Easter Monday: Remind yourself of modern and forgotten customs. Do you know what to cook for lunch today? | News | Hradecka Gossip

Easter Monday, sometimes called Red Monday, follows only twenty-four hours after the Resurrection of the Lord. It is thus the second day that Christians experience in the Octave of Easter, which is the weekly joy of redemption. The octave recalls the greatness and significance of Christ’s resurrection.

A number of customs apply to the present day, some of which have survived to this day and some of which have already disappeared. Let’s take a closer look at some of them now.

Individual customs varied from region to region. What is certain, however, is that the tradition of handing out eggs and smacking pomelo is a Czech and Slovak rarity that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

From eight to twelve rods

In our country, it is customary on Easter Monday to pick up a home-knitted pom-pom, usually made of eight to twelve willow sticks (this does not mean that boys cannot knit thicker ones) and to go caroling and tossing girls from the neighborhood. Everything is accompanied by the chanting of various carols, the most famous of which is certainly “Feasts, feasts, accompaniments”. But there are also places where girls are doused with cold water.

Caroling itself has different forms in individual regions. In some places it is called whipping or whipping, in other places you will come across the expression of squealing. But the goal is only one: the girls are to get some of the spring freshness from the willow twigs after the fluttering. The boys are thus “caressed” and do not dry out. In addition, the girls are always ready for carolers and they receive rewards, mostly in the form of Easter eggs. In addition, the younger ones usually get something for their teeth, the older ones rather something for the stronger.

The girls used to beat the boys

And who came up with the tradition of whipping anyway? It’s hard to say, but the very first mention of the Easter pom pom appears in the memoirs of the Prague preacher Konrád Waldhauser, who lived in the 14th century. Traditions also include taking turns in a leap year, when girls should go around beating boys. This is the case this year.

But Easter Monday does not have traditions only in the morning hours. For example, in the afternoon, children used to go to play for the village, where they competed for scrambled eggs. For example, an egg was knocked against an egg, and whoever cracked first had to give their egg to the winner. They were also raced on an inclined surface “on the valbiska”. In the evening, everyone had fun in pubs with good music.

Holidays end today

The five-day Easter vacation ends today for schoolchildren and students, and the four-day long weekend for adults. The police are monitoring the expected increased traffic on the roads throughout Easter, and today they will also focus on compliance with the ban for drivers to drink alcohol. So if you hit the roads today, expect an increased number of police patrols.

What to cook today?

And what to have for lunch today? On Easter Monday, it is customary to have a more festive meat lunch after the end of fasting, there are also ubiquitous eggs. For example, lamb or roast rabbit is served for lunch, omelets, spreads or stuffing are made from eggs.