From the Brevnov Monastery to the modern-day Pilsner, the Czech people have been enjoying beer for over a thousand years. Known as the beer of tradition, Czech beer is ingrained into history itself.
In Slavic cultures, spring has always been the most important time of the year - it’s the time of rebirth, associated with life, fertility, and love. Ancient Slavs celebrated the end of winter and the coming of spring with a number of festivals and rituals. Among Czechs, one such tradition has survived to this day - popularly known as Czech Valentine’s Day.
Koleda, or Koliada, is an ancient pre-Christian Slavic festival, marking the winter solstice. Ancient Slavs believed that during the dark and cold winter, the border between the spiritual and the mortal worlds is the thinnest. The purpose of Koleda was to bring new light to this dark period and prepare for the next year by blessing local households and keeping malevolent spirits away. For this reason, candles and bonfires were lit in preparation for Koleda to help the winter turn to spring and symbolize the return of the Sun. This gave the ancient Slavs hope and lifted their spirits during the depressing winter.
The holidays are upon us and I thought we might look into Czech traditions for celebrating the New Year. In the Czech Republic, New Year’s Eve is called Silvestr, for the anniversary of the consecration of Pope Sylvester I, a saint who served as Pope of the Western Church from 314 to 335. Since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the December 31st feast date has coincided with New Year’s Eve
