I believe this was allready discussed in older topics. Czechs haven't Halloween, we celebrate dušičky (day of souls), when we are going to graves of our deceased family members and friends, where we light candles.
This does not look like (typical) czech graveyard. This one does: or see two pictures in the middle of this site (both pictures are schindler's-list-look-like black&white&red)
To jsou krásné hřbitovy. Those are beautiful cemetaries. Dušicky is much more meaningful than the stupid Halloween tradition. I don't think you want Halloween to catch on there. It would be much better if we adopted your tradition.
Halloween-type celebrations are definitely catching on...towns look at it as an excuse to do a Carodejnice-type thing in October (in addition to April)...bonfire at the football field, costume contest, roasting burty, etc. etc.. but there's no trick-or-treating though... In Prague, Bohemia Bagel does a mini-trick or treating/haunted house thing - the owner brings over candy from the US, so it's fun for the little ones. And of course there's a whole slew of adult Halloween parties... Dusicky is Nov 1, so it's really just traditional celebrations of All Hallow's and All Saints...
I quite agree with you and while I don't want to turn this into a language thread, why have you used To (jsou krásné hřbitovy) I thought To was it ie singular. But then pronouns are a closed book to me; when we try to get our teacher to teach them to us, she says they're very complicated and we'd get confused!
In Czech could be "to" often used for addresing subjects of all genders and forms. I actually cannot explain corresponding language mechanics, but I can offer examples: To je ale krásná holčička. Je to tvůj bratr? To jsem se lekl. To jsou moji rodiče. To je vaše aktovka? To je pohroma!
I agree and disagree - Dušicky seems to be a nice tradition and it would be good to see it observed here but I really like Halloween - all the costumes, the silliness, I guess I'm just a big kid at heart. This was at a Halloween party in Prague two years ago
Not correct. November 1st: All Saints' (Hallows') Day - Svátek všech svatých (all = known and unknown, i.e. known only to God) November 2nd: Commemoration of all the Faithfull Departed - Památka zesnulých (who have not yet been purified and reached heaven) Dušičky (colloq.) = Památka zesnulých (Nov 2)
If that's seriously you, Glenn, perhaps I'd better revise my view on your lager lout potential?! Gina
I don't think this beautiful tradition of remembering the deceased compares to Halloween. Halloween is just a fun time to dress up all crazy and get candy. There is nothing real meaningful and beautiful about it. There is some history where one would not consider Halloween just a fun time. In the past it was morbid and is still a high holiday to some Satan worshipers. But for most of us, there is no meaning or seriousness, just fun and games and candy! My step-daughter compared Halloween to a Czech holiday where the devil and an angel comes to your door and asks if the child is bad or good. If the child is bad, the devil gives him coal or may even tell him he's going to get him and take him away. If the child is good, the angel gives him candy. I don't remember the name of this holiday or when it is.
It's Mikuláš - Saint Nicholas day - Mikulas is main person and angel and devil (cert) are only his sidekicks
Exactly. Devil gives him something useful, like coal or potatoes, some important commodity. And Angel gives him candy - ephemeral useless thing which destroy his teeth.
It’s the 6th December, resp the eve of the 6th December. And eso is right, the main person is St. Nicholas who, in fact, is American Santa Claus. The angel(s) or devil(s) could be even absent. I think the Shrovetide carnevals or Walpurgis Night are more similar to American Halloween.
I think her comparison was based on the fact that in Mikuláš the child get's candy or coal -- "trick or treat" what kids say when trick or treating which means give us a treat or we will trick you (do something bad to you). In many towns, if a house is not handing out treats, the house may get a trick such as toilet papering (kids sneak in at night and throw rolls of toilet paper in your trees.) or soap on you car windows, etc.
That is funny Eso. You see it as just the opposite of the intended meaning. The devil gives out something useful, coal or a potatoe while the angel gives out something harmful to the teeth Interesting interpretation. :lol:
Speaking as one, who tried to introduce Halloween to his Czech friends, I'll say that it was a lot of fun trying to teach Czechs the art of bobbing for apples.
