Christmas-time services will be conducted in churches of the Prague Archiepiscopate until 6th January, when the Epiphany is celebrated, which we know from the calendar as the day of the Three Kings.

A charity performance of a Living Nativity, by the small theatre Apropo, is among the traditional elements of the Christmas program in Prague Castle. For the fifth year in succession the Golden Gate of St. Vitus Cathedral will be the venue for the most famous biblical tale, to be performed on 25th and 26th December at 3pm and 4pm.

In the churches of the Prague Archbishopric, services take place from 24th to 27th December. Masses are held in all important churches.

On Friday 17th December, scouts completed their annual mission hand over the Light of Bethlehem to Prague’s Archbishop in St Vitus Cathedral, who gave it to Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda. He then delivered the flame to Prague City Hall at Mariánské Square.

As soon as there is enough snow in Prague, parks in the city get filled frolicsome children and adults. Every little slope behind houses can be used for sledging, however, when Praguers want to enjoy proper sledging, they set off to Petřín, Letná, Stromovka or Riegrovy Sady.

Once more the traditional Christmas bazaar in Mokrá Čtvrť is resurfacing at Theatre Disk after a years break. From 17th to 20th December the public will once again have a chance to buy some unusual Christmas presents and at the same time help people in need. This year the charity bazaar is organised by a team of three, Aňa Geislerová, Tatiana Vilhelmová and director Peter Serge Butko.

There’s not a day out of the year where children will literally fear for their god-forsaken lives as on December 5th. And no, it’s not just one day in their childhood, but every single year the stress and anxiety of being dragged off to Hell is a very serious reality for every young child.

Given the erratic warm, cold, sunny, snowy winter weather one might be forgiven for not having thought too much about the impending Christmas. However, sure as night follows day, it’s only around the corner.

The historian Zdeněk Míka and author of a number of publications about Prague, is the most competent person who can both describe Christmas time of the past and compare it with the present. The former Director of the Prague City Museum has organized various exhibitions familiarizing people with Old Prague Christmas. He also published a book on this topic. This is why we asked him for an interview.