SNOW

Snow begins in mid-November and stops early March in Slovakia. But it’s snowing less and less in the last years. A lot of snow fell down 2 weeks ago and so we will have white Christmas this year.

ADVENT

Advent is a preparation for the arrival of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. When advent starts, we always prepare an advent wreath on which there are four candles. 4 candles display 4 weeks until Christmas.

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

Every year on 6th December St. Nicholas comes to our school and homes too. He brings sweets and fruit. He has long beard and a long  stick. When he comes we have to sing a song to him and then he gives us sweets.
It is because of a bishop St.Nicholas who helped 3 poor girls in the 3rd century.

BETLEHEM

Betlehem is the name for a stall where Jesus was born. It is made of wood. On the strow is little Jesus with  Virgin Mary. Little Jesus is in nursery. There is also Joseph. The animals are there too. There are animals like sheep, donkey and cow. Virgin Mary kneels down next to little Jesus. There are also three kings who bring gifts to Him. This is our typical Betlehem and we usually have Betlehem under a Christmas tree.

FAMILY

In Slovakia it is tradition to celebrate the christmas with family. We prepare the tree, table and dinner together. On the Christmas Eve we sit at the Christmas  table with whole family and we talk together. With family the Christmas is better.

CHRISTMAS DINNER

Typical Slovak Christmas dinner is cabbage soup and fish. We start with Christmas Wafers with honey. Each region has its special starters – bread with garlic, semolina or dumplings. Some people eat fish with baked potatoes, others with potatoe salad. After the dinner we unpack presents.

CHRISTMAS TREE

In Slovakia we have Christmas trees as the most of the world. We decorate it with Christmas balls and ornaments of different sizes and shapes, dried fruit or wooden ornaments. And we have special chocolate sweets that we hang on the tree. We also decorate the tree with colorful lights. At the top of the tree there is a big star, but it´s individual.

CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD

Almost every family in Slovakia bakes Cristmas gingerbreads. We decorate them or we leave them clear. The scent of gingerbreads, cinammon, orange and mandarines is typical scent of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

Christmas Carols are very special part of Christmas that makes its atmosphere wonderful. We can here it in the radio for weeks. But the best carols are those that we sing on Christmas program at school or at church. My favourite carol is Silent Night sung on a Midnight Mass. Here it is in Slovak:

PRESENTS

Our Christmas in Slovakia are very special because that we unpack the Christmas gifts in the evening of December 24th. After the dinner, the family goes to the Christmas tree when we unpack the presents and sing the carols.

MIDNIGHT MASS

In Slovakia, it is customary to go to the Midnight mass. It is beautiful experience to be on Midnight mass. There is a great atmosphere there. It is the most beautiful part of Christmas.

written by

Martin, Nina, Šimon, Timea, Michaela, Terezka, Peter, Daniel, Dušan, Jozef, Matúš & Ms.Brandysova