Czech feasts include Christmas, celebrated with traditions like decorating trees, fasting, and exchanging gifts on Christmas Day, as well as Easter, marked by special foods and the blessing of baskets in church. Traditions around both holidays involve fortune-telling through cutting apples and pouring molten lead as well as gift-giving, singing, and visiting relatives.

1. TYPICAL CZECH FEASTS

2. CHRISTMAS
 First important day is 4th December: Barborka. On this day people cut sprigs
from cherry or apple tree and put them to a vase. On a paper, every member of
family writes his wish and put it the on a sprig. When somebody´s sprig blooms, the
wish will come true.
 On 5th December come "the devils". They go from house to house with st.
Mikuláš and angels and frighten small children. Who was good , gets some sweets
and an Advent calendar and who was bad, gets nothing or potatoes and coal.
Mikuláš,angels and devils

3.  Before Christmas, we burn one candle on advent wreath every Sunday. One or two
days before Christmas, we decorate the Christmas tree and prepare for Christmas Day. On
Christmas day, some people observe Christmas severe fasting. And who endures, can "see
a golden pig".
Before Christmas, we bake sweets.
 Christmas Day: We get up and have
breakfast. For breakfast we have
vánočka and štola. After breakfast, we
watch typical Christmas fairy e.g. Three nuts for
, Princess, About Goldhair, Shrecarol, Truncheon ,
from sack out, Mrazík, Salt above gold…
vánočka

4.  And now we have lunch. For lunch we have : Kuba, Zelňačka, Vinná sausage. In the
evening, we sing Christmas carols.
Traditional habit is to cut apples in halves. If the inside part with cores shapes a star , the
next year you will be healthy.
But when it shapes a cross, somebody from
the family will die or be sick. Another habit
is to cast lead. Above flame, heat a bit of lead until it is thawing. Prepare a vessel with
water and pour lead into it with care. The shape that comes out tells you about your
future.
Vinná sausage ZelňačkaKuba

5. Next habit is making and floating nut boats. Halve a walnut and take out ,
the core and fasten candle and let them float in water. . If yours
doesn´t sink and the candle shines long you will ,
have a happy life. If boat keeps near the edge of the vessel , its owner will stay
at home all the year. If it floats to the center, you will go to the world.
In the evening , we have a festive dinner for all family. For dinner we have a potato salad with
carp or cutlet. Under the plate, we put a carp´s scale which will bring sufficient money for all the
year. And then children go
out and Jesus brings presents under the Christmas tree.
After that somebody goes to midnight mass to church.On
25th December is a holiday. Everything is calm and quiet.On 26th December we visit relatives
and friends, prepare lunch and give small presents for example sweets , nuts and fruit.We talk
about what who got "from Jesus".And we have a good rest after the busy Christmas period.

6. EASTER
 We celebrate arrival of spring. They are after first full moon between 22nd
March and 25th April. Blue Monday and Yellow Tuesday– on this day people
clean and
whiten houses. Ugly Wednesday- they clean
chimneys and women bake Judas. You can´t
frown or you will frown every Wednesday
all year round. Green Thursday- the name came from green food . People usually
eat young nettles, spinach, cabbage, sorrel and some herbs, Big Friday- this day
was hard-fasting day. People should not wash clothes , they don´t work in the
field.

7.  White Saturday-people cook festive food , bake mazanec and Easter lambs , make
pomlázka and decorate eggs. Easter Day - in the church , the priest sanctifies food. At
home , we prepare for Easter Monday. Easter Monday- on this day , girls wait for
carrolers. The boys gently whip the girls and get decorated eggs , chocolate and a
ribbon. Girl will "stay beautiful all year". Who comes after 12 o´clock will be poured
with cold water. Typical food are lambs and mazanec
Lambs Easter eggs
Mazanec

8. QUIZ
 1) What is celebrated on the fifth December ?
 2) Typical food on Easter ?
 3) What is one of the habits of Christmas ?
 4) What happens when a carroler comes after 12 o´clock on Easter ?

9. Thank you for your attention !