For centuries, Jews in Eastern Europe generally spent Christmas Eve and Day in the safety of their homes. The tradition of hanging a Christmas tree upside down from the ceiling is an old one in Central and Eastern Europe. Celebrating the 25th December isn’t Biblical but rather Roman midwinter celebration which later was adopted. Except for Russia, Christmas Day and St. Stephen's Day (Dec 25-26) are celebrated throughout Eastern Europe as both religious and civic holidays, as is New Year's Eve, aka St. Sylvester's Day, on December 31. Strong Catholic traditions in Eastern European countries brought about the carp tradition hundreds of years ago. For Christmas, Easter, summer or the autumn harvest, book your flights, accommodation and tours and activities in Colmar, such as a "4 wonders of Alsace day tour" and discover the best European destination. In the U.S., kids leave out cookies and milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. In certain places, Christian authorities actually prohibited Jews from appearing in public places during the Christian high holidays, so Jewish schools and synagogues were closed. Opening dates: 26th November 2021 to 6th January 2022 (projected dates). Poland is among the best Christmas destinations in Europe that celebrate this much-awaited day of the year with as much enthusiasm and joy as any of Catholica nation in Europe. New Year's Eve is party time with various chlebíčky (open-faced sandwiches), nuts, … Still undecided? The first records of a tree being decorated date to the 1500s at Riga, Latvia. Polish children delight on St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6) because they receive gifts. Holiday Festivities . Hungarian children, on the other hand, leave their shoes and boots on the windowsill for Mikulás to fill them with goodies on December 6. Forecast for Christmas 2020 in Europe: Anticyclonic, sunny and foggy Christmas with snow in basins and valleys? As in Poland, New Year's Eve is known as St. Sylvester's Day because it is the saint's feast day. The early trees were a symbol of the Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden and were decorated with food and flowers to denote abundance. And, since Prague was his place of birth, the tie is even stronger in The Czech Republic. Offices, post offices, banks, and other services: Expect many to be closed for at least a week around Christmas Day. These cities located in the eastern and central, or even northern part of Europe, according to the UN, but they’re a great starting point for exploring more of Eastern Europe in winter. Museums and other tourist attractions: Most will be open in the run-up to Christmas Day but few open on December 25. Eastern Europe with its beautiful cities and plentiful Christmas markets are the perfect choice for a winter trip. For eastern Europeans living in the UK, having carp for their Christmas dinner is a tradition they wish to hold onto, and Mr Little and other independent fishmongers are happy to meet the demand. In Russia, home to 39 per cent of the world’s Orthodox Christians, people enjoy more days off over Grocery stores and other stores: Generally open until Christmas Eve, and then reopen on December 27.