom of which has been previously covered with baking paper, and place in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Vanilla crescents (horns)
Ingredients:
280 g flour
200 butter
80 g powdered sugar
vanilla sugar
100 g ground walnuts
Preparation:
Sift flour, vanilla sugar and powdered sugar in a deep bowl walnuts. Gradually stir in the softened butter, knead the dough, wrap it in food foil and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Form small crescent-shaped bagels from the chilled dough, place on a baking sheet, the bottom of which has been pre-lined with baking paper, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees until the bagels are browned. Sprinkle the finished cookies with powdered sugar.
Christmas gingerbread
Ingredients:
650 g flour
250 g powdered sugar
50 g melted butter
100 g liquid honey
3 eggs
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp salt
2 tsp a mixture of ground cloves, allspice, cinnamon and a pinch of ginger
For the glaze:
150 g powdered sugar
1 protein
1 tsp starch
A few drops of lemon juice
Preparation: 
Mix melted butter with honey, add eggs, cocoa, salt, and seasoning mixture to the cooled mixture. Sift flour and powdered sugar onto a board, add the mixture obtained earlier, knead the dough and leave under the film for 24 hours. The next day, roll out the dough to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut out the gingerbread cookies using various cutters. If the dough seems too tight, keep it in a water bath for a while. Place the gingerbread cookies on a greased baking sheet and bake until done at a temperature of 160-190 degrees.
Decorate the cooled gingerbread with glaze made from powdered sugar, whipped with egg white, lemon juice and starch.
Christmas carp baked in the oven with sage
Ingredients:
1 carp
120 g butter
125 g cream
Preparation: 
Gut and scale the fish, divide the carcass into two parts, pepper, salt and sprinkle with sage. Melt 80 g of butter on a baking sheet, place the carp, pour the remaining melted butter on top of the fish. Bake the fish in the oven at high temperature, periodically pouring fish broth or water over the carp. Place the finished fish on a plate and cover with a lid. Mix the juice remaining after cooking the fish with cream, bring to a boil and pour it over the carp.
Bramboran (potato) salad
Ingredients:
300 g potatoes
juice and zest of 1 lime
50 ml olive oil
10 g fresh grated ginger
green onions
ground white pepper
Preparation:
Peel the potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes and boil in salted boiling water. Wash the finished potatoes cold water and transfer to a bowl. For the dressing, combine lime zest and juice, ginger, finely chopped green onions, ground white pepper and olive oil. Season the potatoes with the mixture and place in the refrigerator. You can serve the salad with sour cream and chopped mint.
Lebanese (pancakes)
Ingredients:
½ l warm milk
500 g flour
2 eggs
30 g yeast
60 g sugar
10 g lemon zest
100 g marmalade 
80 g cottage cheese
salt
Preparation:
Prepare yeast dough using the sponge method from yeast, sugar, milk, flour, a pinch of salt, lemon zest and eggs.
Grease a frying pan with melted fat and fry small pancakes until golden brown. Grease the finished pancakes with marmalade and sprinkle with cottage cheese. Lebanese can be served with sour cream or whipped cream.
Fruit dumplings
Ingredients:
250 g cottage cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp. decoys
ground crackers 
pieces of any fruit or dried apricots
cinnamon
powdered sugar
vanilla sugar
melted butter
Preparation:
Knead the dough from cottage cheese, eggs, semolina and 1 tbsp. ground crackers. Form cakes with a diameter of 5 cm and 0.5 cm thick, place pieces of fresh fruit or dried apricots in the center of the cakes, sprinkle with cinnamon and close the cakes well, giving them the shape of balls with filling inside. Boil the dumplings in boiling salted water, sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs, powdered sugar and vanilla sugar, and pour in melted butter.
Christmas bath
Ingredients:
1 kg flour 
¼ l milk
80 g yeast
200 g powdered sugar
2 eggs
250 g butter
vanilla sugar
zest of 1 lemon
almond
raisin
salt
Preparation:
To prepare the Christmas Vanochka, knead the dough from milk, yeast and a small amount of sugar. Mix flour, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, grated lemon zest, a pinch of salt, 1 egg and softened butter. Add the resulting mixture, chopped almonds and raisins (to taste) to the prepared dough, knead the dough and leave to rise for 3 hours. The dough must be kneaded twice and allowed to rise again. Weave braids from the risen dough, place on a greased baking sheet, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with chopped almonds, pierce in several places with a wooden stick and let stand for another 15 minutes. Bake the pie for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 175 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 150 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. The readiness of the dough is determined by using a wooden stick: pierce the dough in the thickest area and if the stick remains dry, the pie is ready.
In Czech, Christmas is called Vanoce. The Czechs have been preparing for it since December 4 - St. Barbara's Day. Many people place branches of cherry trees in water as a kind of fortune telling. If the branch turns green by Christmas, all plans for the new year will definitely come true.
December 6, St. Nicholas, mummers are walking around all over Prague: the Bishop in a tiara with a staff, Mikulas, the Angel and the Devil. They ask the children if they behaved well, and then treat them with sweets.
In a couple of weeks, Christmas will take over all of Prague. There are Christmas concerts, sales, and celebrations everywhere. And even on the quietest outskirts you can see posters “Vesele Vanoce!” ("Merry Christmas!"). Owners of shops and restaurants consider it their duty to decorate the doors of their establishments with a Christmas tree. Bethlems appear, images of the Bethlehem manger where Jesus was born.
In the squares of Prague, in churches and even in the windows of houses, compositions with the baby, Mary, and the Magi appear. The townspeople try their best; the figures are made of wood, straw, gingerbread and paper. The largest betlem is placed on Old Town Square. Reality is given by living sheep. And if in Italy the figurine of the Child Christ appears in the manger only after Christmas midnight, then the Czechs put the baby in immediately.
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square turn into huge festive markets for Christmas. Rows of souvenirs appear: candles, ceramic toys, copper bells, wooden dolls and musical Santa Clauses, jester's hats.
Almost all souvenirs are Chinese, except for candlesticks, which are forged right in front of the customer.
From Prague, Bohemian crystal, beer mugs, plates, cups with city views, original photographs and paintings, T-shirts, puppets and wooden toys are brought as souvenirs. All this can be found and bought in the area of the street. Celetna and the Golden Cross in the Old Town, where there is a whole pedestrian zone with shops, boutiques, stalls and benches.
New Year's sales begin earlier every year; as early as October you can see “sleva” signs. By the way, be careful with your money, they say Prague is a pickpocket's paradise. You can see posters in the subway: under the photo with a mountain of wallets there is the inscription: “Thank you for our rich Christmas!” with the signature: “Union of Pickpockets of the Czech Republic.”
The smell of mulled wine is in the air on the streets of Prague these days. Grog, mulled wine and punch are sold throughout the city.
The main Czech Christmas tradition. A few days before December 24, vats appear on Prague streets and intersections in which “carps” - large fish up to 1 m long - splash around.
In America there is turkey. In Russia - Olivier salad. A In the Czech Republic, it’s impossible to imagine Christmas without... fish. Every family always prepares Christmas carp for the table. They are grown in special ponds and then sold alive in aquariums and tubs in stores, at Christmas markets and simply on the streets.
Main course
Many buy carp a couple of days before the holiday and let the temporary pet splash around in the bath. There are thousands of recipes for cooking carp, from simple frying to marinating in beer.
The Czechs have fried carp for Christmas, the same tradition as we have Olivier for the New Year. If you ate river carp on Christmas evening, you can be calm: prosperity will be with you all year. They say that fish bones should not be thrown away, but rather buried in your garden to preserve well-being. To make money, you need to put the scales of the eaten carp in your wallet.
In parallel with the tradition of eating carp, there is another one: After the holiday, the unharmed fish can be peacefully and solemnly released into the river. However, the idea of eating carp is incomparably more popular.
The Czech Republic is not the only country where carp is eaten at Christmas. This custom also exists in Germany, Austria, and Slovakia. But such a fishing frenzy cannot be found anywhere else, and Czech carp has become a kind of quality mark for neighboring countries where the Czechs export fish.
According to Christian tradition, you can sit down at the table no earlier than the first star appears in the sky. Until this time, you can only eat sauerkraut soup. If you do everything correctly, you can see the mysterious golden pig in the evening ( zlaté prasátko).
On Christmas Eve or “Generous Evening” everyone gathers as a family around a large table. “Carp” is eaten with potato salad; on the table there are always roasted chestnuts, bacon in sauce, raisin bread made from nine strips, painted gingerbread cookies, dumplings, and nut “hornet’s nests.” They sit at the table with the first star, because whoever fasted before Christmas will have a golden pig come to him and bring doubly happiness.
Alcohol should not be consumed on Christmas Eve. The number of people at the table during dinner must be even.
You cannot leave the table before the end of the meal: according to legend, the first person to get up after Christmas dinner will be the first person present to die. That's why everyone had to rise at the same time.
And if you sit at the table with your back to the door or with your shoelaces tied, this is guaranteed to bring thieves into your house.
The Christmas feast is full of old signs. For example, an even number of guests must be present at the table; in extreme cases, an empty plate with cutlery must be placed.
A carp scale is placed under each plate for good luck, and sometimes a small coin is added to it. It happens that the scales are hidden in a wallet and carried with them all year. During a festive dinner, it is considered a bad omen to leave the table; the hostess should have everything at hand.
To young people who are next year want to get married, they should sit on a corner during a gala feast, and in order for a girl to get married, she needs to cut a piece of butter from a new briquette during a gala dinner, then she will receive a husband with a peaceful character.
If during a Christmas treat one of the guests suddenly has a ringing in their ear, it means that that person will be talked about well throughout the year. When you go to Christmas dinner with friends, you shouldn't come back for a forgotten walking stick or shoes, otherwise you will have to suffer misfortunes all year.
On December 24, before sitting down to the table, in Prague it is customary to go with children to the bank of the Vltava, where sellers are already waiting for them. They also sell live carp, but not for the fish to be eaten. This is where the tradition of releasing the purchase into the river was born. Children especially enjoy this entertainment. Maybe that’s why the Czechs call Christmas Eve Generous Day.
To stay healthy throughout the next year, on the morning of December 24, you need to wash yourself in a cold stream.
On the same day, Christmas Eve in the Czech Republic - Bear Christmas, the Czechs traditionally feed the bears with sweets. Bears live in the fortress moat in the city of Cesky Krumlov.
And the next day, according to tradition, the goose is baked and various cookies are baked. Baking it becomes a whole ritual in which everyone at home takes part.
On December 25, at exactly midnight, the Orloj clock opens on the town hall tower. The bells of Prague churches ring with the crow of a mechanical rooster. Three masses are held on Christmas: a symbol of the birth of Christ in the bosom of the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and the soul of believers. Most people in the Basilica of St. George, Church of the Virgin Mary the Victorious, Bethlehem Chapel. You should reserve a place in the church in advance; the sculpture of “Ezulatko”, or the Infant Jesus, is kept here.
December 26 in the Czech Republic is called St. Stepan, the day of revelry of carolers. There is a funny custom, on this day careless men are driven out of the house. Previously, they were actually kicked out of the house, but now they simply put a bundle next to the bed as a hint.
On December 27, the day of John the Evangelist, a ceremony of wine purification takes place in the Czech Republic.
After the ringing of the bells, Prague plunges into silence! Since December 24, many companies have been closed, everything stops working at lunchtime - clubs, museums, restaurants and supermarkets, and around 18:00 city transport operates in standby mode. After this, on the street you can only meet policemen, tourists and taxis who came to Prague for a Christmas fairy tale.
Life returns to normal on December 27, and with the opening of stores, transport begins to operate. Closer to the New Year, there are more visitors to the city than citizens, because... locals leave Prague for Christmas week.
The Czech Republic protects nature even on Christmas. Fluffy Christmas trees, miniature pines and even royal firs are sold here exclusively in pots. Trees in decorated vessels are placed throughout Prague: in squares, at the entrances to hotels, shops, restaurants and near every entrance.
The Czech Republic is the only country in the world where at Christmas you can not only eat, but also “listen to Fish”. IN in this case Jakub Jan Ryba is a famous Czech composer, author of the Christmas mass.
Fortune telling is inextricably linked with the Christmas holidays in the Czech Republic. On Christmas Eve, the owner put a glass under the table and poured some water into it; if the water decreased after dinner, it meant next year it would be dry, and if there was more water, they believed that the year would be rainy.
The harvest was predicted by the stars. If on Christmas Eve the sky was strewn with stars, it meant that the chickens would lay a lot of eggs and the harvest would be rich.
A Czech girl ate an apple on Christmas Eve, standing on the threshold of her house, and if a man walked past the house first, it meant that she would get married in the New Year. In addition, the girl threw the shoe over her head towards the door: if the toe of the shoe pointed towards the door, then she would get married this year.
Fate was often predicted from dreams at Christmas. For example, before going to bed, lying in bed, a girl had to hold her hand over her head, as if she was sowing, and say: “I sow, I sow flax, come, my dear, here, before.” broad daylight" In which direction the girl sowed, she had to turn in that direction. Whoever appears in a dream will become a husband.
A person who does not eat for the whole Generous Day may see a golden pig in the evening (apparently from hunger), which will signify a happy and financial future year!
And what else?
Usually served with carp potato salad or potatoes fried with garlic and sometimes with mushrooms. Some families also like to serve fish soup. Dinner is ending dessert, however, does not necessarily have to be traditionally Czech, it could be apple strudel.
Czech bread vanočka It was also once considered exclusively for Christmas, but has become so popular that it can be bought at any time of the year. However, this does not prevent you from treating yourself to it on holiday.
Christmas for Czechs, as for most Europeans, is a quiet and family holiday. On the festive night, children receive gifts, but not from Santa Claus or the pagan brothers of Father Frost, but directly from the baby Jesus ( Ježíšek).
Unlike other Christmas entities, he does not have any external special signs, but it is known that he enters the house through the window, and he, like all other colleagues, can write letters. On the last day, it was once customary to sing Carols and share food with the poor, but now on Christmas days the towns come to a standstill, everyone spends time with loved ones and relatives, and it is probably more correct to consider this day as another meal in the festive series.
Prague is a city that is beautiful in its own way at any time of the year. But only winter will allow you to feel like the hero of a real fairy tale.
Czechs know a lot about holidays and fun. The common misconception that the Czech Republic is a country exclusively of ancient castles and ancient traditions is confusing. Undoubtedly, the Czech Republic has a rich historical heritage and there are indeed many echoes of the Middle Ages in this country. But this does not at all prevent the Czech Republic from organizing grand celebrations.
New Year is one of the largest holidays in the republic. On the Old Town and Wenceslas Squares, music thunders all night, local and visiting groups dance, Czechs, together with guests of the capital, drink champagne and mulled wine under the Orloy chimes. People make wishes on the Charles Bridge and also admire the most beautiful and largest fireworks display in Europe. Restaurant ships flicker with lights on the Vltava. Christmas story continues until the morning.
New Year in the Czech Republic is celebrated only on December 31st. On January 1, Czechs celebrate another holiday - the Day of Restoration of Independence.It would be surprising if old New Year traditions were not preserved in the Czech Republic. After all, even New Year’s Eve in the republic is called “Sylvester” in honor of the ancient legend about Pope Saint Sylvester. On New Year's Day in the Czech Republic, it has long been customary to give gifts and send cards with congratulations. IN New Year's Eve Czechs did not work, but vacationed with their families. Since then, almost nothing has changed: on Sylvester's Eve, Czechs do not work, give each other gifts and have fun with family and friends. The charming tradition of postcards has also been preserved. Only now she has acquired more modern look and now pictures with congratulations are sent electronically.
In the Czech Republic, as well as throughout the world, the New Year is celebrated with fireworks, dancing, songs and endless delicacies. Another specifically Czech ancient tradition that has come down to us is lentils or soup with small grains on the table on New Year's Eve. It is believed that this way there will be a lot of money next year. If you are a lover of real fun, beautiful scenery, hearty dishes and a warm atmosphere, then celebrating the New Year in the Czech Republic is one of the best options.
New Year traditions
We have already found out that the Czechs are great connoisseurs of fun and large-scale holidays, and they are also crazy about all sorts of ancient legends and customs. Now let's find out what New Year traditions are present in modern life Chekhov. So, what do Czechs do for New Year:
- Decorating the Christmas tree. On the central streets of the cities of the republic, Christmas trees are put up at the beginning of winter. But in houses, Christmas trees are always decorated on December 24: for Christmas, but Christmas trees remain symbols for the New Year. Many Czechs place a nativity scene (betlémek) under the Christmas tree - a set of figurines depicting biblical scenes - they symbolize the birth of Christ. As a rule, nativity scenes are made of wood. Some are made from paper and painted by hand.
Nativity scene - figurines depicting biblical scenes. They are placed under the Christmas tree.
The first nativity scene in the country appeared in 1560 in the Church of St. Clement in Prague.- They collect more money on New Year's Day. Filling all the pockets of clothes with money on the eve of the holiday is an interesting and slightly strange custom. In this way, the Czechs “call for” a comfortable life for the next year.
- They don't meet Santa Claus! Instead of Santa Claus, other characters similar to him come to the Czechs. Saint Nicholas visits children on December 5th along with the devil and the angel. The guys tell Mikulas about how they behaved this year. If the child was obedient, the angel gives him a gift, and if he behaved badly, the devil punishes him with a bag of coal and ash. Also in the Czech Republic, the Christ Child comes to children and leaves them gifts under the Christmas tree. However, the guys never see him.
Mikulas, the Devil and the Angel are traditional characters for Christmas in the Czech Republic.
According to ancient legends, Saint Nicholas was a bishop in Turkey. He was the patron and guardian of children, as well as sailors and ferrymen. Mikulas died on December 6, 350.- Sending postcards. Postcards are an immortal tradition that Czechs have been following for several centuries. On New Year's Eve (or a few days before the holiday), local residents send each other postcards with beautiful or funny pictures, joint photographs and nice wishes. Czechs often combine Christmas and New Year wishes in such cards.
- Celebrating New Year in the mountains. Not long ago, it became extremely popular in the Czech Republic to celebrate New Year in the mountains. Families and groups of friends rent a house there for 3-4 days. New Year holidays in the mountains they are so loved by Czechs and guests of the country because of the magnificent scenery and a lot of entertainment. What is it worth just to go snowboarding or skiing! In addition, ski resorts offer a fun New Year's program.
- They believe in a lucky number. The lucky number for the New Year in the Czech Republic is 9. That is why the Czechs try to prepare 9 festive dishes and gather 9 guests at the table
- Watching TV. Surprisingly, Czechs, just like us, love to watch Alexander Rowe’s fairy tale “Morozko” on New Year’s Eve. But the president’s congratulations are broadcast only at noon on January 1.
- Eating traditional sweets. Traditional New Year's sweets in the Czech Republic are gingerbread, buns and vanilla cones. Not a single family can live without these delicacies, but they all bake them according to their own recipe.
Gingerbread is a must-have sweet for the New Year in the Czech Republic.
- Celebrate with a big group. If previously most Czechs celebrated the New Year in family circle, then now it’s customary to celebrate big company. These could be relatives, friends, colleagues and just strangers in the main square of the city.
- Prepare for festive table special dishes. On New Year's Eve, there must be carp and lentils on the table, symbolizing happiness and good luck. Selling carp is another well-established custom. Carp sales in the Czech Republic begin a few days before Christmas. Despite the fact that carp is considered a Christmas dish, they are sold on the streets and in shops almost until the New Year. It is also customary to serve pork dishes on New Year's Day. But Czechs don’t eat chicken, duck or turkey on New Year’s Eve.
Lentil soup is a New Year's dish in the Czech Republic. Lentils symbolize prosperity, happiness and good luck.
Gifts for the New Year: what and where to buy
At Czech Christmas and before New Year's fairs you can find a wide variety of souvenirs and gifts. In addition, Czech gifts will cost quite a budget. So, what can you buy at New Year's fairs in the Czech Republic:
- Famous Czech Christmas decorations Made from real blown glass. The assortment includes a huge number of bright and extraordinary glass figurines in the form of people, animals, flowers and fairy-tale characters.
- New Year's decorations made of bugles (small glass beads). It was in the Czech Republic that such Christmas tree decorations first appeared in the town of Ponikla in the 19th century.
Blown glass balls - thin handmade a real master.
The ancient tradition has survived to this day and is continued by the Ratius company. The company tries to adhere to a unique technology for making jewelry. Nowadays Ratius Christmas tree decorations are popular all over the world.
- Candlestick houses are another charming New Year's decoration. The products are handmade from red clay in the form of miniature Czech houses. There is a candle inside the souvenirs, and you can pour aromatic oil. Thus, you will get a full-fledged aroma lamp. If you want to please and pleasantly surprise your loved ones, then such a house is a great option.
- Puppets are also traditional Czech toys. They are handmade and sold in souvenir shops, toy stores and street fairs.
A candlestick house is a traditional New Year's gift in the Czech Republic.
If you don’t have much time for shopping and don’t want to linger at fairs, we recommend visiting the most popular shopping centers in the capital:
- “Palladium” is a huge shopping center located on Republic Square. This shopping center houses more than 100 stores with a wide variety of gift items, New Year's decorations glass and traditional souvenirs.
- Obchodní dům Kotva is a not so large, but cozy shopping center directly opposite the Palladium. There are several fashion stores with clothes and shoes, and many small souvenir shops.
- Nový Smíchov is a popular shopping center, which is located near the historical part of the city (address: Plzeňská 8, 150 00 Praha 5-Anděl). Here you will find a large assortment of gifts made of glass, crystal, and wood.
Palladium and Kotva are located close to each other in the center of Prague. There are other supermarkets and shops nearby where you can choose gifts. And it’s worth buying gifts during Christmas and New Year. Moreover, they take place not only in shopping centers, but also in individual brand stores.
Now you know that:
- The Czech Republic is famous not only for its rich historical heritage, but also for its large-scale and fun celebrations.
- Czechs still adhere to many old New Year traditions. For example, they send each other postcards.
- Santa Claus does not come to the Czechs.
- In the Czech Republic, it is customary to celebrate the New Year in a large company, in contrast to the family holiday - Christmas.
- From the Czech Republic you can bring interesting and unique gifts for the New Year (bema glass toys, candlestick houses).
- You can buy New Year's souvenirs and presents in the Czech Republic at street fairs or in shopping centers.
New Year's mood and gifts that you have always dreamed of!