The holidays are upon us and I thought we might look into Czech traditions for celebrating the New Year. In the Czech Republic, New Year’s Eve is called Silvestr, for the anniversary of the consecration of Pope Sylvester I, a saint who served as Pope of the Western Church from 314 to 335. Since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the December 31st feast date has coincided with New Year’s Eve.
Historically, Czechs served boiled pork head with grated horseradish and apples (vepřový ovar se strouhaným křenem a jablky) at midnight. These days, pork is eaten on New Year’s Day with a side of čočka (lentils) topped with a fried egg (eating anything with wings is also said to make your luck fly away!). The dish is eaten for prosperity in the New Year -- and it makes for a pretty good hangover cure as well, as New Year’s Eve celebrations include a healthy share of pilsner and sparkling wines.
In Prague and other large Czech cities, outside of the tourist centers, things tend to get a little quiet on New Year’s Eve. That’s because many Czechs escape to the countryside to bring in the New Year with friends and family. This tradition stems from the communist era when favored workers got to spend the holiday at company-owned cottages.
There are also fireworks, an essential part of the midnight revelry. Formal displays take place in most large cities on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Families also set off their own garden explosions following the midnight countdown and toast. Fireworks are a modern custom, which replaces shooting hunting rifles and cracking horsewhips.
Given all the New Year’s Eve revelry, perhaps the most famous motto for the day after is, “Jak na nový rok, tak po celý rok,” which translates “What you do on New Year’s day, you’ll do every day next year.” Often given to mean that doing any work whatsoever is said to be bad luck. Don’t clean the house or wash the dishes, and most of all, don’t hang out the laundry – an action certain to ensure great unhappiness in the New Year!
For you history buffs, January 1st is also a national holiday – Day of Recovery of the Independent Czech State.