The Witch Burning

I celebrated many holidays in Prague. From Jewish holidays to college traditions that I did not want to give up even while abroad, I was able to mix my customs with the people on my program, along with participating in Czech holidays. May 1st is a national holiday titled Mayday. Mayday is the day of love. Everyone has the day off and is supposed to spend the day outside at one of the many festivals around the country. It was such a fun day, with lots of traditional Czech food and lots of outdoor activities. But one of the most interesting holidays I have ever been a part of occurs the night before may day, on April 30th. All around the country, bonfires are set. The bonfires are for the communal witch burnings. the witches are symbolic of winter and these collective bonfires signify the end of winter. This is the official welcome of spring, by burning out the cold and bitterness of winter.