1. Welcome to Greece
at Gomati of Chalkidiki

2. and have a nice
Christmas

3. Christmas = Χριστούγεννα
(Christougenna)
●
●
Christmas is a major religious
holiday and the reason for
celebrating Christmas in Greece
is the birth of Christ.
Christougenna means the birth
of Christ

4. Preparations for
Christmas holidays
● In Greece, Christmas
holiday refers to twelve
days starting on 25 of
December till January
6th, which is known as
the Feast of Epiphany
A fasting period starts 40 days before
Christmas and religious people fast from
meat, egg and dairy products until the 25th of
December as sign of their faith.

5. Decoration
● There is a Greek custom in which
people (especially in islands)
decorate a boat to signify that the
sailor of the house came back for
holidays
● Most families decorate many
weeks before artificial or natural
Christmas Trees with ornaments,
music lights and a star or an angel
at the top

6. Every city or village decorates
streets and squares
Athens
Thessaloniki

7. ‘Kalanta’ for
Chris tmas Day
On Christmas Eve's morning, all children
sing Christmas Carol (Kalanta) from
house to house, playing music while
holding a small metal triangle and they
get money and sweets.
‘Kalanta’ talks about the birth of Christ and
children announce the good news to
everyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wfYxlEpnjY

8. ‘Kalanta’ for the
1st day of the new year
In the morning of the first day of new year, children also sing carols for this event in the
same way but with another song. There is a diversity of carols for this day depending
on the place you live in Greece.
● Kalanta all over Greece
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y2VVMIJLWc
● Kalanta from Crete
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl82JL4JxjY
● Kalanta from Corfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAoDWXxIYpc

9. Christmas songs
There are many Christmas songs
that refer to Santa Claus (Agios
Vasilis), Christmas tree and winter.
● Trigona Kalanta (Jingle Bells)
Some of these songs are the same
as in other countries with different
lyrics in another language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXmd0rwbDHc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLsEDiAQt9g
● Rudolf
● Agia Nichta (Silent Night)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-JoIvDJmB8
● Little Drummer Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVpuxk5SfU4
● O, Elato (O, Christmas tree)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I---zUrvWws

10. Traditional Foods for
Christmas
stuffed turkey
roasted pork
melomakarona
kourabiedes

11. Traditional Foods for
Christmas
Christopsomo
It has a cross curved before it is baked on
Christmas Eve and we eat it on
Christmas Day
Vasilopita
At midnight on December 31 and after the coming of New Year, the
household cuts vasilopita and everyone gets a piece. There is a
hidden coin and the person who finds it, is the lucky one for the new
year. One piece is dedicated to Jesus and one to the house.

12. Agios Vasilis (Santa Claus)
On the first day of the new year we celebrate the
memory of Saint Vasilis. He is the one who brings the
presents to children leaving them below the
Christmas Tree. Agios Vasilis is not the same with
Santa Claus, as he comes from Caesarea and not
from Northern Europe.
He helped poor people and he built hospitals. Tradition
says that he returned coins and jeweleries to people
that gave them for taxes, through small round breads.
This is the reason why we dedicate Vasilopita to him
and we put a coin in this.

13. Theofania
On 6th of January we celebrate the
Epiphany Day.
Church celebrates the babtism of
Jesus and priests throw a cross
into the sea, river or lake. Then
people dive and the person who
manage to catch the cross is
considered blessed.

14. Merry Chris tmas and
a Happy New Year!
Χρόνια Πολλά και Καλή Χρονιά !