It is December 24th, Christmas Eve, and here in Czechia we have had our dinner already. I wanted to share with you these photos from our dinner and tell you something a little about Christmas Eve in Czechia.

Traditionally people during this day keep meat-free fasting the entire day except eating something small, and by the time of dinner the family members would see Golden Pig (maybe halucinations from the hunger? Hmm) - why? I don't know, perhaps it brings luck.

When it comes to dinner, the entire family (or at least members of the household) sit together around a common table and have served two meals. First is a soup made out of carp as our national symbol of Christmas. Since Carp is very common for Christmas, it is also a part of tradition to have a main meal composed of potato salad and schnitzel, except that for normal meat you have carp's fish fillet covered in bread crumbs and fried on a pan.

Some families who follow traditions strictly get their own carp from market a week before Christmas eve, than have him in their bath tub, then smack him with sledge hammer by the father of the family, and then have mother, or the house-wife to process the fish for meals. What remains of carp are the scales, and people usually keep those in their wallets for better luck on getting money in future.

Because of Carp, it is natural that many people end up with fish bone stuck inside their tonsils in neck, so doctors within hospitals have good time pulling out the fish bones. Because of that, me and my mother don't really fancy tradition of the fish, nor its taste in the soup, so usually we skip this part, and instead of carp schnitzel we serve normal chicken one.

Part of tradition also is to keep one empty place at the table with prepared plate, knife and fork, even when nobody is sitting there. It is meant to be prepared for either - a random stranger looking for shelter from outer cold, or for Jesus Christ's spirit who may sit by your table as a guest.

By the end of dinner, everyone must remain at the table and wait for the house-wife who prepared meals before she finishes her meals and cleans the table. Whoever leaves the family table will bring another year of bad luck on their entire family.

Honestly? I'm not really fan of traditions, less so of those related to Christianity or religion in general, as I'm an atheist and live rational life. Whoever believes religion can believe it, but don't force it on your environment. As for Christmas in general, I'm not fan of it either. Me and my mother live alone, my brother and my father live separated, so keeping traditions has no meaning to me, the only traditions we keep are those by the dinner. Because of what Christmas has turned out to be over years to me, how stressful time it is, I really enjoy only the Christmas Eve when I can eat nice meal. No need for presents.

Year 2020 was hell for all of us, for me it majorly meant loss of my job, mental breakdown and breakup with my ex who turned out not to love me at all by the end, and I still gotta cope with their bully and sass on social media through my friends. Toleration of fanatized people due to politic movements like BLM wasn't as nice either.

Either way, for all of you out there in US region and to the west in general, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2021 if possible! To all Destiny 2 players out there, Happy Dawning as well!