Since it is a Christmas dessert, the three braids represent Baby Jesus in the manger. Each loaf of vánočka bread is made from nine strands of dough, braided into three separate braids. The bottom four strands represent the four key elements of the earth: fire, water, earth, and air. The middle three strands stand for the three traits of humanity: reason, will, and feeling (emotion). The top two strands represent the two qualities that draw us closer to God: love and knowledge.