European Christmas Tree Decoration Exchange

EUROPE DIRECT Hradec Králové

Europe Direct Hradec Králové was opened on January 1, 2013.

We provide the public with information on the EU and organise various exhibitions, lectures and public events connected with the EU. We also answer all sorts of questions about the EU and the Czech Republic as a member of the EU.

EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATION EXCHANGE

Our host organisation

The Municipal Library of the Town of Hradec Králové has existed for 124 years. In 2013 it won a highly acclaimed "Municipal Library of the Year" award. The library has

11 branch libraries across the whole town. One of the branch libraries helped us make this year's decorations. The library also has several special departments such as: Reference Centre, which hosts the Europe Direct Centre; Audio Library for the Blind and the Weak-sighted; Music Department and Children's Department.

Europe Direct Hradec Králové for children

Day of Europe with a Whale – a treasure hunt day full of quizzes, difficult tasks for clever heads and ready feet, which ends on our roof next to a giant whale structure.

This year's decorations

We usually prepare decorations with children who visit our library. Unfortunately, schools and also libraries are closed because of the pandemic. No one can come to us, so we decided to approache our colleagues if they could make some decorations with their children and grandchildren. We all wanted to send you a small piece of joy from our homes. Children made paper decorations - bells and birds. Bells are one of the Christmas symbols which should protect our hearts from greed. Bell ringing also signifies the arrival of Baby Jesus. Birds are traditional decorations on the Christmas Tree. You can also find them as gingerbread at the table.

Europe Direct Hradec Králové for children

A Day of Languages

Throughout the day we play games, solve quizzes and talk about the EU countries, their regions and languages, which are spoken in the individual regions.

European Researchers' Night

The last Friday in September is the one chance for all the children to become real scientists and marvel at the miracles of nature. Young vistors of our EDIC became chemistry, physics, mathematics and linguistics doctoral students and were asked to “sit exams” at 16 desks, where they fulfilled various tasks. The whole night was both fun and a source of new information. Moreover, upon completing the tasks, all children were awarded an honorary PhD degree in Science!

EUROPE DIRECT Hradec Králové

Hradec Králové

- our town

Did you know that...

The main square

Did you know that...

Museum

…the Czech Republic has the largest network of signposted footpaths in the world?

...the word robot was invented in our region?

Did you know that...

Winter in Hradec Králové

The writer Karel Čapek together with his brother, a famous painter came up with this internationally used word. Josef Čapek came up with the word robot, which was used in Karel´s play called R.U.R. They were both born in the region and Karel spent his studying years directly in the town of Hradec Králové.

... the people of Hradec Králové love mushroom hunting?

Searching for mushrooms in the deep green forests is a common activity enjoyed by the whole family and mushroom recipes are part of the staple diet in the region.

Confluence of Labe and Orlice rivers

As of 2002, more than 38,000 kilometers of paths have been signposted. There is a Fairy-tale trail signposted for children in the woods around the town of Hradec Králové with wooden fairy-tale characters hiding along the footpath and display boards with fairytales. There is also a planetary footpath with models of planets in the Solar System and a lot of useful information about them, the whole Solar System and space phenomena.

Hradec Králové

Creamy mushroom soup - recipe

Ingredients:

150 g of potatoes

salt

2 tablespoons of fat

1 small onion

200 g of freshly picked mushrooms

ground pepper

dill

2-3 tablespoons of sour cream

Instructions:

Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces and immerse in water with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly until soft.

Fry the finely chopped onion in fat, then add the chopped mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cook.

Add the boiled potatoes, finely chopped dill, sour cream and heat through.

Did you know that...

Our town Hradec Králové is known as the Salon of the Republic. Noblesse architecture, a unique urbanistic concept and vision of a modern European town from the beginning of the 20th century are all substantial reasons for such an attribute. The town on the confluence of the Labe (Elbe) and Orlice rivers is a natural centre of spiritual life, culture and education of East Bohemians, the seat of a number of institutions and schools and also a town of festivals.

Did you know that...

…the Czech Republic is a superpower when it comes to chateaus and castles?

... one of the cars produced by one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe are made in our region?

There are more than 2000 castles in the whole of the republic with the Prague Castle being the largest castle area in the world, spreading to over 7 hectares (18 acres), and there are more than 200 castles in the Hradec Králové region. You can see some of the castles and chateaus of the Hradec Králové region below.

The famous car producer Škoda Auto has its factory located at the foothills of Orlické hory (Eagle Mountains) in a small village of Kvasiny.

Kost

Karlova Koruna

Chlumec nad Cidlinou

Hrádek u Nechanic

Kuks

Europe Direct Hradec Králové is an information centre offering data and materials concerning the EU. Just like the Europe Direct Centre in your own town it informs people about the EU and is part of the 500 centres across Europe that form the Europe Direct Network.

Christmas

December 24 (Christmas Eve)

For many, December 24 (Štědrý den) is the most enjoyable day of Christmas holidays. Its Czech name literally means "Generous Day", probably for the wealth of food that has traditionally been served for Christmas dinner and fed to household and farm animals. Even poor families would make sure that their plates were full on this one day of the year. Also, Christmas presents are opened on that very day. December 24 is Adam and Eva's name day.

CONTACT DETAILS

Czech Christmas Tree

In the Czech Republic, every day of the year is someone's name day ("svátek" or "jmeniny" in Czech - the latter is more formal). It is a reason to celebrate, wish the person a Happy Name Day, and buy a little present, like flowers and a box of chocolates. Remember: Never give anyone an even number of flowers (2, 4, 6...). Such bouquets are used at funerals. The number should be odd (1, 3, 5...).

In many households the Christmas tree is decorated with traditional Czech Christmas ornaments. Gingerbread, straw and textile decorations together with dried fruit are the traditional Christmas decorations. However, many families nowadays use modern decorations such as shiny glass and metal ornaments or electric Christmas tree lights.

December 25 - 26

Christmas in the Czech Republic stretches over December 25 and 26, which are also referred to as the First and Second Christmas Holidays, or the Christmas Feast (Boží hod vánoční) and St. Stephen's Day (Sv. Štěpán). On St. Stephen's Day, children, students, teachers, and the poor used to go around people's homes singing Christmas carols. Nowadays, families stay at home and relax or visit relatives and friends to share the special time.

Christmas Superstitions

Midnight Mass

Christmas Dinner

Floating of Walnut Shells

Little boats are made out of empty walnut shells and each family member places a little burning candle into a shell. Everyone's shells are then floated in a bowl of water. If the shell makes it across the bowl, its owner will live a long and healthy life. A shell that sinks brings bad luck to its owner.

Some people end Christmas Eve by attending the midnight mass (půlnoční mše) at a local church. It usually starts at midnight but some churches hold it earlier, such as at 10 p.m. There can also be a Christmas Mass for children in the afternoon.

Christmas Eve is associated with many superstitions that usually relate to life, love, and destiny that awaits one in the year to come. According to one Czech Christmas custom, one is supposed to fast all day to see the "golden piglet" (zlaté prasátko) in the evening.

  Dinner is served after sunset (traditionally, it should not be served until after the first star has come out) and consists of carp and potato salad, sometimes preceded by mushroom, sauerkraut or fish soup. Dinner can be finished with dessert, such as apple strudel. A traditional Christmas braided bread called vánočka (similar to the Jewish challa) used to be a part of the Christmas dinner in the past but today it has largely lost its Christmas connotation and is available year-round.

Cutting of an Apple

After Christmas dinner, every person present at the table cuts an apple in half (crosswise, from the stem down). Both halves are shown to everyone around the table. If the core is shaped as a star, it means that everyone will get together next year in happiness and health. A four-pointed cross is a bad omen and means that someone at the table will fall ill or die within a year.

Did you know that carp can supposedly be prepared a hundred different ways? Christmas carp is specially raised in manmade ponds and then sold from large tubs placed on the streets and town squares a few days before Christmas. You will not see this sight at any other time of the year. Some families keep their carp in the bathtub for several days as a temporary pet for their children...

Fish Scales

Fish scales should be placed under Christmas dinner plates or under the tablecloth to bring wealth to the house. Carrying a fish scale in a wallet all year will ensure that money will not run out.

Pouring of Lead

A piece of lead is melted over fire and then poured into a container of water. The resulting shape will tell the pourer's destiny.

Throwing of a Shoe

An unmarried girl is supposed to throw a shoe over her shoulder and towards the door. If the shoe lands with the toe pointing towards the door, the girl will marry within a year.

A scene from a Czech film "Pelíšky" (Cosy Dens)

Christmas Presents

After dinner, everyone around the table may sing Christmas carols before moving to the Christmas tree, which is all lit up and beautiful. Czech children believe that Christmas gifts are brought by Baby Jesus (Ježíšek), who comes into the room through the window to leave the presents. Baby Jesus is a rather abstract figure with no particular physical image attached to him, and no one knows where he lives. He receives wish-list letters from Czech children a few weeks before Christmas.

ed@knihovnahk.cz

Czech Language

Czech is the only official language of the Czech Republic, and it is spoken by about 96% of the population. Besides this, other languages can be heard here, particularly Slovak, German, Polish and Romany.

Proverbs

A Unique Letter

Na každém šprochu pravdy trochu.

There's a bit of truth in every gossip.

Ranní ptáče dál doskáče.

An early bird will hop farther.

Starého psa novým kouskům nenaučíš.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Stokrát nic umořilo osla.

A hundred times nothing killed the donkey.

V noci každá kočka černá.

Every cat is black at night.

Vyhni se opilému, jakož i bláznu.

Avoid a drunkard as well as a fool.

The Czech language has one completely specific consonant, which is denoted by the letter ř.

Specifics

+420495075024

Proverbs

Another characteristic feature is the syllabic sounds of r and l. Thanks to these, we can pronounce words like vrh (“throw”), vlk (“wolf”), strhl (“ripped”/“torn down”), svršky (“goods/chattels”), etc. without any problem. But Czech also amasses other consonants in a manner that causes considerable trouble for foreigners: zvlášť (“separately”/“particularly”), vzplane (“to catch fire”) or even: pštros s pštrosicí (“an ostrich with an ostrich hen”).

Dvakrát měř, jednou řež.

Measure twice, cut once.

Hloupý kdo dává, hloupější kdo nebere.

He who gives is foolish, he who doesn't accept is even more so.

Hněv je špatný rádce.

Anger is a bad advisor.

Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá.

He who digs a hole for someone, will fall in it himself.

Kdo se moc ptá, moc se dozví.

He who asks too much will learn too much.

Když kocour není doma, myši mají pré.

When the cat is not home, the mice have a party.

Líná huba, holé neštěstí.

A lazy mouth is a sheer disaster.

Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

Speaking is silver, silence is gold.

Proverbs

Kdo si hraje, nezlobí.

People who play don't make trouble.

Bez peněz do hospody nelez.

Don't go to the pub without money.

Bez práce nejsou koláče.

Without work, there are no koláče (Czech pastry).

Co je doma, to se počítá.

What's at home, counts.

Co můžeš udělat dnes, neodkládej na zítřek.

Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Dobrá rada nad zlato.

Good advice is better than gold.

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