Today is Hromnice, which is an important day for Czech weather-related folklore. It falls on the same day as Groundhog Day because both are based on the same ancient Celtic tradition. Today was sunny and clear in Prague, so we expect winter to linger.

See our site for more on Hromnice:
http://www.myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/czech_holidays/hromnice.html

Hromnice 2012 - clear, blue sky

Thank you all for coming by our blog in 2011. We hope 2012 is a good year for everyone! Šťastný nový rok from us at My Czech Republic!

Jeff and Dana

The two largest Christmas markets in Prague opened over the weekend. The markets at Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) and Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) were crowded over lunch time on Sunday. There were a lot of people buying gifts and enjoying the food selection, including bramboráčky (potato pancakes), klobásy (sausages) and trdelník (cooked dough with cinnamon and sugar).

View of the 2011 Old Town Square Christmas Market

The Old Town Square Christmas Market

Close up view of trdelník (cooked dough typically with cinnamon and sugar)

Stand selling bramboráčky (potato pancakes)

Christmas ornaments

The final preparations were being completed today on the Christmas market on Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) in Prague. The market starts tomorrow and traditionally is the first one in Prague to open for the holiday season. The two largest Christmas markets take place on Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí).

You can read more about Czech Christmas and Christmas time in Prague on our site at My Czech Republic.

Setting up the Náměstí Míru Christmas market

Setting up the Náměstí Míru Christmas market

Booths at the Chistmas market on Náměstí Míru

Signs at the Christmas market on Náměstí Míru

Vinobraní, the annual Czech wine festival, takes place around the country in September. A semi-fermented young wine called burčák is always one of the big attractions. Here are some pictures I took this year at the popular festival on Náměstí Míru in Prague.

Long burčák lines at the vinobraní on Náměstí Míru

Church of St. Ludmila on Náměstí Míru

Burčák stand

The less common red burčák

As we’ve written in an older blog post and as we mention on our website, May 1st is the unofficial day of love in the Czech Republic. We went to the Petřín Park to enjoy the spring day. The park was busy with couples strolling, sitting on the grass and visiting the statue of Karel Hynek Mácha, the Czech patron of lovers. A nice man in a suit played the violin in front of the statue as couples stopped by to lay flowers and spend a few moments.

Strolling on May 1 at Petřín Park

May 1 on Petřín Hill

Kiss on May 1 at Karel Hynek Mácha Statue in Prague

Violinist on May 1 at Mácha Statue on Petřín Hill

I wrote about the Day of Three Kings a few years ago, although my post wasn’t really about the Three Kings tradition per se. I witnessed the custom performed in a Moravian village this year. Three children about five to seven years old (all of them happened to be girls) came by, rang the doorbell, lined up and sang the Three Kings carol to us. They were dressed as Kašpar, Melichar and Baltazar, each initial printed on a paper crown on their heads. They gave us a packet of sugar and frankinsense. The girls were accompanied by a woman who carried a donation box. We made a donation and she proceeded to write the inscription K + M + B + 2011 on the doorframe with a chalk. The inscription supposedly means Christus mansionem benedicat (“May Christ bless this house”). The donations go to the Czech Republic Charity (Charita České republiky).

Three Kings Inscription

Here is a link to the Three Kings carol:

We would like to wish all our readers a peaceful holiday season and all the best in 2011!

Dana & Jeff

Christmas 2010

As every year, the Christmas market at náměstí Míru (Peace Square) in Prague’s Vinohrady district was the first of Prague’s Christmas markets to open this year. It runs from November 20 through December 24 and its 59 stalls are open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you decide to visit this cozy, local market nestled in front of the St. Ludmila Cathedral, you will find the usual products of the season, such as Christmas decorations, wooden toys, handmade jewelry, herbal soaps, herbs and teas, gingerbread, and many others. To keep warm in the chilly weather, you can sip some mulled wine, medovina (honey liquor) or Christmas punch that you can buy at some of the stalls.

The large Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open tomorrow.

Please visit our Prague Christmas Markets page for more information.

Christmas booths on náměstí Míru

Christmas tree on náměstí Míru

Booth selling Christmas gifts

Booth selling medovina (honey liquor)

The most popular booth is selling grog and svařené vino (mulled wine)

We want to wish all of our blog visitors a happy, healthy, and successful new year.  Thanks for visiting and we hope you stop by in 2010.

Jeff and Dana