Average Slovak Christmas tree shelters 15 gifts
People like decorating their Christmas trees with homemade ornaments.
photo: TASR
The average number of presents under the Christmas tree in Slovak households increases every year, but remains lower than in Czech households. While Slovak families average 15 presents under the tree, Czech households average a whopping 26.
One half of Slovaks buy Christmas gifts in December. While children most often receive toys, perfumes and cosmetics are the most frequent presents for adults. A survey by Unilever has found that every sixth Christmas gift is a cosmetics product.
Even though presents should not be a main theme of Christmas, as many as one third of Slovaks associate Christmas with them. Approximately the same number of the respondents associates Christmas with its spiritual aspect.
Clothing most desired Christmas gift
Every third Slovak would like to find clothing under the Christmas tree. One fifth of the population would like to get a book or perfume. Everyday cosmetics, jewellery or watches would please Slovaks as well, as a November survey of TNS SK focusing on Christmas behaviour of Slovak consumers shows. Young people up to 29 years old would like to get CDs and DVDs, mobile phones, cameras, computers, everyday and sports clothes, while people above 60 years of age prefer vitamins. Works of art, consumer electronics, DIY tools, jewellery and watches will please people in the 30 to 59-year-old category.
Women would like to see luxury cosmetics, books, jewellery and watches under the tree; DIY tools, cameras, computers and computer games, CDs and DVDs will delight men.
Most Slovaks bake vanilla rolls
Vianočka (up) and linecké kolieska (down)...
The aroma of vanilkové rožky (vanilla rolls) usually fills the air in Slovak households during the Christmas season, when as many as 84 percent of Slovak housewives bake this kind of pastry for Christmas. A survey by Unilever has showed that it is still possible to taste the traditional vianočka (Christmas cake) in 41 percent of households. Most households stick to family recipes which housewives start baking as early as a month before Christmas. Most households prepare five to ten kinds of pastry, but some housewives take pride in baking as many as 30 to 40 kinds of pastry.
...remain popular Christmas pastries in Slovak households.
photo: Zuzana Habšudová
In addition to vanilla rolls, other popular pastries are medvedie labky (bear paws), a chocolate-nut cookie covered with sugar; linecké kolieska, circular shortbread cookies with a jam filling; kokosky (coconut biscuits) and osie hniezda (wasps' nests), which are made from dough covered with nuts, jam, or poppy seeds, then rolled and cut into rings. As many as 85 percent of housewives prepare Christmas pastry at home, and only 2 percent prefer to buy it in stores. Those who bake at home usually stick to classical recipes, and rarely experiment.
By Jana Liptáková
