Experience A Christmas Evening in Prague

You may have seen our recent posts about Czech Christmas traditions and just all things Czech Christmas. I recently found a video filmed by Metron, a Vimeo user focusing mainly on short travel movies. The short film captures Prague’s Christmas at its best and I just had to share. The video gives you a real life like...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 20, 2016

Czech Christmas Fish Chowder for All

Whereas American’s may say “Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night”, Czech’s would say “Christmas Fish Chowder for All”. Traditionally served on Christmas Eve, carp fish soup is a Czech tradition. The images that follow are from Kampa which attracted many people in 2014. The pouring and serving of carp fish soup takes place...

Food, LIFESTYLE

December 19, 2016

Old Czech Christmas Cards & Postcards

We were browsing online for vintage and old Czech Christmas cards and postcards from then called Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) and we found so many that we decided to share the best ones here with you. This should bring back a lot of memories! They go all the way back to the early 1900s. Veselé...

Holidays, NOSTALGIA

December 18, 2016

The Mechanical Christmas Crib of Třebechovice

The Mechanical Christmas Crib of Třebechovice is a wooden nativity scene by Josef Probošt, Josef Kapucián and Josef Friml. It is made up of over 2000 carved parts and figures and took over forty years to complete. In 1999 the mechanical nativity scene was declared a national cultural monument. The crib itself is over a...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 17, 2016

Czech Christmas Traditions: Mistletoe

Just like here in the United States, mistletoe is a big part of the Czech Christmas traditions. Here mistletoe (called jmelí in Czech) is most known for its infamous reputation as a place where you kiss your loved one when they are caught standing underneath it. Except in the Czech Republic, it is not used so...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 16, 2016

Vánoční Sen aka The Christmas Dream

The Christmas Dream or in Czech, Vánoční sen, is a Czechoslovakian animated stop-motion short film from 1945 created by Karel Zeman and Bořivoj Zeman, also known as the Zeman Brothers. This wonderful short film was Karel Zeman’s first experiment in combining live-action footage with stop-motion animation, a process he continued to explore in his later feature films,...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

December 15, 2016

Strange Czech Christmas Traditions

We Czechs (Bohemians, Moravians and Slovaks) have several passed-down and traditional Christmas superstitions and some are just as well known in other parts of the world as they are in the Czech Republic. Czech people believe that certain foods and herbs can serve to tell the future and predict the year ahead. Around Christmas time, these specific predicting activities have been celebrated by...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 14, 2016

Flashback to Christmas In Prague

Flashback to 1937, 1964, and 1965 and what Christmas time looked like in Prague. We begin our glimpse into the past with Christmas trees. Fortunately, the narrator explains in this short video that shows the tree chosen for Old Towne Square. Well, this year it didn’t snow, but it looked foggy and chilly nonetheless. And...

CULTURE, Holidays

christmas-market-old-town-square-tres-bohemes

December 9, 2016

The Christmas Market at Old Town Square

One of the best things about visiting Prague in the Winter are The Christmas Markets. Christmas Markets are set up throughout the city every year in late November and usually remain open till Early January. The largest Christmas Market in Prague is held in the historic Old Town Square, home to the famous Prague astronomical clock,...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 8, 2016

Vintage Czech Crystal & Rhinestone Christmas Trees

For many centuries, the foundries of former Czechoslovakia had been renowned for their impressive Czech crystal, glass and jewelry making craftsmanship. Before WWII, numerous factories all over the country made bižuterii a šperky – costume and real jewelry – which was admired the world over. Sadly, many of these factories closed during the war and never reopened....

CULTURE, Holidays

December 18, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Seven

Snickerdoodle cookies are a classic American treat. They have a warm taste and make a great addition to any Christmas table. These sweet snickerdoodle pinwheels put a new spin (literally) on the traditional snickerdoodle cookie. With a sweet whirl of cinnamon at the center, these pinwheels are a fun version of the classic snickerdoodle cookie....

Recipes

December 17, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Six

Lemon almond tea cookies are excellent for holiday parties and gatherings. These buttery cookies are topped with a warm citrus frosting and sprinkled with sliced almonds for a little texture. Infused with almond extract and lemon peel, they go wonderfully well with coffee, tea, or holiday cider. Ingredients Cookies 3/4 cups of butter, softened 3/4 cups shortening...

Food, Holidays, Recipes

December 16, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Five

Slepované linecké koláčky are traditional (and delicious) Czech Christmas cookies. They are not overly sweet and have a soft buttery taste. They are made with vanilla sugar and have a pleasantly mild vanilla flavor. They are deliciously delicate and taste best when sandwiched together with a layer of currant jam and dusted with powdered sugar before serving, giving them a...

Food, Holidays, Recipes

December 15, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Four

Pracinky are classic Czech Christmas cookies flavored with cocoa and clove. They have a mild chocolate taste and a warm, rich fragrance. Spiced with cinnamon, clove, and cocoa, they smell and taste delicious. Ingredients 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cups powdered sugar 1 packet vanilla sugar 2 1/2 sticks of butter, softened 5 yolks from hard boiled...

Food, Holidays, Recipes

December 14, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Three

This traditional Czech sweet bread called Vánočka is sold all year round in the Czech Republic, but Czechs mostly buy and eat it on Christmas morning with a hot cup of káva (coffee) or čaj (tea). This simply delicious bread is similar to a panettone with raisins, lemon, and slivered almonds on top. Easy to make, today I will...

Food, LIFESTYLE, Recipes

December 13, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Cookies – Day Two

Old Czech Claws (Staročeské pracny or medvědí tlapky) I remember eating this wonderful cookie as a little girl and loving them so much. They have that classic Czech Christmas cookie taste that once you taste it, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Ingredients 1 1/4 cups ground walnuts 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar...

Food, Holidays, Recipes