Christmas in Slovakia
"Vesele Vianoce"
St. Nicholas (Mikulas) is celebrated on 6th December. He appears with his devil who punishes the naughty children.
Children must promise that they will be good for the whole year and are rewarded with sweets, chocolates, nuts and fruits. Shoes and boots are put on the window sill before bedtime and (if they are good) children find gifts from St. Nicholas in the morning.
On Christmas Eve Slovakians sit at the Christmas table for a special meal made up of many different courses. An extra place is set for a dead relative, or for the hungry or homeless. At the Christmas Eve Supper they traditionally start with wafers with honey and garlic, cooked prunes and fresh champignons mixed with squeezed garlic, lemon and olive oil.
Next
, sauerkraut soup is served with fresh cream. Opekance is a baked pastry and is served with sugar water, honey or nuts. For the main course they eat a Christmas carp, which is a great tradition in Slovakia. They finish the supper with sweets and cakes. A special bread called kracun is eaten. After this they go to the Christmas tree to sing carols and unwrap their presents. Slovakians then go to Midnight Mass.
