Roots & Wings | December 2020

The most wonderful time of the year

Christmas in the Czech Republic

Words & images by Rebecca Urbančík Garcia PRAGUE

There is something magical about the holidays when cities start setting up decorations and lights. I instantly feel the warmth, joy, and excitement in the air. Ever since I was little, Christmases were spent between the Philippines, the US, or here in Europe wherever my parents got assigned. And since my husband is Czech, spending the holidays in the Czech Republic as well has naturally become more constant. That said, I am happy to share some of my favourite things and traditions when it comes to celebrating Christmas Czech style.

In the Czech Republic, Christmas decorations do not start coming up until the start of Advent (not from the start of the “ber” months as usually done in the Philippines. A lot of people build nativity scenes on the first Sunday of Advent, as well as an Advent wreath to count down the four weeks of Advent

Around the same time Christmas markets in city squares open, the largest is located in Old Town Square in Prague. If you have not visited Prague during the Christmas season, the Christmas market in Old Town Square is a must! It does get crowded though, so you will need to navigate your way through other eager visitors.

The smell of freshly made Trdelník (a kind of spit cake or more commonly known as a chimney cake) rolled and topped with sugar and/or almonds, savoury delicacies such as halušky (soft noodles or dumplings), a bit like gnocchi served with cabbage and bacon bits, roasted Pražská šunk (Prague ham), which brings to mind a bit of roasted lechon, warm beverages such as mulled wine svařák (mead medovína) and much more fill the air of the city.

Christmas in the Czech Republic is celebrated on the 24th of December - Christmas Eve. There are a few legends and traditions related to this day. One example is the all-day fast until dinner so that one can see a golden piglet which represents good luck and wealth.

I have never made it to skipping any meal during this day as there’s so much

good food around! Speaking of food, what does the menu look like? Typically, a Czech Christmas dinner consists of fish soup (carp), schnitzels with potato salad, and a plate of traditional Christmas cookies. Of course, each Czech family does a variation of this menu. My husband’s family serves pea soup, schnitzels (chicken and pork) and fried carp with potato salad, as well as traditional Christmas cookies.

His babička (grandma) also makes apple and poppy seed strudel to add to our sweets list. (I’m getting hungry as I write this!) Once dinner is ready and you sit at Christmas table, you should not get up until the end of the meal. After dinner, the long-awaited moment finally comes — as the family, especially children wait for the sound of a bell telling them that Ježíšek (Baby Jesus) has come and left presents under the Christmas tree.

After the gifts are opened, families usually attend midnight mass. On Christmas Day, the 25th as well as the 26th of December, families visit one another and spend time together.

Christmas dinner and festivities in the Czech Republic remind of our Noche Buena in the Philippines, when all the delicious food of lechon, paella, ham and pandesal, lengua and native delicacies such as bibingka, putobungbung, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, maja blanca, make their way to an overflowing table. Family members gather around the dining table and enjoy each other’s company.

Although physically far from the Philippines, the similarities of these Czech traditions and our typical Filipino Christmas celebrations remind me of my family and “home”.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek into a typical Czech Christmas. Although 2020 has been a challenging year, Christmas is truly a magical time — so let us continue to make it a joyful and happy one.

Veselé Vánoce! Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko!