Are you going to celebrate Christmas in Budapest with Hungarian friends? I tell you some essential information about opening hours, public transport and some interesting Hungarian Christmas traditions.
In mid-November Budapest starts to prepare for Christmas. Streets are decorated with colourful lights, shop-windows are adorned to lure in customers hunting for gifts. More and more people set out to look for the ideal Christmas presents in shops or in the markets. If you're looking for a unique Hungarian gift and want to get away from the all alike shops visit the Budapest Christmas Fair at Vorosmarty Square.
Shops are open for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Sundays on the three weekends before Christmas. Shops close around early afternoon on 24th December and open only on 27th December. Some larger shopping malls might stay open until early evening on 24th December. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day all shops, supermarkets are closed in Budapest. Many shops do not open between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Life gets back
Restaurants are also closed on Christmas Eve (24th Decemeber), but most of them open on 25th-26th December. Budapest is a popular tourist destination even in winter and restaurant owners are well aware of that. Don't worry you'll definitely find several good restaurants open during Christmas in Budapest
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Hungary. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve (it's Szenteste in Hungarian, meaning Holy Night) Familiy members get together in the afternoon on 24th December and decorate the Christmas tree. Grandparents or elder brothers and sisiters look after the little ones, so they won't see their presents placed under the tree. The fragrant fir is adorned with colourful paper decorations and a special Hungarian Christmas candy (szaloncukor) wrapped in shinny coloured papers. Housewives cook traditional Hungarian Chrismas dishes in the kitchen.
In mid-November Budapest starts to prepare for Christmas. Streets are decorated with colourful lights, shop-windows are adorned to lure in customers hunting for gifts. More and more people set out to look for the ideal Christmas presents in shops or in the markets. If you're looking for a unique Hungarian gift and want to get away from the all alike shops visit the Budapest Christmas Fair at Vorosmarty Square.
Shops are open for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Sundays on the three weekends before Christmas. Shops close around early afternoon on 24th December and open only on 27th December. Some larger shopping malls might stay open until early evening on 24th December. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day all shops, supermarkets are closed in Budapest. Many shops do not open between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Life gets back
Restaurants are also closed on Christmas Eve (24th Decemeber), but most of them open on 25th-26th December. Budapest is a popular tourist destination even in winter and restaurant owners are well aware of that. Don't worry you'll definitely find several good restaurants open during Christmas in Budapest
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Hungary. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve (it's Szenteste in Hungarian, meaning Holy Night) Familiy members get together in the afternoon on 24th December and decorate the Christmas tree. Grandparents or elder brothers and sisiters look after the little ones, so they won't see their presents placed under the tree. The fragrant fir is adorned with colourful paper decorations and a special Hungarian Christmas candy (szaloncukor) wrapped in shinny coloured papers. Housewives cook traditional Hungarian Chrismas dishes in the kitchen.
We usually have fish soup, stuffed cabbage, pastry rolls stuffed with poppy seed, walnut or chestnut stuffings (it's called bejgli in Hungarian). Family members exchange gifts in the evening on 24th December while listening to tradtitional Christmas songs. In Hungary baby Jesus brings the presents, not Santa.
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