The Czech Republic and Prague specifically have their own very special Christmas menu, and you can't feel the real spirit of the holiday without tasting some of these traditional dishes. When families gather around the holiday table, first comes the soup—typically with fish or cabbage.
The most important dishes are usually carp and golden piglet which is usually fried, baked, and served in a very special manner. They both are believed to bring good luck and good fortune in the New Year. Potato salad is a common dish on the Christmas table as well.
The most traditional sweet is vánočka, a braided cake-bread with raisins and almonds. It has a long history in Czechia and Slovakia and has become a real symbol of Christmas in these countries. Preparing vánočka isn’t especially easy, thus it has a variety of customs to make sure that everything goes right. One such custom is to wear a white apron while jumping up and down when the dough is rising, and it is better to be silent during this process.
Another tradition is to bake it with a coin inside. Whoever finds it will is believed to be wealthy in the following year. In addition to vánočka, there are plenty of other delicious sweets, like fruitcake, apple strudel, gingerbread, and a huge assortment of little cookies. Candies and cookies are not only enjoyed on Christmas Eve but all throughout the holidays. They are often exchanged among friends, family, and neighbors.
