5 Forgotten Czech Christmas Traditions We Should Bring Back

The Christmas season has a completely different meaning today than it did for our relatives at the beginning of the last century or the century before last. Holiday traditions are fading away and being replaced with superficial things, but here are a few of the older ones that we think should be brought back.

Rules for Christmas Dinner

On the table should be exactly nine dishes which the housekeeper has spent the whole day preparing. No one should eat any of the food before the first evening star appears in the sky. And all the food that is not eaten during the evening, should be buried in the garden – to guarantee that the following year there would be a rich harvest.

No one was allowed to stand up from the table during dinner, as this would mean that the following year, the whole family wouldn’t be together for Christmas.

The Floating of Walnut Shells

Families make little boats out of walnut shells and place small burning candles into them. The boats then float on bowls of water. If the shell survives the floating, that family member is guaranteed a long and healthy life. If not, bad luck will befall him or her.

Your dog – the best guardian

To make sure that your dog will guard your house well, open the main door and push the dog backward outside. That’s the weird one huh?

Prohibited Activities

On Christmas Eve, people could not do a lot of things, with regard to deceased souls who were distracted by grinding grain, pouring water into the yard, ash removal or laughter. A love letter written on December 24 was not advised as it brought the danger of an early break-up with a loved one.

Starving on Christmas Day

Some people and also kids follow a nice old tradition of fasting on Christmas Day. Because those who don´t eat all day will see a golden pig on the wall in the evening (this is a promise of wealth, happiness and prosperity, so why not participate, right?). After the whole day starving, your stomach is shrunk so much that you can barely finish the festive dinner you were looking forward to all day!