Czech Republic
- vánoční rybí polévka - Christmas fish soup
- carp
- potato salad with mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs and boiled vegetables
- vánoční cukroví - Christmas cookies
- fruitcake
- gingerbread
The traditional meal (served as dinner on Christmas Eve) consists of either fish soup or pea soup and fried fish (traditionally carp) served with potato salad. The recipe for potato salad differs slightly among every Czech family. The main ingredients are: potato cooked with jacket, canned peas, onions, cooked carrots, parsley and celery, pickled gherkins, cooked eggs and mayonnaise. Some families may add grated apples or salami. The best potato salad is prepared a day before Christmas Eve so that all the ingredients can "mellow" for a day. The Christmas dinner should be the first food consumed that day. Those who do not break the Christmas shrove are believed to be able to see a golden pig on a wall.
Before the Christmas holidays, many kinds of sweet biscuits are prepared. The Christmas cookies are then served during the whole Christmas period and exchanged among friends and neighbours. Very popular is also a preparation of small ginger breads garnished by sugar icing.
Read more about this topic: List Of Christmas Dishes
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