Czech Easter Traditions!

Easter time always reminds me how important it is to be with your family and friends. As some of you might already know from reading my blog, I am Czech, married to an English man. We met in Sydney and decided to move back to Europe as our families live here. Not long after our return to London, my husband's family moved to Belfast, so we don't have many family members here. Luckily after Isabelle was born we met 5 other mums and dads at local ante -natal classes and we still see them every week. They became our best friends here, in England.

My mum was so great and moved in to live with us for 6 months (when Isabelle was 1 year old) to help me, when I was setting up my website and blog. At that time I realised how wonderful it is when you have your family, especially your mum around you. I think living here without my family and friends is not easy, also we do not have any "my and my husband's time", but we manage and when we go to see my family in the Czech Republic, we spend some time without Isabelle.

When it comes to Xmas and Easter, I always keep my Czech traditions, as I want Isabelle to know what her mummy used to do when she was a little girl. One of the Easter Czech traditions to mention would be a "pomlazka". Traditionally, early in the morning boys awake girls by pouring a bucket of water on their head and striking them about the legs with long thin twigs or switches made from willow, decorated with ribbons. The twigs are thought to bring health and youth to anyone who is whipped by them. The girls give them some hand-painted or otherwise decorated eggs. There are many Easter egg decorating techniques and the more elaborate ones require certain levels of skill. Different materials can be used, such as bee's wax, straw, watercolors, onion peels, picture stickers.