Czech Christmas: live carp, golden pigs and a Baby Jesus who flies off

A few days before Christmas, plastic tubs appear on Prague pavements, and in them swim live carp. You point, the seller nets one, and a lot of Czech families go home with dinner still wriggling in a bag. It is the single most surprising thing about a Czech Christmas, and it is only the start of a December that has more rituals than most people can keep track of.

The good news is that you do not need to keep track. Czech Christmas has a clear shape: a long run-up of small saints' days, one very big evening, and two quiet days of visiting. If you know which night matters, you can fit in with almost anything else.

The run-up

On 4 December, St Barbara's day, people cut cherry branches and put them in water, hoping they will flower by Christmas. The evening of 5 December belongs to Mikuláš. Then come Advent wreaths, baking and the first markets. The markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square usually open in late November and run into early January, so check the official Prague site for this year's dates.

Christmas Eve is the main event

Forget the 25th. The big moment is the evening of 24 December, Štědrý den (the Generous Day). The 25th and 26th are public holidays too, but they are for visiting relatives. The ritual happens on the 24th.

The day itself is busy. The tree is traditionally decorated on the morning of the 24th, the kitchen is full, and children are shooed out of the way. Dinner traditionally opens with fish soup (rybí polévka), then fried carp with potato salad. Plenty of families skip the carp these days and have schnitzel instead, and nobody argues. A fish scale is a lucky charm: tuck one under your plate or into your wallet and money will follow. Children are told that if they fast all day they will see a golden pig on the wall in the evening. They never do, but it keeps the kitchen calm.

Some families leave an empty place at the table for an unexpected guest, and dinner often ends with the cutting of an apple, which brings us to the games.

Ježíšek brings the presents

There is no Santa here. Presents come from Ježíšek, the Baby Jesus, and nobody ever sees him. After dinner a little bell (zvoneček) rings in another room, the children race in, and the tree has gifts under it. Ježíšek, parents explain, has just flown off.

For foreign families this is the part that takes some explaining to the children at school. Many newcomers settle for a hybrid: Ježíšek on the 24th, and whatever the home country does on the 25th.

Fortune-telling after dinner

The games are mostly for fun now, but they are still played.

• Cut an apple across. A star in the core means health and luck. A cross means trouble.
• Float walnut shells. Put a small candle in each half shell and set them on a bowl of water. A shell that drifts to the edge means someone will leave home.
• Throw a shoe. Stand with your back to the door and toss one over your shoulder. If the toe points at the door, you are leaving the house within the year.
• Pour lead. Some families melt a small piece of lead or wax and drop it into cold water, then read the shape.

The sweet table

Baking is serious. Cukroví (Christmas biscuits) comes in many varieties: vanilkové rohlíčky (vanilla crescents), linecké and vosí hnízda (wasps' nests). Vánočka, a braided sweet bread, turns up over the Christmas days. Mulled wine (svařák) and hot punch keep the markets warm.

Baking begins early. In many families, trays of biscuits are made in the first half of December, boxed up and exchanged between neighbours and relatives. If someone hands you a tin, the polite return is a small tin of your own.

Cribs, church and chalk

Nativity scenes (betlémy) stand in churches, squares and homes, and some are well known. Midnight Mass draws believers and a fair number of non-believers who come for the music. A favourite is the Czech Christmas Mass by Jakub Jan Ryba, written in 1796 and sung in churches all over the country. Around 6 January you may spot chalk on doorframes: the letters K+M+B and the year, a blessing for the house.

If you are in Prague in December

Watch the carp sellers, but do not buy a live fish unless you plan to cook it. Eat at the markets: svařák, sausages, something sweet. Go on a weekday evening, when the crowds thin out. Expect many shops and restaurants to close early on 24 December and stay shut on the 25th and 26th, so check opening hours first.

Frequently asked questions

Why do Czechs eat carp at Christmas?

It is the traditional Christmas Eve main course, served fried with potato salad after fish soup. Many families now eat schnitzel or another fish instead.

Who brings Czech children their presents?

Ježíšek, the Baby Jesus, on the evening of 24 December. A bell rings to say he has been.

Is 25 December the main day?

No. The 24th is the main evening. The 25th and 26th are public holidays used for visiting.

What is the golden pig?

A tale told to children: fast all day and you will see a golden pig on the wall at dinner.

When do Prague Christmas markets open?

They usually open in late November and run into early January. Check the official Prague site for this year's dates.

If a Czech friend invites you home on the 24th, bring something small and be ready to throw a shoe.