House Shoes

For the most part, house shoes are an option in the U.S. People generally wear them either because they are more comfortable than regular shoes or because their feet are cold. However, in the Czech, "regular" shoes are not allowed in the house. When you enter a Czech home, the first thing you do is take off your shoes. You then either walk around in your socks or put on some house shoes. In fact, many homes have some sort of storage that you place your "regular" shoes on while you visit.

Let me note a couple benefits of not wearing "regular" shoes in the house. First of all, you don't have to worry about your floors getting scuffed up. Secondly, your floors don't get as dirty or muddy. Lastly, and my favorite reason, since the floors don't get as dirty, you have less cleaning to do.

You will notice that I have some "elf" shoes on in the picture. In the schools, children are required to bring another pair of shoes to wear inside. Thus, visitors who do not bring their own pair of house shoes, are required to wear shoe coverings. The blue "elf" shoes were my "house shoes"!