CZECH REPUBLIC: LETTERS TO SANTA DON'T QUITE MAKE IT TO THE NORTH POLE - THEY GO TO THE VILLAGE OF BOZI DAR INSTEAD

Record ID: 858262

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: LETTERS TO SANTA DON'T QUITE MAKE IT TO THE NORTH POLE - THEY GO TO THE VILLAGE OF BOZI DAR INSTEAD
  • Date: 13th December 2004
  • Summary: (L!2) PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (DECEMBER 13, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) GV: CHRISTMAS MARKET AT PRAGUE'S WENCELAS SQUARE VARIOUS: OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT GIFT STALLS (5 SHOTS) WS: TICHY FAMILY IN PRAGUE VARIOUS: CHILDREN HONZIK TICHY AND IVETKA TICHY PAINTING THEIR WISHES TO "JEZISEK", THE CZECH SANTA (5 SHOTS) WS: FAMILY TICHY WALKING TO SEND LETTER TO "JEZISEK" CHILDREN POSTING LETTERS GV: OF BOZI DAR VILLAGE IN KRUSNE HORY MOUNTAINS (2 SHOTS) SIGNPOST FOR CZECH POSTAL SERVICE MLV/CU: DANA KUDRNOVA, POSTMASTER OF BOZI DAR POST OFFICE STAMPING THE LETTERS (2 SHOTS) SCU: SOUNDBITE (Czech) DANA KUDRNOVA, POSTMASTER OF BOZI DAR POST OFFICE SAYING: "It is a job like any other. But it is nice, because we are opening the letters, where the children are writing about their Christmas wishes, and not only children, adults, too. And this is sweet" VARIOUS: OF DANA KUDRNOVA MANAGING AND WEIGHTING THE POST, CLOSE UPS OF LETTERS (7 SHOTS) PAN: FROM THE POST TO BOZI DAR VILLAGE
  • Embargoed: 28th December 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PRAGUE AND BOZI DAR, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • City:
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: Entertainment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVACF795S86XLPZ13JDO089VQBV8
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Letters to the Czech version of Santa don't quite make it to the North Pole.
    When Santa heads out on Christmas eve to deliver presents, he can probably fly right over the Czech republic.
    Which mysterious figure brings young children their presents? In many western countries it's St. Nicholas or Santa Claus. But for Czechs it's Jezisek, or the Baby Jesus.
    Like children in the rest of Europe however, children need to let Jezisek know exactly what they hope to receive on Christmas. With Christmas just weeks away, the Tichy family children have been busy writing.
    "I want a doll Karolinka, which comes to you when you clap your hands", says five year old Ivetka Tichy, who has carefully written two letter with her brother Honzik.
    Letters are addressed to Jezisek, care of "Christmas Post" and sent to the tiny mountain village of Bozi Dar.
    Its a tiny post office, but workers insure that every letter is carefully stamped with a seal saying Jezisek has gotten the message.
    "It is a job like any other. But it is nice, because we are opening the letters, where the children are writing about their Christmas wishes, and not only children, adults, too. And this is sweet", says post office worker Dana Kudrnova This year Bozi Dar has received more than 150 kilograms worth of letters.
    Jezisek has made a comeback since the fall of communism in 1989. During that era authorities promoted the non religious "Father Frost", a Santa style character frequently ridiculed by Czechs. Christmas cards with the Madonna and Jezisek were completely banned.
    Czech tradition calls for parents to decorate the Christmas tree, prepare the presents and light the candles.
    The children are told that during the evening when no one is watching, that the little baby Jesus, Jezisek, has come and delivered the presents, Grown ups then ring a bell, slip out of the room, the children enter to collect their presents under the lit up Christmas tree.
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