Dominika Kocmanová

Easter – Sunday after the first spring full moon the Resurrection of Christ and a start of a new life in nature it has a pagan origin Holy week - ends - on Eastern Monday = the most important day in Czech Costumes and symbols baking chocolate lamb, Easter cake, “jidáše“ visiting our friends and relatives girls - paint eggs – by bee wax and colours boys – go from house to house - say a typical short poem - lash girls with pussy – willow sticks  girls - give them coloured eggs, chocolate, sweets Moravia – nice folk costume

May Labour Day – May 1 important during the communist era - everybody had to go to May Day Parade  commemoration a strike by workers at the Haymarket in Chicago in only eight – hour workday Liberation Day – May 8 memory of the end of the World War II

July Saints Cyril and Methodius – July 5 Christianity to Great Moravia – the 9 th century - base for our script – Roman alphabet came from the Byzantium Jan Hus Day – July 6 a reformer in the Catholic Church - mass in Czech - wanted to abolish charges – “desátky“ was persecuted by the Church July 6, 1415 – burned at the stake in Kostnice

September St. Wenceslas Day – September 28 = Czech Statehood Day the patron of the Czech Republic son of Drahomíra and Boleslav took care of the poor people and prisoners built churches development of Bohemia September 24, 929 oder 938 – murdered in the church in Stará Boleslav - planed by his younger brother Boleslav a lot of places are dedicated to him - St. Wenceslas square, St. Wenceslas cathedral - is pictured on coins

October Independent Czechoslovak State Day – October 28 October 28, 1918 – creation of Czechoslovakia the main personage = T.G.Masaryk - The Washington´s Declaration = about the independence of the Czechoslovakia October 28, 1918 – The Czechoslovakia was declared - ”Men of October 28 ” – Švehla, Rašín, Soukup, Stříbrný, Šrobár the first prezident = T.G.Masaryk the first Prime Minister = Karel Kramář

November All Soul´ Day – November 2 it is dedicated to our ancestors and deceased family members holiday of calm and peace people go to cemeteries, clean graves and put candles there Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day – November 17 November 17, 1938 – the student protested against the Nazis November 17, 1989 – start of the Velvet Revolution - students commemorated a murder of Jan Opletal (1939 ) - ended up with the revolution – freedom and democracy

December St. Nicholas Day – December 5 not an official holiday the evening before his feast day St. Nicholas – pastoral staff, bishop´s hat, red or white coat visits houses (mainly children) with an angel and a devil devil – scares children, lures them into a hell at first – he asks parents about children's behavior children – sing a song (usually about St. Nicholas) presents for well – behaved children – apples, walnuts, oranges, sweets, chocolate presents for bad – behaved children – potatoes, coal

Christmas – December 24 – 26 almost in every country – every keeps its own customs and traditions holidays of calm, peace, Advent 4 weeks before Christmas preparation for Christmas cleaning our houses putting up Christmas decoration shopping, buying presents for our relatives colours of Christmas = pink, violet, green, red baking sweets – vanilla rolls, beehives, gingerbreads lighting 4 candles on a wreath - every Sunday in December - names of Sundays = iron, bronze, silver, gold

Symbols comet – it appeared on the sky when Jesus Christ was born Christmas tree – since the 16 th century advent wreath – candles on the wreath = symbols of life and hope Nativity scene – from wood, ceramic, wax, paper Christmas star mistletoe (=jmelí) – protection of people from fire and witches Christmas carols – about Jesus´s birth the advent calendar candles carp

Customs pouring lead cutting apples sending walnut boat throwing by a slipper a fish scale under a plate nobody should stand up from a dinner 1 plate for an unexpected guest lentils in a soup – for lots of money during the next year passing a chain around a table – for family cohesion

Christmas Eve – December 24 Jesus´s birth in the morning and afternoon - people shouldn´t eat meat  the gold pig - decorating Christmas trees – by glass stars, bells, gingerbreads, bulbs  Christ Child sometimes brings it with presents - watching fairy tales on TV (mainly children) - preparing Christmas dinner - children are looking forward to Christ Child in the evening – the most important part of the day - Christmas dinner = soup, carp or schnitzel and potato salad, sweets, fruits - all family together, singing Christmas carols - according to traditions - Christ Child gives to children presents - believers go to the Midnight Mass to churches

Christmas Day – December 25 and St. Stephen Day – December 26 watch TV visit friends and relatives eat sweets people shouldn´t clean their houses and work masses in churches in the past – children went from house to house and sang a carol about St. Stephen

December and January New Year´s Eve – December 31 it was named after Pope Silvestr – propagated Christianity celebrate the coming of the new year huge parties and celebrations – friends or family together alcohol and lots of food entertainment at the midnight – a celebratory drink - enjoy fireworks – big in towns or small – private - many injuries New Year´s Day – January 1 = The Creation of an Independent Czech State lots of food and a rest after parties New Year´s resolutions