As you already know, the fifth most important part of Christmas is Christmas candy. And this has turned out to be one of the biggest mysteries of Czech Christmas. More precisely, the way how it ends up in Czech households.
At first glance, the situation is clear. Czechs aged 45-64 prepare candy at home more often than other age groups or buy it. The younger ones bake less and get it from their families all the more.
Source: mPanel, výzkumný projekt GroupM
So far, nothing really mysterious. But if you look closely at the responses of men and women, you will find a phenomenon that could be described as the magic of Christmas or the Christmas miracle. While 51% of women aged 45-64 say that they bake or prepare the sweets for Christmas exclusively at home, men of the same age noticed this happening at home only in 32 % of the cases. They are even more likely to report that their household receives candy. We must admit, however, that a similar situation can be seen among Czechs aged 25-44, albeit to a slightly lesser extent: 42 % of women and 29 % of men report baking sweets at home. Thus, the invisibility of candy making in the household increases with increasing age. Our question really stood: How is the candy made at your´s? If your guess is on the hypothesis of one-person households where men don't bake, everyone feels sorry for the poor creature and brings them candy, while single women at least run happily around the oven, you're wrong. That explains 40 % of the difference at most.
Source: mPanel, výzkumný projekt GroupM
The only way to solve this mystery is our Christmas wish: Dear Czech women, when you bake sweets at home, do it rather in full view of everyone, so that men don't feel that the sweets find their way at home on its own... Otherwise it makes an illogical mess of our data.
We don't want to end our first Christmas topic on a negative note, so let's look at one area where Czechs aged 45-64 stand out above everyone else - and in a very positive way.
As you can see from our project if you click through to the main page (CZ only at the moment), we're talking about the richest Czech target group. And it's positive to see that they know how to share their income when needed. After all, it is these Czechs who contribute the most to charity - be it Christmas or charity in general.
Source: mPanel, výzkumný projekt GroupM
If you are a Czech 45+ and despite our project you don't want to be a mature Czech yet, we have 2 rejuvenating tips related to the Christmas symbols.
Potato salad is the 3rd most important ingredient of the best Czech Christmas, and its ingredients will reliably tell you the age of the head of the household (or the one who prepares the salad).
A simple rule applies, if you have a desire to appear younger than your actual age, avoid celery. Its presence in Czech potato salads increases steeply with age. If, on the other hand, you have a desire to look like the youngest generation under the age of 24, stuff the salas with as much corn and peas as you can fit (we're not responsible for the consequences, but a youthful image demands its own).
The second rule concerns the meat we eat with potato salad at Christmas. If you were a carp or carpfish, Christmas is a risky time for you overall. But you should especially avoid Czechs over 45. While carp is an essential requirement for the best Christmas for just under 31 % of people under 44, it's 40 % for Czechs aged 45-64.
Here again, a simple direct proportionality applies – the more carp and pork, the higher the age of the diners. And vice versa.
