Easter is the oldest holiday on the first spring full moon, which is related to the advent of spring. Traditionally it indicates the resurrection of Christ and the beginning of a new agricultural year.
The Czech Republic has some very interesting traditions and one of them is that of whipping women with a Pomlázky. Yes, it is true! Pomlázky or the whip is made
from braided young willow twigs and decorated with ribbons. On Easter Monday, young boys and grown-up men go for carols and symbolically beat girls and women gently in return for colorfully decorated eggs. According to folk traditions, this kind of whipping brings to the woman beauty and fertility that does not leave her throughout the whole year.
In some regions, the tradition of playing on ratchets has also been preserved. From Thursday to Saturday, boys walk around the houses in the village and produce a characteristic sound with wooden ratchets. This is meant to call all believers to the church as the bells don’t ring during Easter holidays because they are symbolically sent to Rome.
Typical Easter dishes include meat of a lamb or rabbit with a nettle filling, cake (Mazanec) from yeast dough or biscuit lamb (Beránek) in sugar glaze. A large delicacy – Judas loops (Idashi), covered with a layer of honey, and fried sweets, covered in sugar. On Easter Monday there must be dishes of eggs on the table! Eggs are the earliest symbol of new life and rebirth. During the Easter holidays, most restaurants offer the Easter menu and special Easter varieties of beer with spices.