Christmas In Slovakia

Christmas marks the birth of Jesus and this day is celebrated all around the world with pride, honor and prestige. The best ways to pamper your near and dear ones, on this way, include giving gifts and organizing feasts. Christmas denotes love, blessings, peace, brotherhood, lights, food, gifts and parties. Christmas trees, Christmas Eve, Christmas carols and Christmas mass are the spotlight of the occasion. Every country has its own unique way of celebrating the holy festival and Slovakia is no exception. Christmas in Slovakia has been very traditional since its early days. It is spiritual since most Slovaks are Roman Catholics. It is celebrated as in other countries, minus the pomp and fanfare. Read on to explore Christmas traditions in Slovakia.

Christmas Celebrations In Slovakia
Christmas has been very customized and traditional for Slovak Roman Catholics. They consider Christmas Eve day as the most significant day of the holiday, which is known as 'Stedry den' (The Generous Day). The evening is called 'Stedry vecer' (The Generous Evening). The entire Christmas season has been named as 'Vianoce'. On this day, the accustomed Christmas trees are adorned with colorful lights, gifts, balls and silver threads. As in other countries, Slovaks attend the Midnight Mass in the church, sing carols and have dinner with their family, on their return. They greet Merry Christmas as 'Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok'.

On Christmas, different delicacies are prepared by different families and regions. The main course includes Sauerkraut soup, fish and potato salad. Loke, a traditional dish prepared from baked risen dough, raisins and poppy seeds is served after dinner. Various fruits, like apples, oranges, pineapples, bananas, and nuts, and cakes are also prominent on this occasion. In other places, the course includes a fish dish and a thick cabbage soup, with sausage, meat, dried mushrooms and cream called 'Kapustnica'. Dried plums and apples are also used in some places. Desserts can vary from cookies (famous being vanilla crescent) to bars to special thin waffles, with honey.