Slovak Christmas Traditions
While in the U.S. Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 25th, in Slovakia, Christmas Eve Day, December 24th is the most special. We also receive our presents on the 24th, on the Christmas Eve after dinner. And yeah, our gifts get delivered by baby Jesus, not by Santa Claus.
There is one more thing you can’t forget before Christmas Eve. A carp fish, a traditional fish we eat on Christmas. You can buy live carp in the market and bring this poor thing home, put it in your bathtub until it’s ready for its last breath.
You are not supposed to eat the whole day so you can enjoy the Christmas dinner and also see the golden pig. However, I’ve never seen one. Generally, our Christmas dinner consists of wafer with honey and garlic, soup made of cabbage, mushroom and fish with a mayonnaise potato salad. Also, we put money under the tablecloth, to have a prosperous next year.
The rest of the evening we spend talking, eating cookies, watching TV and just enjoying each others company. Some people go to church for midnight mass. Merry Christmas everybody!
