Our customs and traditions
Old traditions are slowly vanishing. Only south-western Bohemia and large parts of Moravia are areas in which traditional customs and beautiful folk songs are still alive. In our families we celebrate mostly the birthday, the wedding and baptizing of some relative mate. On these events we give each other flowers, gift and cakes.
Spring
Easter:
Easter is celebrated on Sunday and Monday after the first full moon: The whip (a rod) ("pomlazka") is used by boys who go carolling on Easter Monday and whip girls on the legs or they pour over water (this may sound scary, but it is fun).The girls give them some painted eggs or bows The Easter whip (see the picture) is made from osier twigs which are braided together. The more twigs, the more difficult it is to braid a whip. Boys used to make their own whips in the past, but this tradition and skill is long gone and Easter whips can be bought in stores and in the streets. Some men don't even bother and use a single twig or even a kitchen spatula. The girls paint Easter eggs (Easter egg). Easter eggs ("kraslice") are painted by girls and women. There are many techniques to decorate Easter eggs and they usually require a certain level of skill. You can use bee's wax, straw (hay), watercolours, and picture stickers.
Burning the witches:
30th of April: we light the fires to preserve us before the witches, we sing and enjoy ourselves.
Summer
Country fairs:
folk festivals with entertaining and fairs.
Autumn
All Saints day
2nd of November: on this day we commemorate those, who we lobbed and who are already dead. We come with flowers and candles to their graves (on the places of their last rest).
Saint Nicholas
6th of December: the day before that day, St. Nicholas accompanied by an angel and a devil, goes around people's homes in the evening to ask the kids if they were good in the past year. Most kids say yes and sing a song or recite a short poem to St. Nicholas (he looks a little bit like Santa Claus). They are then rewarded with sweets, candies, and other treats. Naughty kids are smashed by the devil with the bird, threatened with the chairs and warned to carry them down to the hell, when they are always naughty. However kids often recognize the parents or some friends dressed in the masks of Nicolas, angel and devil.
Advent
It lasts four weeks before the Christmas Eve. In this time we prepare ourselves to winter feast-Christmas.
Winter
Christmas Eve
24th of December: Christmas Eve
25th of December: Christmas Day
26th of December Boxing day
Decorating Christmas tree, preparing Christmas dinner (fish soup, fried carp and potato salad); presents are put under the tree and opened after Christmas supper (children believe that they are brought by "Jezisek" - Little Jesus), some people take part in the Midnight Mass.
Old Christmas habits:
- those who do not eat anything till Christmas dinner are said to see a little golden pig
- many people put a coin or a carp's scale under the plate to have enough money in the coming year
New Year's Eve
31st of December: on this day we celebrate the end of the old year and the coming of the new one. Joy is all around, people dance and drink. The coming of the New year is celebrated either at home with the family or in the restaurant with friends.
New Year's Day
1st of January: in the midnight we wish ourselves to New Year all the best, good health, luck and a lot of success.