My Czech Republic Blog

Blog written by two Prague residents about life in the Czech Republic.

Městem chodí Mikuláš or St. Nicholas Night in Prague

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St. Nicholas Tradition in PragueDecember 5th is when Czechs celebrate the old tradition of St. Nicholas (Mikuláš). Last year, Jeff and I went to the Old Town Square in the evening and we were surprised to see so much action. Groups consisting of St. Nicholas, the Angel and the Devil (some wearing very impressive costumes) walked around the square, stopping to talk to little children who were there with their parents. The children, awe in their eyes, obediently sang songs and recited shy poems in exchange for sweets and praise. Foreign tourists with curious smiles on their faces and cameras in hand obviously enjoyed being in the midst of this peculiar Czech pre-Christmas tradition. It was all cute and a lot more fun than I had anticipated.

In case you don’t know what the Mikuláš tradition is about, we write about it on My Czech Republic.

Happy Mikuláš!

Velvet Revolution Anniversary

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The Czech Republic commemorates the 17th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which brought an end to the communist regime in the country. Just like every year, people gather on Národní třída in Prague to light candles at the plaque that marks the event.

People Lighting Candles on Národní třída in Prague          Velvet Revolution Plaque on Národní třída in Prague

Blue, Sunny Skies

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Well, well, well. Not only did St. Martin not arrive when he was expected, but he’s probably taking a vacation somewhere far, far away.

We’re having a beautiful day here in Prague. It is clear and sunny and our thermometer shows 15°C (59°F). I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m putting on a light jacket and heading out. I suspect we won’t see many more days like this until about… March?

Update at 11:50 p.m.:
And we had another temperature record today! The Prague Klementinum recorded 16.4°C (61.5°F), the highest temperature ever measured in Prague on this date. This is getting suspicious. Is global warming at play here?

Prague Christmas Markets

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The dates and opening times of this year’s Prague Christmas markets have been announced. The markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square will run from December 2 to January 1 and will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. The markets will close around noon on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). Food stands at the markets keep longer hours and can stay open until midnight.

You can find lots of information about Prague Christmas markets and other events in the Prague Christmas section on My Czech Republic.