In the Czech Republic, virtually all residents celebrate Christmas
Many visitors may be surprised that all residents of the Czech Republic, believers and non-believers (the vast majority: according to the latest sociological survey, 94% of the population identified themselves as atheists), celebrate Christmas. It seems that most people have somewhat forgotten the religious content of this holiday and simply celebrate Christmas as the most important holiday of the year, much like we celebrate New Year's.
However, as Radio Prague notes, Christmas is associated with many more traditions and superstitions. Foreigners who have moved to the Czech Republic can learn about many of them at lectures and seminars at the Integration Center in Prague. Lecturers not only teach newcomers the Czech language but also talk about national customs, for example, how locals spend Christmas.
What do foreigners who come to the Czech Republic most want to know? Are they interested in Christmas traditions? Says Karina Kapounová, a lecturer at the Integration Center:
– I have been teaching Czech to foreigners here for the first year. I am a translator from Chinese, and before that, I worked here as an intercultural worker for the Chinese-speaking diaspora. Many migrants from China who turned to our center for help wanted to learn Czech, but some could not handle the material in regular courses, and it was decided to open a separate course for them; I explain a lot to them in Chinese. They, of course, know about Christmas; many of them have been living here for many years. Often their children attend Czech schools, so they are also familiar with our traditions. But they themselves do not celebrate Christmas; they celebrate their New Year, which usually occurs at the end of January or beginning of February. However, they are very interested in our traditions. I am often asked about certain customs, how to congratulate neighbors or acquaintances, what to cook. And sometimes they ask about the holiday itself, that is, they know that something is being celebrated, but they do not know what day it is, what we are celebrating.
Many employees of the Integration Center confirm that it is migrants from China and Vietnam who find it hardest to adopt Czech traditions. And there are several reasons for this.
The first is, of course, the language barrier. If newcomers from other Slavic countries can (thanks to the similarity of languages) hear and understand something, drawing parallels with their native language, then for newcomers from China and Vietnam, such an opportunity does not exist. Czech is completely foreign and incomprehensible to them.
The second reason is the cohesion and closed nature of these communities. They have enormous mutual assistance, but at the same time, they require full dedication and communication within the community. However, according to lecturers at the Integration Center, more and more Chinese and Vietnamese are coming to learn the language – largely because they are increasingly assimilating and want to become part of Czech society.
For many foreigners, especially those who come from distant or southern countries, much about Christmas is new. And while gifts and Christmas decorations may be familiar from, say, American movies, some typically Czech traditions can truly surprise.
In many countries outside Europe, the USA, and Canada, Christmas is practically not celebrated. In the countries of the former Soviet Union, it has long been firmly replaced by New Year, which has established itself as the main holiday of the year. Christmas here is usually celebrated only by believers, and most often exclusively within the family. Meanwhile, residents of Asian and Eastern countries celebrate their own religious holidays and New Year according to their calendar.
One of the traditions of Czech Christmas is visiting churches and cathedrals, where vigils (from Latin vigilia, watch) are held – a public worship service that, according to the rules, should last from sunset to dawn; in the Orthodox tradition, they are called all-night vigils. But since the Czech Republic is one of the most atheistic countries in Europe, the Christmas mass is called "midnight mass" and, accordingly, begins at midnight. And churches, which are usually empty, are packed at Christmas.
And it is sometimes impossible to get into large historical churches located in the city center (for example, St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague); some have to stand outside.
The celebration of Christmas is preceded by the Advent period, which begins four weeks before Christmas Eve; in the past, it was a period of fasting. Each of the four Sundays of Advent has its own name, and several traditions are associated with these days – such as the Advent wreath, Advent calendar, and others. Many foreigners, who mostly study with representatives of their own diaspora, know little about Christmas traditions and begin to observe them because of their children.
The last Czech language lesson of the outgoing year is traditionally dedicated to Christmas – teachers try to tell as much as possible about the history of this holiday, traditions, and customs. Sometimes a small celebration is held on the last day: both teachers and some students perform classic carols. There are also treats – both exotic dishes from the countries where the students come from and traditional Czech Christmas goodies: sweet cookies or Christmas braided bread, the so-called "vánočka".
According to Integration Center lecturer Lída Bartošová, many foreigners adopt some Czech customs while also preserving the traditions of their home country:
– Very often they start adopting our customs not for themselves, but for someone close to them – for a husband or wife, for children. However, it is also not uncommon that they are genuinely interested in and fascinated by our traditions. After all, it is a culture they want to become part of. For them, it is a huge motivation to learn something new, to acquire a skill. But there are also those who stick to their own customs and do not want to adopt anything. Most often, learning about traditions happens through children: mothers together with their children learn folk carols, bake cookies, because they see that everyone else is baking them. And, of course, gifts.
Things are slightly different for foreigners who have been living in the Czech Republic for many years. They already know local traditions and customs well; they are not surprised by empty streets on Christmas Eve, closed shops, and fairy tale marathons on television.
The Integration Center is a very interesting place; here people from the most diverse corners of the earth can meet, united by the fact that they have chosen the Czech Republic as a place to live. For many of them, Czech is the only language of communication. Many share their experiences of living in the Czech Republic and give each other advice.
Anyone who has lived in the Czech Republic for at least a few years is used to the fact that at Christmas the city practically dies for two days – not a soul on the streets, shops and restaurants closed. However, in recent years the situation has gradually begun to change. More and more cafes and restaurants offer to spend Christmas Eve at their place. And foreigners who came to the Czech Republic have partly played a role in this.