A lot of searching, maybe even stress and definitely not well-being. Then they finally come. But three days is too damn short, so before you know it you should start relaxing, it’s after Christmas. “It’s about the inner setting, even though it will obviously take a lot of work today to stand up and defend one’s convictions,” reassures parish priest Sandra Silná.
Play the podcast about Christmas with the parish priest here:
Maybe the general hustle and bustle just isn’t your thing. But you still feel that it all went by too quickly. “I do manage to keep calm, but when it comes to Advent and Christmas, I would need to extend both. In short, the last part of the year flies by quickly every time,” says Brno parish priest Sandra Silná from the Czechoslovak Hussite Church in the podcast. That you have a similar feeling this year despite all the effort? Try to extend the Christmas atmosphere to . Perhaps with one of our trip tips.
Open nativity scenes
Did you know that traditionally, Santa Claus is not supposed to appear in the manger before the morning of December 25? And even if this tradition is no longer followed in many places, nothing evokes the atmosphere of a lingering Christmas as much as a trip to the nativity scene. Maybe you have a favorite, it might be worth looking around, where they are exhibiting a unique piece. For example, you can be inspired by .
You can find hundreds of really beautiful pieces all over the country, including several museums. One of those that is worth paying attention to is the Mohelnice nativity scene, displayed in the church of St. Thomas of Canterbury. It was created by the folk carver Josef Nedomlel from the Old Town near Bruntál over the course of thirty years, and today his son continues to gradually expand it. It is open to Trí králů daily and then slightly limited until Hromnice.
Christmas at the Castle
For the second time this year at Prague Castle, the Forman Brothers Theater broke the deadlock and prepared the Bethlehem Pilgrimage for the visitors. You can start in the magical forest on the terrace of the Riding School, continue through the exceptionally open chapel of St. Crosses with nativity scenes and equally inaccessible Mocker’s houses behind the church of St. Welcome. There, mainly children have fun, while parents sit quietly in the cafe. Admission is free, the event runs until January 4, with the exception of the last day of the year.
But if it’s a long way to Prague, try looking around the surrounding castles and chateaux. An increasing number of them offer special Christmas and New Year tours. Often costumed, perhaps even including samples of period refreshments or around places that are not usually part of visitor circuits.
A night of lights
Just a few years ago, nothing, and suddenly it was as if a bag was torn over the entire republic with light installations and entire parks. Until January 4, you can enjoy a holiday program full of discoveries and lights, for example, at the castle in Žďár nad Sázavou, where you can also create your own reflector in the workshop or try original video mapping directly on the castle wall.
But you can also find beautiful light installations at Loučeň Castle or Špilberk, in Prague, Dvůr Králové or Hluboká. A multimedia exhibition awaits you in Zlín in the Svobody garden, and in Ostrava in Dolní Víkotivice you can even enjoy the entire Light Universe.
