2. Christmas Trees are popular in
Greece. But an older and more
traditional decoration is a shallow
wooden bowl with a piece of wire
is suspended across the rim. A
sprig of basil wrapped around a
wooden cross hangs from the wire.
Some water is kept in the bowl to
keep the basil alive and fresh.
Once a day someone, usually the
mother of the family, dips the cross
and basil into some holy water and
uses it to sprinkle water in each
room of the house. Most homes
decorate a christmas tree with
tinsel and a star.
4. Christmas Traditions in Greece
The custom is that children go
from house to house singing the
carol, with the accompaniment
of a triangle, and residents of
the houses give them a small
amount of money. Greek
Christmas carols (calanda) are
sung on the mornings of
Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve
and January 5, the Eve of the
Epiphany.
6. According to tradition, during the
Greek 12 days of Christmas
(December 25 to January 6),
goblins come out to tease people
and eat their food. This tradition is
based on the legend that the
"waters aren't christened" since
Christ has not yet been baptized.
The goblins are renowned for their
ugliness and their impishness.
They are not very intelligent and
can't really hurt anybody. It is said
that they enter houses through
chimneys, and this is the reason
people, especially in villages, keep
the fireplace lit during the 12 days
of Christmas.
7. For the Greeks, Father
Christmas is St. Basil of
Caesarea or Agios Vasilios and
not the western Santa from
the North Pole. In both cases
though the figures are the
same: with red clothes and a
long white beard and carrying
presents for the children
8. On New Year's Eve the home entertainments concentrates
mainly on card games. The reason probably for this is the so
called Guri (Luck). Which means that if you win that night the
new year will bring you luck.
10. At 12 O'clock the lights will be
switched off for a few seconds
and every one will go out to
light fireworks. If it happens
that the town or the village
has a port the sounds from the
ships are amazing, especially
in the Port of Piraeus where
all the ships and ferries hoot
11. In many parts of Greece, people
hang a pomegranate above the
front door of their house. By the
New Year, when the fruit will
have dried, Greeks throw it on
the ground so it breaks, and
step into their house on their
right foot. According to tradition,
this brings good luck for the year
to come.
12. People in Greece also celebrate
Epiphany on the 6th January. In the
Greek Orthodox Church, Epiphany
celebrates Jesus's baptism when he
was a man. It's also known as 'The
Blessing of the Waters'. There are
many events throughout the country
where young men dive into really cold
lakes, rivers and the sea to try to be
first to get a cross which has been
blessed by a priest and thrown into
the water. Whoever gets the cross first
is meant to have good luck during the
coming year. Epiphany festivals also
include blessings of boats & ships,
music, dancing and lots of food.
13. Traditionally, as the New Year
arrives the head of the house,
usually the man, will step out of
the door and smash a
pomegranate for good luck and
afterwards he will cut the
"Vasilopita", the Greek New
Year's cake.
In the Vasilopita cake from
tradition the Greeks put a coin
inside. Depending on your wealth
it can be a gold sovereign or a
simple coin. The one that finds it
in his piece will be the new Year's
lucky one.
14. Christmas Food in Greece
Christmas, like many other
holidays in Greece, is a time
for feasting. In the past years,
Christmas turkey has become
very popular as the main dish
of the holiday. Traditionally,
the main course of Christmas
dinner in Greece is roast pork,
with a variety of side
delicacies. No matter what the
main dish is, one thing is
certain: Christmas food in
Greece is delicious!
15. Melomakarona and kourabiedes are the two varieties of Christmas and
New Year's cookies in Greece. The first are semolina, cinnamon, and clove
cookies drenched in honey, while the second are rosewater and fresh
butter cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar that are normally served on
New Year's but many succumb to temptation and begin consuming them
earlier.
16. A traditional table decoration
are loaves of 'Christopsomo'
(Christ's Bread or Christmas
bread). It's a round sweet
bread which is flavored with
cinnamon, orange and cloves.
The top is decorated with a
cross. The bread is made on
Christmas Eve ready to be
eaten on Christmas Day.
18. The Christmas season ends on
6 of January with the
celebration of Epiphany and
the blessing of the waters.
Traditionally during this day
(Fota) the Christmas goblins
"Kalikantzaroi" ,after having
annoyed the mortals for 12
days, go back to the centre of
the Earth
