Valentine’s Day in Slovakia is celebrated with much gusto. Love fills the air as candies, hearts, balloons and red roses flood the streets, cafes, gift shops and malls of Slovakia.

It's lovers day. On this day young people send Valentine cards to a person of opposite sex. Cards can have serious and loving text („Roses are red, violets are blue, you will be mine cose I love you“) or they can also have funny character („My love for you is as big as elephant“ and on the next side is drown fat girl with text below „but then, so are you ")

The next very important custom .People visit graves to commemorate their friends, relatives - simply said - closed people. They light the candles and pray for rest in peace. It can seems as a sad time but it is not truth. People are already reconciled with death so they are remembering with love, may be with nostalgy but not with sadness. And cemetaries are so beautiful with light of so many candles that everyone go for a walk there at least.

Forever in our hearts

One month later is Saint Nicolaus day. It is on 6th December and each child loves it very much. They clean their shoes and put them on the window-sill. If they were good during the whole year, they receive some gifts (sweets, fruits or small toys) into their shoe. If they weren't, they would receive coal (but it never have happend). Adults used to dress as a devil, angel and St. Nicolaus and one of the nicer custom is advent callendar. It is large picture with 20 small windows and there is hidden chocolade behind each one. Children open one window a day and the last one on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday. This feast is connected with birth of Jesus in Jerusalem. In the morning of this day (or day before) people decorate christmas tree with candles, sweets, colour balls, various small figures, bells etc. People go to church on Christmas Eve and return to a traditional dinner. 

The main meal is served in the evening (it contains whafles with honey and small piece of garlic at the beginning, then comes sauerkraut  soup, potato salad with fried fish ,sweets and fruit in the end, but families can eat something different, too).

Thank you for your attention

Karol Jakab 9.B