December is upon us, and as we start the countdown calendar to Christmas – now just over three weeks away – we've all begun making plans for making merry.
For Czechs the evening or late afternoon of Dec. 24 (Štědrý večer) sees fish soup, potato salad, and vánočka (Christmas Bread) on the table. Czech Christmas cookies cukroví, are prepared well in advance and enjoyed throughout the festivities.
On Dec. 31, many Czechs head to the mountains for skiing, snowboarding, or hiking, while others stay home to celebrate with chlebíčky open-faced sandwiches, a drink of Bohemia Sekt, and midnight fireworks displays.
How will you celebrate Christmas this year, and how do you prepare for the holiday season? Have you adopted Czech Christmas customs since moving to the country? Or maybe you've introduced your own traditions to your Czech family.
Whether you keep a carp in the tub or a turkey in the oven, open gifts Dec. 24 or Dec. 25 (or both!), we want to know how you spend the holidays as an expat in Czechia. Share your hybrid Christmas and New Year's Eve traditions in the form below.