http://www.engames.eu/Christmas/dictation/czechchristmas.wav CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
There are many unusual
traditions which started in the 19th century that are connected with Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve was believed to be a
time, so people practised different rituals to find out what will happen to them in the
.
One of the traditions is shoe throwing. Stand about two metres from your
, take a shoe into your hand, turn with your back to the door, and
the shoe in the direction of the door. If the shoe points out of the door, it means that you will get
in the following year. If the shoe points inside your house, it means that you will
at home.
Another
used to predict a person's future was pouring hot lead into water. Heat the lead over a fire and then pour it into
. The various resulting shapes will tell you about your future. For example, straight line means that you will have a
life, two circles mean marriage, and one circle means that you will inherit some money.
Another very common tradition practised in Czech families is to cut an apple
to predict a person´s future. The star in the apple means that you will be
and healthy. However, if you see a cross, it means that you will die. If there is a
inside the apple, you will probably be sick.
Merry