Unlike in the US, the big Christmas celebration in Slovakia (and also Colombia where my girlfriend is from) is the Christmas Eve. The Christmas day is spent by relaxing. We open presents on the Christmas Eve, right after the dinner. I wonder why in the US people get presents the next morning. Perhaps Santa starts his delivery service in Europe and it takes him until the next morning to get all the way to the USA…

We’ll start the dinner by eating garlic, honey and oblátky (by the way, you can find similar wafers in Hispanic stores, they are called obleas in Spanish). Many families also make bobalky (or opekance). These were not common in my family when I was growing up but we’ll have them tonight – they taste so good! We’ll also make some lokše, little potato tortillas. Next will be the sauerkraut soup followed by the potato salad and the fried fish. And then the presents. We’ll probably finish the evening by watching a movie. When I was younger we would also walk to the church for the midnight mass but I don’t think we’ll be doing that tonight.

Anyway, Veselé Vianoce everyone. Below are also few photos from my trip to Slovakia in the winter of 2009-2010.

Slovak Christmas Celebration

Here is how we decorated the table at my dad’s place for Christmas two years ago. We started with the traditional med (honey) and oblátky.

Oblátky come in two forms: the rolled ones called trubičky and the traditional flat ones. There also special kúpelné oblátky (spa wafers, you can buy them here). These are basically two pieces joined together by a delicious sweet filling. The traditional one is made from almonds. One Christmas tradition calls for the head of the household to slice an apple. If the cut is nice like this, good luck will come to the family.

And here are few Christmas cookies my grandma made. You can find recipes for all these and more here.

Preparing the Christmas Carp

The main course on a Slovak Christmas table is a fried fish. A week or two before Christmas, families would go to the Christmas market to buy not just the tree but also a live carp. This carp would then be kept alive, in a bucket or in a bathtub (as I remember quite vividly from my childhood) until the Christmas Eve. It would then be killed and prepared for dinner. Below are pictures of my dad getting the fish ready. Hopefully you don’t find these images disturbing. But I think it’s important to realize that meat comes from living animals. It makes us appreciate what we eat more and be less wasteful with it.

Start off by washing the fish. You next gut it and clean it from the inside.

You then cut off the head and the tail. The final important piece is removing of the scales (šupiny). These hold a special meaning in our tradition. They represent money. Everybody is supposed to keep few of the scales from the Christmas carp in his wallet all year long to bring him or her wealth.

Slovakia in Winter

Finally, here are few pictures of Slovakia in winter. These two come from the area around my hometown of Banská Bystrica.

Here are Pieštany and Bratislava in winter. We traveled to Pieštany to attend a 90th birthday party for Helene Cincebeaux‘s mom.

Both of these photos are from Banská Štiavnica, one of the several Slovak UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Winter is also an excellent time for a hike. Everything is so pretty and pristine covered in fresh snow. This is right above the ski resort of Donovaly. Can you spot the alpine soldier on training?

These two photos are little ways up. The ridge in the second one is Kozí Chrbát (goat’s back). This is by the way the same route Alex and I took this summer on our through hike of the Low Tatras.

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This post was long in coming. These photos were taken at the Easter Picnic our Washington D.C. Meetup group held the weekend of April 23rd. But then school, research, travel, and work snuck up on me. But taken the other way, you now have over 6 months to get ready for the next year’s Easter celebration.

Slovak Easter traditions are definitely quite unique! They basically consist of guys chasing girls around with switches weaved from willow branches and also pouring buckets of cold water on them. The girls then reward the guys with beautiful decorated Easter eggs, and other treats like home-made kolache and shots of slivovica, the East-European plum brandy. Part of growing up for guys was learning how to make these whips. I may be a bad Slovak, as I never learned. So it was great that Joan D., our local crafts lady, came to give us lessons.

Weaving Willow Switches

You will need 8 willow branches. If you can’t find willow, use similar flexible straight vines or twigs. The twigs need to be fresh and flexible, otherwise they’ll break. The young and flexible nature of the twigs is also believed in the pagan tradition to transfer these qualities to the girls, making them young and healthy. Arrange the branches in a row, and tie the ends together. Next separate the 8 twigs into two halves of four pieces each.

Take the outermost branch in the left group and run it from the front to back in between branch 2 and 3 in the right group (through the middle). Wrap around the back and bring to the right-most position in the left group. Repeat this with the right-most twig in the right half.

And that’s the whole process. Basically, if you have from left to right, L1 L2 L3 L4 R1 R2 R3 R4, branch L1 goes front to back between R2 and R3 and becomes new L4. Then branch R4 goes front to back between L2 and L3 and becomes new R1.

One trick in this whole process is to keep the whip stiff. This means that after each twist, you need to tighten the whip by pulling the two halves away from each other slightly. I was not very good at this and my whip ended up quite limpy.

There is an actual process for making the handle, sometimes it’s weaved in at the beginning. We didn’t know how to make the handles so we just wrapped another twig around. I would definitely like to hear from you if you know how the handles are made properly. Tie the other end together with a string and then wrap a colorful bow. Next go find some cute girls. But maybe not in the US, this would probably lead to you getting arrested…

Straw Eggs

Joan also showed us how to make the straw eggs. Easter eggs are made by first blowing out the egg insides. I remember doing this every Easter as a kid. Definitely not a fun activity, but probably a good way to expand your lung capacity. You start by puncturing a small hole with a needle on both ends of the fresh egg. You then move the needle around to expand the hole slightly until it’s big enough to blow the insides out. It should be about 2 or 3 millimeters in diameter. Once the egg is hollow, it is next dyed. There are many ways of decorating the eggs, my favorites are the ones painted with hot wax. Another beautiful variation are these Easter eggs decorated with pieces of straw.

You first need to cut and straighten the straw. Joan had this interesting custom made straw cutting tool that allowed her to to first cut it by running the metal part through the inside of the straw. The metal edge was then used to flatten it.

She next used this other straw splitting tool to separate the single strand into many fine fibers.

These fibers can then be glued onto the egg to create elaborate shapes. Similarly, small pieces of straw can be cut and glued on. We ran out of time, and didn’t have any dyed eggs. Let me know if you are interested in a similar hands-on workshop, we can organize something here in the D.C. area. Here is a photo of a similar finished Easter egg.

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Ok, perhaps some girls will disagree with me. But this tradition of šibačky (switching) and polievačky (watering) is all in good sport. The point is not to harm the girls, instead, this tradition keeps them beautiful and “springy” (like the twigs) for the whole year. And of course, it gives the boys a chance to visit with their favorite girls.

Images from the traditional way to celebrate Slovak easter. The first image comes from Slovakia.travel, the second image was submitted on Facebook.

Traditional Slovak Easter celebrations date to the pre-Christian pagan times, when people did not think of seasons changing as something that happens automatically because of Earth’s motion around the Sun. Instead, the seasons were directly linked to the spirits present in the environment all around them. Spring was the time when the good spirits started taking the lead from the evil that dominated through out the winter. And to aid in this transition, several rituals were undertaken to help the good defeat the evil. There was the drowning of Morena (potápanie Moreny) in which a wooden board decked in womens clothes was sent floating down the river. This symbolized getting rid of bad things from the previous year. There was also the raising of the May pole (stavanie mája), which was a green budding branch, decorated with colorful ribbons and Easter eggs. This again symbolized the coming of Spring and was meant to surely put the Winter behind.

In fact, green budding twigs were believed to have magical powers, and that’s where the tradition of Easter whipping comes from. By getting switched by the spring branch, the girl would receive not only some of the strength from the guy, but also the health, liveliness, and fertility of the budding branch. It was believed that girls who got whipped would get younger, become prettier, and also more skilled in their daily doings. No wonder that it was a truly bad omen for some girl not to receive any switching! Of course, the guys were more interested in visiting the prettier of the village girls, and this is why some girls had to bribe the guys by offering them presents: easter eggs, home baked goods, and so on. Each guy also received a colorful ribbon from each girl to tie to the end of his korbáč (the decorated easter whip). At the end of the day, young boys and girls gathered for a party, and the boy with most ribbons became the king of the night.

The pouring of water had a similar rejuvenating meaning. The water washed away all the evils and diseases from the body. In some villages, guys would throw girls in a nearby creek. In most, cold water was pulled from the well and poured onto girls from buckets.

Few examples of traditional Slovak Easter eggs mailed in by readers.

These days, the Easter Monday traditions are still widely followed but in a somewhat modernized manner. Many girls still wake up Easter Monday by having a bucket of water poured on them while still in bed. But the general polievačka now consists of merely a cup of water splashed in the girl’s face. And for good measures, the guy the sprays some perfume on the girl. And while in the past it was customary to only switch the younger generation, now the tradition has extended to the whole family.

But what about food? Easter Sunday was a day for plentifulness, and in many families, it was eggs and ham and that became a popular Easter Sunday dish. In my family, we celebrated Easter Sunday by a plate full of open face sandwiches and deviled eggs. Other families also prepared braided raisin bread vianočka), potato salad and baked ham. In the East, it was common to make something called hrudka, which is a “cheese” made of eggs, and also pasha bread. Young ram, baránok, was another symbol of spring. Those families that could not afford to have an actual lamb meat, prepared dishes in the shape of a young ram.

Regardless how you decide to celebrate it, happy Easter to you!

Good references on the traditions of switching

http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/5179
http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/407
http://hnonline.sk/c1-36706340-velkonocne-sibanie-pochadza-z-predkrestanskeho-obdobia
http://www.sme.sk/c/3790349/sibacka-mala-pozitivny-vyznam.html

Easter Traditions

http://www.infovek.sk/predmety/etika/tradicie/vn/vnzvyky.php
http://www.velikonoce.org/velikonocni-tradice/
http://suraba.blog.sme.sk/c/190268/Velkonocne-tradicie.html
http://www.jankohrasko.sk/clanky/clanky/2008/marec/velkonocne-tradicie-a-zvyky

Easter Egg Decorating

http://www.infovek.sk/predmety/etika/tradicie/vn/techniky.php
http://www.nasarodina.sk/article.php?sid=1487
http://www.velikonoce.org/velikonocni-kraslice/
http://www.slovakia.travel/entitaview.aspx?l=1&idp=6606

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About a week ago I woke up with a sore throat and generally feeling pretty crappy (I blame the Christmas party at my office). I lounged around, but the cold did not go away. Then the following day, my girlfriend and I went for a stroll in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a historical town located about an hour and half south of my home. There we stumbled upon PA Dutch, shop lined with drawer upon drawer of herbs, spices, and exotic tea.

I picked up a 4oz bag of chamomile (harmanček), herb commonly used in Slovakia to treat the common cold. I remember as a child my grandma always telling me to go inhale the hot steam whenever I got sick. I really hated it. Yet, as you get older, you start to appreciate the wisdom of the elder generation.

So when I got home, I made myself a chamomile steam (harmančekovú paru) and went “steaming” (naparovať). It really helped. Although my cold took few more days to go away, the pleasant, sweet-smelling steam really helped ease the symptoms. Each “session” was good for about half a day.

Start by taking a handful of chamomile (harmanček) and place it in a pot of hot water.

Bring the blend to near boil where steam starts forming on the surface. Either turn the heat off or turn it down all the way to low to keep the steam going. The water should not be boiling. Place your head about 3 inches over the pot and put a towel or a cloth over your head. This towel will help keep the vapors in. Take a deep breath through your nose to get the essence all the way to your lungs. Do this for about 10 minutes also taking breaths here and there with your mouth. If you keep the flame on, be careful not to set the towel on fire!

Chamomile is really just a weed. Its a small yellow and white flower that populates the roadside, open fields, and construction areas. It’s a native of Europe and temperate Asia, but by now it has spread all over the world. But despite being a weed, it’s truly a magical herb. It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and is also a mild sedative. That’s why chamomile is the perfect tea (čaj) to drink before going to bed.

Then strain the tea through a strainer into a mug, add lemon and honey, and off to a warm bed with you…

You will also find a neat video about medicinal properties of chamomile, posted by folks from LearningHerbs.com.

Now, chamomile is not for everyone. The flowers are full of pollen and folks with allergies to pollen or to ragweed (a close relative) should not use it. There is also some evidence that chamomile dries up the nasal cavities, so even though the wet steam initially provides relief, in the long term, chamomile can actually make the symptoms worse.

So, another very popular alternative is sea salt (morská soľ). Sea salt is believed to help with respiration. I used to get sick quite often as a kid, getting bronchitis almost annually. I remember doctors recommending my mom to take me to the sea (more) every year. I did not object – a vacation by the sea side is always nice.

Sea salt is used commonly even these days. Many spas around Slovakia (Slovakia has a lot of great spas!) contain a salt room, room lined with salt crystals. You sit in this room for about 30 minutes, breathing, realixing, and getting better.

When it comes to soothing a cold with sea salt, you do the same as with chamomile, simply dissolve the salt in the steaming water, place your head over it, cover it with a towel, and inhale for 10 to 20 minutes.

But the natural remedies don’t end there. There are many other natural ingredients with beneficial healing properties. Here is a list from Pluska.sk, popular Slovak news magazine. The text below is more-or-less directly translated from the original.

• Rosemary (rozmarín): use two twigs of fresh rosemary or two tablespoons of dried rosemary in one liter of water. Cook for two minutes and take off from heat. This herb, which is associated with love, has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties
• Pine (borovica): The pine needles have strong anti-septic properties. The steam also helps with the release of phlegm, eases congestion, and reduces a headache.
• Thyme (tymian): This spice works to reduce a strong cough, and also sooths the nasal and oral cavities. It can be used for bronchitis, and also help with release of phlegm. Use about two handfuls of fresh thyme, or two tablespoons of the dried variety.
• Chamomile (harmanček): It is one of the most well known herbs used for inhalation. Use two tablespoons of dried flowers in hot water. It is most often used for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. It can cause allergic reaction, and some experts also believe that it dries up the mucous membranes, which are then less resistant to bacterial infection. One sign of this is a stinging sensation in your nose, so you would be better off with an alternative if you get this reaction.
• Onion (cibuľa): No need for a pot or hot water. All you need is a cutting board and a knife. Simply chop up the onion finely, put your face over it, and cover yourself with a towel. The finer you chop the onion, the more of the healing chemicals will be released. It’s anti-septic and sooths a cough. (My comment – this sounds absolutely awful, and closer to torture than healing. But hey, perhaps it works).
• Sea salt (morská soľ): Salt is the universal aid in steaming, and is recommend by doctors the most often. Add two tablespoons of salt into boiling water, and let boil for few minutes. Inhalation of the vaports aids in treatment of chronic respiratory problems. Regular kitchen salt can be substituted, both have similar healing properties.
• Mint (mäta): Add a handful of dried mint into hot water, but to not boil. The vapor has disinfecting and anti-inflammatory properties. The pleasant aroma also reduces a headache. It shouldn’t be used by people allergic to plants from the aster family.
• Cinnamon (škorica): Boil one twig for three minutes in half a liter of water. The pleasant, Christmas-like aroma has antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Additonal References:

http://liveandfeel.com/medicinalplants/chamomile.html
http://www.pluska.sk/zdravie/nie-vsetci-mozu-naparovat.html
http://sestra.sk/Harman%C4%8Dek_prav%C3%BD
http://www.ehealth.sk/sz/510/t978232/p1/naparovanie-nosaale-s-cim.html

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Christmas in Slovakia is the most magical of times. The streets are quiet except for the sound of snow crunching underfoot. The frost paints elaborate crystal flowers on the foggy window panes, while inside, a family sits down at the dinner table in a room filled with the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies.

Not long ago, the first sign of winter signaled that long and cold dark nights were ahead. Howling winds would cover tracks in the snow. The cold air would squeeze its way through the crevices in the wooden walls. Food would be scarce, and spring far away. The sun slowly faded, losing its life-giving strength. The darkness brought out the witches from their hiding. This was their time to play.

November 25th, the day of St. Katherine, was the first of many so called stridžie dni, witching days. No one was safe. The witches loved to sneak into barns and steal milk or lead horses away. A witch could easily take the likeness of another. To be visited by a strange woman on one of these days was a bad omen indeed. Such a visitor could easily find herself being chased away from the house with a broom or having hot coals thrown at her. It was best for the family to be extra vigilant.

But Katherine slowly rolled over to Barbora, Mikuláš (St. Nicholas), Lucia, and before one knew it, Christmas was knocking on the doors. Christmas, arriving soon after the shortest day of the year, brought the good news that the worst was over. The days would soon start getting longer, and the sun, rejuvenated, would bring about a new year.

Throughout the Middle Ages, New Years was celebrated on December 25th, and belief of “first-day magic” was widespread. As one did on New Years, so was one bound to do for the rest of the year. This is why Christmas (Vianoce) is associated with abundance. Even the Slovak name for Christmas Eve, štedrý večer – meaning “generous evening” – tells this story. Having many dishes on the table assured abundance in the coming year.

While in the U.S. Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 25th, in Slovakia Christmas Eve Day, December 24th, is the most special. The day starts shortly after midnight. The lady of the house begins kneading dough for the many kinds of baked goodies she will prepare. Baking had to be finished before the sunrise and the quality of the desserts was a matter of prestige. Hurrying was never good. The dough had to rise and the crust remain intact, otherwise, bad luck would surely fall upon the household.

Carolers, young lads bringing good wishes, came with the rising sun, and were rewarded with koláče (home baked cookies) or a shot of homemade slivovica (plum brandy), if they were of age. But eating during the day was strictly prohibited. A fast was held and girls who made it to dinner without eating could expect to find husband sooner.

Of course, life is different in modern Slovakia. Many traditions are slowly disappearing, but what remains to this day are the rituals associated with the Christmas dinner. Many cookies still dot the dinner table, even if the dough comes from the supermarket freezer.

In the cities, opening of Christmas markets signals the arrival of Christmas. In the booths you will find food specialties such as lokše, flat potato-dough pancakes filled with sauerkraut, goose liver, or jam, and also varené víno, mulled wine. But it’s not the food or the Christmas trees that people come looking for. They come to buy a live carp. The fish is kept alive (usually in the bathtub to the delight of any kids in the family) until Christmas Eve. The scales are removed and the fish is prepared for dinner. According to Catholic traditions, meat could not be consumed until after midnight mass. The fast did not apply to fish and fried breaded carp became the traditional main course on this holiday. The fish scales represent coins; whoever keeps one in his or her wallet can be assured of wealth.

It’s not just fish that holds a mythical meaning. Every Christmas table contains a jar of honey and a few cloves of garlic, foods symbolizing health. Poppy seeds and peas are often found; both represent money. To have peňazí ako maku, as much money as poppy seeds, would be nice indeed!

Two things you will find at every Slovak Christmas table: sliced apple, indicating good luck if the star is unbroken, and Christmas wafers called oblátky eaten with honey.

The evening begins with the arrival of the first star in the night sky. The lady of the house lights the candles. Prayers are said and everybody takes a shot; it is called radostník (a merry-maker). An apple is sliced down the middle – unbroken star indicates good luck. Next come oblátky, Christmas wafers traditionally prepared by the school teacher or priest of the village, but of course, nowadays baked commercially.  They are eaten with honey and garlic. In many families, oblátky are followed by bobalky, pieces of dough soaked in milk and honey and topped with poppy seeds. Bobalky are some of the most ancient of all foods in Slovak cuisine. Their history dates back to the days when only unleavened breads were baked, which had to be softened in milk unless eaten fresh out of the oven.

The dinner continues with soup. Soup is an important part of any Slovak meal, and Christmas is no different. The type varies from region to region, but most often, sauerkraut soup, kapustnica, is served. This delicious soup is made by cooking sauerkraut and mushrooms with garlic, caraway, paprika, nutmeg and onions. Apples or plums add a slight sweetness to the hearty soup. But the recipe, and even the name, varies.

In the east, it is called jucha, and is made only from sauerkraut juice mixed with dried peas, plums and even sausage. Another version is called mačanka, and includes mushrooms, garlic, and onion. This version is thickened with sour cream or flour, and is eaten by dipping pieces of bread into the sauce.

Sometimes during dinner, mom or dad would secretly sneak out to place presents under the tree. After the main course of fried fish and potato salad, it was time to see what Dedo Mráz, Grandpa Frost, brought you. The family moved to the living room and one by one, opened presents. This was also the time to visit close friends and wish them Merry Christmas (štastné vianoce). Then the family put on their heavy coats and set off on a walk to church for Midnight Mass. Witnessing a procession of villagers, with snow crunching under their feet, their lanterns swaying under the starry skies, is truly a magical sight.

You too can experience Slovak Christmas by preparing these wonderful treats for your family. You will find illustrated, step-by-step recipes for many holiday treats on slovakcooking.com. The 18-months old site now features over 80 illustrated step-by-step recipes using ingredients easily found in your local grocery store. Give it a try. Dobrú chuť a štastné vianoce! (Bon Appétit and Merry Christmas)

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