The Czechs have many unique cultural traditions, from storing a live carp in the bathtub to keep it fresh for the Christmas feast to whipping (playfully, of course) women in exchange for drinks at Easter. As we approach the holiday season, let's visit the tradition that kicks off Czechia's holidays.
Three adults dress as an angel, St. Nicholas, and a devil.
December fifth, St. Nicholas Day, is possibly the Czechs' most unifying and enjoyable holiday. In Czech, the name "Nicholas" is "Mikuláš," and on the fifth, groups of three adults dressed as an angel, devil, and Svatý Mikuláš visit the homes of neighborhood children to ascertain if they have been good or bad during the past year.
This is serious business for the kids, as the devil carries a sack to haul away the bad children! Luckily, the angel keeps the devil at bay and hands out fruits, peanuts, or golden chocolate coins for the children as treats. And just to be on the safe side, there are poems and songs the children can learn and recite to attest to their excellent behavior over the past year.
The fun is not just for the kids, either. Dressing up in homemade or rented costumes of the angel, devil, and Mikulás is a popular pastime for young adults, especially in Prague, with elaborate makeup or masks used to disguise the actors from the sharp-eyed children they visit.
Figurine of Saint Nicholas.
Because this tradition usually takes place on cold winter evenings, the players are often feted with a warm drink, perhaps with Svařák (hot mulled wine), at houses they visit. At the end of the evening, one may see an angel, devil, and Mikuláš slip-sliding on icy streets, or finishing the night in style at the local pub.
Although Christians around the world claim St. Nicholas, there are established legends tying him to Czechia. First and foremost, Mikuláš inherited a large sum of money from wealthy parents, which allowed him to give gifts to the poorest people.
In one widely circulated Czech story, three sisters living in destitution were headed for a life of misery on the streets to scrape out their living. Mikuláš heard of their plight, and under cover of darkness, he threw three purses of gold into their house, saving the poor girls. Thus, the Czech tradition of gift-giving on December fifth, St. Nicholas Day, began, and the practice of this custom continues today.