Much love, excitement and joyful anticipation. Delicious food and drinks, as you would expect. And above all, hope for peace and reconciliation – the key elements for the human race to survive. We’ll serve it aplenty, as it is our habit, and not only at this time of year.
When the Advent starts four weeks before Christmas, most Slovak households light the first of the four candles in their Advent wreath, and the preparations for Christmas kick off. Gingerbread cookies are usually baked as early as that, because they keep well for quite a few weeks if stored in an airtight box. We decorate them with white icing to resemble snow, and often hang them on the Christmas tree to make it more personal.
In the weeks leading to Christmas, we like to get back to our roots with the re-enactment of old folk traditions. They’re full of good music, singing, dancing and fascinating mythology.
Traditional pastry baking, as well as Christmas punch and honey wafers all come with free sample tasting.
Lucias – young women dressed in white from their head to toe – will give you a brush with a goose feather to wipe away all the demons and diseases. Angels mingle with the crowd as messengers of goodwill, and the mischievous devil is trying to do his business, but only makes you smile.
The village market is an array of exquisite craftsmanship, ample imagination and fabulous home-made food.
There is much more to meet the eye at this time of year though, so the best thing to do is to come and see for yourself.
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