Thursday, 18 December 2025
The Czech Christmas Eve tradition of eating carp is alive and well, although it increasingly appears to be kept that way by older generations doing their bit for cultural continuity. Younger Czechs, meanwhile, are quietly swapping the festive fish for salmon or schnitzel and moving on with their lives.
According to a Home Credit survey of 1,000 people, carp remains the main Christmas Eve dish in 36 per cent of households. It performs particularly strongly in the South Bohemian and Moravian-Silesian regions, where nearly half of families still put carp on the table, and among people aged 56 to 65, who appear determined not to let tradition go without a fight.
Younger respondents, residents of Prague and those living in larger cities are less convinced. Among people aged 18 to 26, carp features in just 31 per cent of Christmas dinners, with salmon and schnitzel emerging as popular alternatives — presumably requiring less emotional commitment and fewer childhood memories involving live fish in bathtubs.
When it comes to spending, moderation seems to be the seasonal theme. Around 35 per cent of households plan to spend between CZK 500 and 1,000 on Christmas Eve dinner, while just over a quarter are willing to stretch the budget to between CZK 1,001 and 2,000. Extravagance, it seems, is being kept safely in check until New Year’s.
A Christmas tree, however, remains non-negotiable. Only four per cent of respondents say they can manage without one, suggesting that festive minimalism has yet to catch on. While 56 per cent still plan to buy a real tree, artificial versions are gaining popularity. This year, 42 per cent of respondents considered buying a fake tree, up from 38 per cent last year, citing lower costs, environmental concerns, practicality and the distinct advantage of not having to hoover pine needles until Easter.
Despite changing tastes in fish and foliage, Christmas itself remains reassuringly traditional. Only four per cent of respondents plan to spend the holidays abroad, while the vast majority intend to stay at home. Three quarters will spend Christmas Eve with their closest family, with another 26 per cent extending celebrations to the wider clan — proving that, carp or no carp, the Czechs still take Christmas seriously.
Author: Mitzilinka (Turning grim reality into comic relief—without losing the truth)
