There is nothing quite like the joy of Christmas in Prague. Christmas markets abound throughout Prague, with the Old Town Square and Prague Castle hosting the most famous ones. Czech Christmas foods, beverages, and arts and crafts are available at the markets beginning at the end of November. The Old Town Square Christmas tree lighting is an event that includes traditional music and entertainment. The Old Town Christmas angel processions, as well as other performances and displays, are popular attractions in Prague. The city’s tourist spots are open all year round, so you may enjoy them even more during Christmas.
Christmas Traditions in Prague
These are a few of the many customs that give Christmas in Prague its charm.
Ice Skating
One of the activities that no tourist to Prague during the holidays should miss is ice skating. The Christmas season is the time to go ice skating on actual ice in the Czech Republic. The city’s Skoda Ice Rink, a multi-use contemporary indoor arena, is also among several outdoor and indoor ice-skating rinks. It is something that everyone should do, whether they are experts or complete beginners. Several squares (including Old Town Square) offer outdoor rinks.
Prague Christmas Markets
The merry Christmas markets in Prague are an essential part of any visit to the city on Christmas Eve. During the holiday season, Old Town Square—the city’s historic heart—becomes the focus of the market. There are a lot of people milling around in the market, looking for what the different stalls have to offer. The markets are open every day from December 2nd, 2023, until January 6th, 2024.
At Wenceslas Square, you will find hundreds of wooden booths selling classic Czech blown glass balls, hand-embroidered tablecloths, and wooden toys. Christmas music, food, and beverages are available to visitors, while guests may also snap pictures at the markets’ gingerbread town, which has a Nativity scene, a big Christmas tree, and other festive decorations.
Superstitions
There are a lot of superstitions surrounding Christmas in Prague and the Czech Republic. For instance, no one in the family should do the laundry or hang it up on Christmas Eve since it may lead to someone’s death. Placing fish scales under Christmas dinner plates is believed to bring good fortune, while floating little candles in nutshells over water in a basin or bowl is believed to foretell the future.
The Prague Christmas Tree
Christmas is only complete with a Christmas tree in Prague. A festively decked-out tree also serves as a hiding place for presents on Christmas Eve. Prague households still choose a live tree, often a conifer like spruce, pine, or fir, and decorate it with classic ornaments made of glass, handcrafted trinkets, and Christmas lights. This custom dates back to the 19th century, when the first Christmas tree was decorated in 1812. “The Prague Christmas Tree” is a customary part of the Old Town Square. The tree stays there from December to January, and it is selected from 40 different trees.
St. Nicholas Day
The celebration of St. Nicholas Day in Prague is one of the few long-lived customs with roots in folklore. On Christmas Eve, December 5, you may see St. Nicholas parading around with his long white beard, coat, and traditional bishop’s hat in the city. He travels about with angels and demons, representing good and evil, asking youngsters whether they were good last year and rewarding them with chocolates and other presents if they were.
Carp for Dinner
As a traditional Christmas dinner dish, the Prague citizens carry a little piece of carp in their wallets as a good luck charm. Serving carp for Christmas Eve supper is a distinctive Prague Christmas custom. This custom has persisted since the 13th century, when Catholics began eating fish on Christmas Eve as a fasting meal. Before preparing the carp for Christmas dinner, families purchase it alive and let it soak in their baths for several days. Fried carp served with potato salad and carp soup are common sights.