Watch Out This Weekend…

As we mentioned in our earlier post on Czech Easter traditions, the end of this month in the old Celtic calendar was a time of spirits, magic and occult forces, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. On April 30th, many Czechs will celebrate the pálení čarodějnic, or burning of the witches, an old tradition meant to drive away evil spirits at the time when the veil between the worlds was at its weakest, similar to many customs surrounding Halloween in the UK and US. Continue reading “Watch Out This Weekend…”

Veselé Velikonoce!

This weekend has been full of colourful celebrations in Prague for Easter, with places like the Old Town Square occupied by market stalls selling painted eggs and braided willow twigs as part of the traditional Czech Easter celebrations, but Easter here in the Czech Republic has its origins in darker times, with many of these traditions rooted in pagan, rather than Christian customs.

Continue reading “Veselé Velikonoce!”