Travel-and-Leisure
Christmas in Budapest
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 V?r?smarty Square.
Opening Hours at Christmas in Budapest
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 to normal after 1st January.
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
Public Transport at Christmas in Budapest
Public transport vehicles run until around 15.00-16.00. After 16.00 night services carry passangers. On 25th-26th December vehicles run according to holiday schedule. Between 27th and 1st January, vehicles run less frequently than they do on usual weekdays. It's also holiday at schools, all public transport vehicles run according to schedules valid during school holidays.
Some Hungarian Christmas Traditions
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. We celebrate the arrival of Santa on 6th December, St. Nicholas Day. At midnight people go to the midnight mass. Organ music and pine scent fill the air in churches where people sing together classical Christmas songs. Even non-religious people attend this mass beacuse of its festive and uplifting atmosphere. On the following two days relatives and friends visit it each other at their homes, have traditional Christmas dishes and desserts.
Weather Around Christmas in Budapest
When I was a little kid there was always thick snow around Christmas. The first snowflakes fell usually at the end of November. The temperatures were around zero or below. Today it is hard to tell what will be the weather like around Christmas. Due to global warming we have not see any snow in the past couple of years. The weather around Christmas is sometimes rather mild and dull, with some rain, and it's crispy and sunny with crystal blue sky at times. I prefer the latter, though I long for white Christmas every year.
Programs at Christmas in Budapest
The world famous 100-member Gypsy Orchestra performs a concert on 30th December, at 6 pm in teh Budapest Congress Centre. They'll play both clasical and traditional folk music.
The whole city calms down for a couple of days. You can only hear the sound of Christmas concerts and Advent songs in Budapest's churches. After the hectic shopping it's a real realxation to listen to the organ works and contemplate about the meaning of Advent and Christmas. I recommend the Lights of Christmas Festival in Matthias Church on Castle Hill.
Merry Christmas in Budapest!
Erzsebet Dobos
? Copyright http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com All Rights Reserved Erzsebet lives in Budapest with her husband and son. She loves the Hungarian capital very much. Erzsebet's goal is to share her insider knowledge about Budapest with tourists visiting the city. Visit her website at http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com/index.html to find out more about Budapest. |
Erzsebet Dobos
Similar articles
Chicago Attractions - Shedd Aquarium
Chicago is full of countless attractions that can occupy your time. One of the best attractions in Chicago is the Shedd Aquarium. This is especially true if you have children and are looking for a family friendly activity. Read more →China Town And Nob Hill
The area known as Chinatown in San Francisco is a tourist must-see. Bordered by Broadway, California, Kearney and Powell Streets, this is a unique cultural experience that takes you into another world. Read more →Cigar Occasions
We are all aware there are certain occasions in one's life where lighting a cigar is as integral as breathing itself. There are moments when it is expected everyone on hand will have a cigar in hand, smoking away in a puff of celebration. Read more →Cigarettes
A cigarette is a small paper-wrapped cylinder. The cylinder contains cured, shredded or cut tobacco leaves. A normal cigarette length is 120 mm in length and 10 mm in diameter. Read more →Aphorism
The routines of tourism are even more monotonous than those of daily life.