One of the Czech Christmas period’s important activities is decorating the Christmas tree. The first Christmas tree was put up in Bremen, Germany, around 1570, and the custom has since spread throughout the Czech Republic. It took two centuries, however, for them to become a standard part of Christmas celebrations in the Czech Republic. Halloween began as a pagan celebration over 2,000 years ago in Ireland as part of a festival known as ‘Samhain’. Traditionally celebrated on the 31 st of October – 1 st November, the Celtic festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the annual harvest and the coming of Winter. England (U.K.) — celebrated alongside Guy Fawkes Day on Nov 5. Germany — overshadowed by St. Martin's Day on Nov 11. Guatemala — celebrated alongside Dia de los Muertos and in some regions the Festival de Barriletes Gigantes on Nov 1, in which people fly giant kites in honor of loved ones. Ireland — celebrated alongside Samhain. Prague Morning. April 30th is an exciting day for Czechs of all ages who gather by fire and celebrate the arrival of spring. Witch burning (Čarodejnice), also known as the night of the witches, stems from an ancient tradition. There are many locations where this is celebrated and some involve a maypole: a tall wooden pole popular to dance On November 17th, the national holiday, also known as the ‘National Day of Freedom’ is celebrated in the Czech Republic. This day commemorates the demonstrations of students against the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939 as well as events of 1989, where there was a memorial march to mark the 50th anniversary of the student revolt. Celebrated as Boxing Day in the UK and Canada, the Czech Republic officially recognizes the date as the “Second Day of Christmas”, or St. Stephen´s Day, as it is celebrated in many other countries. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, but the date is generally celebrated as the extension of Christmas that its Czech name implies. July 5 and 6 are public holidays in the Czech Republic, as well as the unofficial kickoff to summer. People everywhere take advantage of the back-to-back free days to start their summer holidays. We take a look at the three men we owe these bonus days off to. On July 5 we pay homage to two saints, Cyril and Methodius. However, coming up on December 5 th is possibly the Czech Republic’s most bizarre, terrifying and in recent years, somewhat controversial, tradition. I am of course talking about the day of Saint Mikulas. How Do the Czechs Celebrate St. Mikulas? The short answer to this question, is that they terrify their kids. nkrXAD.