Embassy Thanks U.S. Desk Officers,
Partners at Holiday Party - "Mikulás" Day Celebrated
The Hungarian Embassy gave a
“Mikulás” Holiday Party on December 13. The Embassy’s staff invited
their American partners and counterparts as well as the Hungarian press
correspondents to thank them for their year-long cooperation and for
their friendship with Hungary.
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Ambassador Somogyi thanking the
Embassy's numerous American partners and friends |
Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi greeted
the guests and expressed the Embassy’s delight over having such great
partners in Washington. The Ambassador wished all the guests Happy
Holidays. The Embassy’s Press Attaché, Zoltán Fehér, played a medley of
Christmas songs and his own compositions, on the piano.
 |
Zoltán Fehér,
the Embassy's Press Attaché, playing a Christmas medley on the
piano |
Upon arrival, the guests received a
quiz with questions about Hungary and Hungarians.
Click here to read the quiz questions.
The Embassy staff evaluated the quizzes and 8 players with the highest
scores received small prizes for their results.
"Mikulás" is Santa Clause’s (or St. Nicholas') Hungarian name and he is
celebrated every year on December
6th
in Hungary, as the red-robed, grey-haired, bearded man of winter,
signaling the beginning of the Holiday Season. Children in Hungary
carefully polish their boots and put them on the windowsill to be filled
by Mikulás on December
6th.
The good bishop comes with a big sack full of presents and a large
record book with children's good and bad deeds. In the morning children
are supposed to find either candies, tangerines, walnuts, apples, dates,
chocolate Mikulás figures, and small gifts (if they have been good) or
potatoes, stones, switches, a wooden spoon (if they have been bad).
The
menu of the Holiday Party included mulled red wine, Hungarian biscuits (pogácsa),
sandwiches with Hungarian salami and sausage as well as beigli, the
delicious Hungarian Christmas pastry.
