With the year almost at a close, it's normal to wonder what the new one has in store. While some of us make resolutions, Czech folklore leaves the future to chance, seeing destiny in how a thrown shoe lands, the arrangement of seeds in a sliced apple or in the shapes formed by lead poured into water.

The Czechs boast the world’s largest mechanical nativity scene — Krýzovy Jeslíčky — which is among the most impressive examples of a vibrant subculture that still produces and exhibits ‘betlémy’ in a bewildering array of styles and materials (from carved fish to gingerbread). The passion for nativities dates back to their banning from churches by Emperor Joseph II.

Geocaching, an outdoor treasure hunting game in which participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find a hidden geocache, took off in 2000, shortly after Washington lifted restrictions on civilian access to satellite signals used by the US military. The Czech Republic is now fourth in number of caches in the EU and the third most-active globally.

For the average non-fashionista, choosing shoes for the day is a one-minute deliberation on the way out the door. The still young but tight-knit Czech community of sneaker aficionados — sneakerheads, as they call themselves — is looking to show the public otherwise by spotlighting rare sports footwear at the country’s first-ever sneakers exhibit, opening Friday, June 10.