{"id":4950,"date":"2025-12-24T05:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T05:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/?p=4950"},"modified":"2025-12-24T09:59:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T09:59:59","slug":"kouzlo-stedreho-dne-tajemna-noc-plna-prani-a-vuni%e2%9d%a3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/kouzlo-stedreho-dne-tajemna-noc-plna-prani-a-vuni%e2%9d%a3\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magic of Christmas Eve: A Mysterious Night Full of Wishes and Scents\u2763"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Oh, my dear girls, women, girls, it&#039;s here! The most magical day of the whole year \ud83d\ude0d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Cozy Christmas display featuring candles, ornaments, and festive wreath in warm candlelight.\" class=\"wp-image-4953\" style=\"width:390px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-278508-278508-1140x760.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-4a595e1d\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">Christmas Eve!<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The day when the house is filled with that quiet, festive anticipation that I have known since childhood. It is Christmas that surrounds us, and I have discovered that it is connected to the whole <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cs.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C5%A0t%C4%9Bdr%C3%BD_den\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">many customs,<\/a> traditions and various superstitions<\/strong> <strong>and caresses from pagan times<\/strong>, that are passed down from generation to generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-290b8c8b\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">It is a day that has enormous mysterious power within it.<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that since ancient times it has been believed that we can predict the future on this day, and even influence it? And here is my favorite surprise: many of the traditions we love are not Christian at all, but pagan! Christmas has been associated with the solstice since pagan times, and magical rituals were used to ensure the fertility of animals and a rich harvest. And it&#039;s wonderful that those ancient desires for happiness and abundance have been carried to this day, isn&#039;t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Beautifully set Christmas table with decorations, food, and drinks under festive lights.\" class=\"wp-image-4952\" style=\"width:465px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-196648-196648-1140x760.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-cc9f811a\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">Magical divination under the guise of traditions.<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-f3569188\"><h4 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">Get your aprons ready, girls, we&#039;re going to the most magical thing that happened on Christmas Eve, and some of the customs we still have at home today!<\/h4><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>We cut the apple:<\/em><\/strong> This is a sacred moment for us. When the core, after being cut, creates a beautiful and <strong>a regular star, they say we will live long and be happy.<\/strong> When I get the star, I immediately smile \u2013 such a small, tangible prediction of happiness, that&#039;s exactly the cozy feeling I want to experience! (However, those with weaker personalities should avoid the cross, as it could affect their psyche, so cut carefully!) .<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>We are cracking nuts:<\/em><\/strong> The first four nuts cracked are said to reveal our health condition. <strong>When the kernels are nice and white<\/strong>, we are as healthy as a bee! This is a quick, silent health check that I do every year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Scales under the plate:<\/em><\/strong> It&#039;s impossible without it! A piece <strong>carp scales<\/strong> (or a coin) in your wallet, so that we will be safe in the coming year <strong>holds money<\/strong>. I put a few of them under my plate too \u2013 I also want the wealth and peace that those scales promise me!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Shell boats:<\/em><\/strong> Oh, that&#039;s so dreamy! To <strong>walnut shells<\/strong> We stick a small candle and light it. <strong>by water<\/strong>. <strong>Whoever&#039;s candle floats the furthest will travel the furthest from their family.<\/strong>. We also put in our boat <strong>a precisely formulated question<\/strong> \u2013 for love, fate, money\u2026. It\u2019s such a gentle, fairy-tale ritual that always touches me. We have a tradition where people gather at the confluence of rivers and launch boats together!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Money for luck:<\/strong> And to keep the money, we cook <strong>lens<\/strong>! Who wouldn&#039;t want to have a pot full of money on their plate? I definitely do!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-bce7ace3\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">Peace, tranquility and warm details<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But Christmas Eve is <a href=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/nejpodivnejsi-vanocni-zvyky-z-celeho-sveta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">mainly about rituals<\/a>, that unite us and create that unmistakable atmosphere:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Table tying:<\/strong> I will always remember how <strong>the legs of the Christmas table were tied with rope or chain<\/strong>, to the family <strong>she stayed together<\/strong>. It&#039;s such a simple and powerful symbol that gives me a sense of security and belonging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Reward for fasting:<\/strong> I don&#039;t fast for the sake of the golden pig, but I don&#039;t eat meat during the day. That smell <strong>cubs<\/strong> (baked groats with mushrooms) and fish soup, which we prepare from carp heads, is simply a symbol of the whole day!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Mistletoe and fragrance:<\/strong> Don&#039;t forget <strong>kiss under a hanging sprig of Christmas mistletoe<\/strong>! And then \u2013 <strong>We light the Franciscans and the purple<\/strong>. That&#039;s the real, intoxicating scent of old Christmas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Artistic black and white photo of a cat silhouetted against festive holiday lights.\" class=\"wp-image-4951\" style=\"width:399px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pexels-photo-30192849-30192849-1140x855.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, my dear: don&#039;t forget that it is customary that the bowls and troughs of our animals should be <strong>fully<\/strong>  and give them some yummy treats to make it even better \ud83d\udc96Do it so that the well-being and peace spread to all corners of your home\u2763<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-e3626fd2\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">I wish you the most magical and warmest Christmas Eve, full of quiet magic, dreamy peace and love! Yes, that&#039;s exactly what I want to experience.<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201e&quot;The greatest gift of Christmas is the time we spend together&quot;\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201e&quot;Christmas is love in action&quot;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201e&quot;Christmas is not a season. It&#039;s a feeling.&quot;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201e&quot;When Christmas bells ring, the melody of the heart rings.&quot;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-vlo-en wp-block-embed-vlo-en\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"5OQwDlQHNM\"><a href=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/yule-pohansky-svatek-zimniho-slunovratu\/\">Yule \u2013 pagan holiday of the winter solstice<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201eYule \u2013 the pagan holiday of the winter solstice\u201c \u2014\" src=\"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/yule-pohansky-svatek-zimniho-slunovratu\/embed\/#?secret=EgnSwy3YVS#?secret=5OQwDlQHNM\" data-secret=\"5OQwDlQHNM\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Jsou to V\u00e1noce a hlavn\u011b \u0160t\u011bdr\u00fd den, kter\u00e9 n\u00e1s obklop\u00ed, a j\u00e1 jsem zjistila, \u017ee s nimi se poj\u00ed cel\u00e1 spousta zvyk\u016f, tradic a r\u016fzn\u00fdch pov\u011br a pohlazen\u00ed z pohansk\u00fdch \u010das\u016f, kter\u00e9 se p\u0159ed\u00e1vaj\u00ed z generace na generaci. Je to den, kter\u00fd m\u00e1 v sob\u011b obrovskou tajemnou moc. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[147],"tags":[919,1135,1134,1069,1138,801,1139,1140,1137,1136,1062,916],"class_list":["post-4950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magie-astro","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-day","tag-christmas-eve","tag-christmas-traditions","tag-folklore","tag-legendy","tag-pagan-customs","tag-pohanska-tradice","tag-povery","tag-stedry-den","tag-tradice-vanoc","tag-vanoce"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den.png",1024,1536,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-200x300.png",200,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-768x1152.png",768,1152,true],"large":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-683x1024.png",683,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den.png",1024,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den.png",1024,1536,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-8x12.png",8,12,true],"ashe-slider-full-thumbnail":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-1024x540.png",1024,540,true],"ashe-full-thumbnail":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den.png",1024,1536,false],"ashe-list-thumbnail":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-300x300.png",300,300,true],"ashe-grid-thumbnail":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-500x330.png",500,330,true],"ashe-single-navigation":["https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/stedry-den-75x75.png",75,75,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"S l\u00e1skou Daniela \ud83d\udc9c","author_link":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/author\/velkeholkygmail-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"Jsou to V\u00e1noce a hlavn\u011b \u0160t\u011bdr\u00fd den, kter\u00e9 n\u00e1s obklop\u00ed, a j\u00e1 jsem zjistila, \u017ee s nimi se poj\u00ed cel\u00e1 spousta zvyk\u016f, tradic a r\u016fzn\u00fdch pov\u011br a pohlazen\u00ed z pohansk\u00fdch \u010das\u016f, kter\u00e9 se p\u0159ed\u00e1vaj\u00ed z generace na generaci. Je to den, kter\u00fd m\u00e1 v sob\u011b obrovskou tajemnou moc.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4950"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4968,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4950\/revisions\/4968"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velkeholky.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}