December 5th might be one of the greatest holidays of the Czech year. The United States observes the same holiday, St. Nicholas Day, but the practice is rather analogous. I remember hearing when I was younger that if I put a shoe outside my door when I went to bed, St. Nick would come and put some gold coins in my shoe. Six and seven year old Vic woke with overwhelming excitement only to be gravely disappointed: not only were her shoes back in her room, but there were no gold coins in them. Blast!
However, this year, as my student paraded around singing tunes about devils (čerti) coming to take the naughty children away in brown, tattered, rucksacks, I could not help but giggle. So, this is what this day is about.
I am remiss that I do not have the photos I took with Mikuláš and his gang of Angels and Devils, but I know the photos are circulating around with the teachers of the Kindergarten for pure amusement. At first, this idea of scaring children into good behavior (telling them that unless they are virtuous and wholesome a scary devil will toss them in a bag-pytel- and carry them to hell) was, admittedly, a little unnerving, but at a certain point, I began to warm to the idea. & So when the devils walked passed the children, especially my misbehaving maly Jakub (who was clinging to my leg for dear life), I could not help but make that tisk, tisk motions and say... ”Když budeš zlobit tak tě čerti odnesou do pekla.“
It is Czech tradition that the evenings are far more dreaded and pure terror for the children. At school, they are safe; at home, it is a different story. Older students and adults walk around the town, come into children’s homes, and quite literally scare them to tears &, supposedly, better behavior. The next day we did notice a dramatic change in some of our more defiant little ones.
With December 5th looming ahead I asked Bee Knees what he remembered of this day in his youth. “It scared me so much that I used to hide in the basement.”
To the children that I never will have: we will certainly celebrate December 5th in the Czech style.
In other news, I am officially a legal citizen of the Czech…for 180 days. Thank you to the Czech Embassy in Bratislava for making the procurement of this visa more difficult than travelling around the world.
Today is the Christmas Market in Litomysl and I am two glasses of punč in and I can fly. Thanksween and Christmas Market?! How does the happiest girl get happier?
The first ever Litomysl Thanksweek. I had a little to much sleepy punč and feel asleep early than I wanted to, but they even made a Churkey (Chicken called turkey) & creppy finger cookies that were delicious!
How the punč begins...
and how the punč ends... No, it is not like a warm Sangria.
Skiddets and their new favorite English toy. How could the čerti come and take them away.
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