Christmas and New Year's Eve in Prague
As with most capitalist market-driven societies, Christmas in Prague has become more and more commercialized in recent years. Some stores start putting up holiday decorations as early as October, though it is considered better taste to wait until November. During the months leading up to Christmas you can expect the same crowded shopping malls as in any other city. Prague is more unique in its outdoor Christmas markets which set up in Wenceslas and Old Town Squares for the holiday season. Here you can buy hot mulled wine, Christmas trinkets (as well as other run-of-the-mill souvenirs), and live carp. During the four weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas, the city sparkles with decorative lights on the trees. A large spruce tree is placed in Old Town Square and is ceremonially lit up sometime in the beginning of December.
The dates December 24th through December 26th are bank holidays, but it is on the 24th rather than the 25th that Czechs celebrate Christmas. On this day, it is common to gather with friends and family in the evening for a traditional Christmas dinner of carp and a very heavy potato salad. The preparation of the carp varies according to personal taste and family tradition, so it may be baked, broiled, breaded and fried, or made into soup. The quality of the carp is also highly variable. Because carp live in the Czech Republic’s rather muddy lakes, the more mature fish sometimes taste a bit muddy as well. Therefore, it’s best to go for the younger, smaller carp. After dinner, it is common practice to open the presents which are laid out beneath the decorated Christmas tree. However, it is not St. Nicholas or Santa Claus but Jesus himself who brings gifts for the children who have been good all year. He knows who has been naughty and who has been nice because on December 5th, St. Nicholas Day, trios of people dressed as St. Nick, the Devil, and the Angel go around asking children if they’ve been good or not. Although Czechs are not particularly religious, the churches are often packed the night of the 24th for midnight services. A special midnight mass is held in Old Town Square, often with live solos from members of the National Theatre Opera and Prague State Opera.
New Years Eve in Prague, as in most large cities, is a big drinking holiday. Throngs of people gather in Wenceslas Square and Old Town Squares to drink in the streets, set off fireworks, and ring in the New Year. The restaurants and pubs will be crowded, so it’s best to make reservations ahead of time. Many places will charge a set cover fee for the night, so you pay an all-inclusive amount up front. To avoid the loud parties and heavy drinking, many Czechs prefer to spend New Years Eve in the smaller villages or mountain areas outside of Prague, though these places also require reservations.