It is a tradition for families in Slovakia to eat carp on Christmas Eve, but before the fish can be prepared it has to swim in the family bathtub for a day or two. After the meal, everyone collects scales from the carp to bring them luck and prosperity, and they carry them in their wallets until the next Christmas Eve.
Variations of this tradition are also popular in nearby European countries, including Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany.
