Christmas is in full swing in Prague. Everywhere you go you see Christmas stands with hot wine, ornaments, cookies, mistletoe, sausages and small gifts. Department stores are draped with lights and Christmas carols jingle all around.
Despite the commercial side of it, it is nice to see that the Czechs still wait for Baby Jesus, Ježíšek, to bring them gifts. In one of the most atheist countries in the world, the biggest holiday is possible more religiously founded than in other countries. In others parts of the world, there seems to be a bigger conflict between the religious and commercial aspects of the season. In the US it went so far one year that even the word Christmas was scarcely heard. So as not to offend anyone, Happy Holidays were more acceptable. This was a battle not even between the Christian holiday and Santa Clause. Santa was having to battle with the commercialization of the winter holiday season.
Back in Prague, they still take it as a given that Ježíšek brings gifts. Many even recognize that something special happens in the churches and tune in to watch at least a snippet of the midnight mass.
Both the Pope and Dalai Lama have visited the Czech Republic to warn of the danger of losing a faith systemyet Baby Jesus goes on strong
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