Czechs have their own unique Christmas traditions to celebrate the upcoming holidays. Below are a few of them:
Carp for dinner. Carp is an important part of the Christmas meal and is one of the most popular non-meat options. This tradition dates as far back as the Middle Ages, where Catholics could not eat meat during fasting, so carp became a popular alternative for the Christmas Eve meal. An even stranger part of the tradition is that some families even buy the carp a few days or weeks in advance and keep it alive in their bathtub ahead of the special meal. Fried carp, fish soup, and potato salad are popular Christmas meal items.
Baby Jesus delivers presents after dinner. Instead of Santa Claus, baby Jesus delivers the presents under the tree, typically on Christmas Eve after Christmas dinner. A bell is rung to denote the arrival of presents.
See a flying golden pig for good luck. The saying goes if you do not eat meat on Christmas Eve, you will see a golden pig in the sky that will bring you good luck in the new year.
Use food items for fortune telling. Read the seeds of sliced apples or the shells of walnuts to determine your health and well-being for the next year.
What are your Christmas traditions?