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 originHoly week- ends - on Eastern Monday = the most important day in Czech

Costumes and symbols baking chocolate lamb, Easter cake, “jidáše“visiting our friends and relativesgirls - paint eggs – by bee wax and coloursboys – go from house to house- say a typical short poem- lash girls with pussy – willow sticks girls - give them coloured eggs, chocolate, sweetsMoravia – nice folk costume

MayLabour Day – May 1

important during the communist era-everybody had to go to May Day Paradecommemoration a strike by workers at the Haymarket in Chicago in 1886

- only eight – hour workday

Liberation Day – May 8memory of the end of the World War II

JulySaints Cyril and Methodius – July 5

Christianity to Great Moravia – the 9th century- base for our script – Roman alphabetcame from the Byzantium

Jan Hus Day – July 6a reformer in the Catholic Church-mass in Czech -wanted to abolish charges – “desátky“was persecuted by the ChurchJuly 6, 1415 – burned at the stake in Kostnice

SeptemberSt. Wenceslas Day – September 28

= Czech Statehood Daythe patron of the Czech Republicson of Drahomíra and Boleslav took care of the poor people and prisonersbuilt churchesdevelopment of BohemiaSeptember 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

OctoberIndependent 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

NovemberAll Soul´ Day – November 2

it is dedicated to our ancestors and deceased family membersholiday of calm and peacepeople go to cemeteries, clean graves and put candles there

Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day – November 17November 17, 1938 – the student protested against the NazisNovember 17, 1989 – start of the Velvet Revolution-students commemorated a murder of Jan Opletal (1939)-ended up with the revolution – freedom and democracy

DecemberSt. Nicholas Day – December 5

not an official holidaythe evening before his feast daySt. Nicholas – pastoral staff, bishop´s hat, red or white coatvisits houses (mainly children) with an angel and a devildevil – scares children, lures them into a hellat 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, chocolatepresents for bad – behaved children – potatoes, coal

Christmas – December 24 – 26 almost in every country – every keeps its own customs and

traditionsholidays of calm, peace,

Advent4 weeks before Christmas preparation for Christmas cleaning our houses putting up Christmas decorationshopping, buying presents for our relativescolours of Christmas = pink, violet, green, redbaking sweets – vanilla rolls, beehives, gingerbreads lighting 4 candles on a wreath - every Sunday in December- names of Sundays = iron, bronze, silver, gold

Symbolscomet – it appeared on the sky when Jesus Christ was bornChristmas tree – since the 16th centuryadvent wreath – candles on the wreath = symbols of life and hopeNativity scene – from wood, ceramic, wax, paperChristmas star mistletoe (=jmelí) – protection of people from fire and witchesChristmas carols – about Jesus´s birththe advent calendar candlescarp

Customs

pouring leadcutting applessending walnut boat throwing by a slippera fish scale under a platenobody should stand up from a dinner1 plate for an unexpected guest lentils in a soup – for lots of money during the next yearpassing 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 TVvisit friends and relatives eat sweetspeople shouldn´t clean their houses and workmasses in churches in the past – children went from house to house and sang a carol about St. Stephen

December and JanuaryNew Year´s Eve – December 31

it was named after Pope Silvestr – propagated Christianitycelebrate the coming of the new yearhuge parties and celebrations – friends or family togetheralcohol 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 Statelots of food and a rest after partiesNew Year´s resolutions