2. • Christmas is a very important festival in
Greece and traditionally food plays a major
role. This is a good chance for families to come
together over the decorated table and try
Christmas food prepared by the housewife.
The traditional Christmas celebration lasts for
13 days, from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on
January 6th, the day when the baptism of
Jesus Christ is symbolically celebrated.
3. Festive Turkey
Turkey is a relatively new Christmas food in
Greece. It is cooked in the oven, on Christmas
Day or New Year’s Eve. Until a couple of decades
ago, Christmas meat was usually lamb or pork,
but today most housewives cook turkey,
probably affected by western cultures. The
Christmas turkey is stuffed with rice, walnuts,
raisins, chestnuts and mincemeat or giblets.
4. Pork
• For Christmas, all over Greece, the meat of the
plat de résistance is not turkey but rather pork.
Indeed, it was and still is a highly-appreciated
protein source used to break the Advent fast
leading up to Christmas. There are many
traditional pork Christmas recipes which vary
depending on the region. From whole-roasted pig
to pork stew, pork-filled puff pastry or slow-
cooked dishes, pork plays a leading role in the
Christmas food scene – despite the recent
popularity of turkey stealing the spotlight in
recent years.
5. Christopsomo
• Christopsomo is another Greek Christmas tradition,
common to numerous families across the country.
Usually decorated with a cross or ‘X’ (the first letter in
the Greek word for Christ), housewives also create
other nice designs, such as the sun, the moon or
sheep. this loaf of bread is made out of the purest and
most expensive ingredients such as raisins, aniseed,
walnuts or almonds, etc.. Made on Christmas Eve to be
eaten on Christmas day, this is a round bread and is
usually set on the table surrounded with nuts, dried
fruit, and other treats, and it is eaten by the slice,
drizzled with honey.
6. Vasilopita
• The top among all Christmas food in Greece is Saint
Basil’s Cake, called Vasilopita. This is a cake that is cut
right after the coming of the New Year, which actually
means a little after midnight, or at the lunch of New
Year’s Day. The special thing about vasilopita is that it is
baked with a coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in
their piece of cake is expected to have much luck for
the entire coming year. There are many recipes to bake
a vasilopita. The most traditional recipes include
pomegranate, almonds, raisins, while the most modern
recipes may even include yogurt or ginger
7. Melomakarona
• In Greece, the appearance of melomakarona
in bakeries always signal that Christmas is
coming. These delicious cookies flavored with
cinnamon, cloves and orange are dipped in a
syrup after baking, then finally topped with
sprinkled nuts. Fair warning, these favorites
are so delicious you may develop an addiction.
8. Kourabiedes
• Kourabiedes are the other typical Christmas
treats that announce the beginning of the
holiday season in Greece. Although they are
usually made with toasted almonds, other
nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts) can also be used.
These shortbread cookies are often infused
with rose or orange blossom water and dusted
with heavenly icing sugar.
9. Rakomelo
• Rakomelo is a Greek mixed alcoholic drink.] It is a
digestive spirit, traditionally used by many Greeks
as a home remedy for a sore throat or cough.
Rakomelo is made by combining raki or tsipouro -
two types of grape pomace brandy -
with honey and several spices, such
as cinnamon, cardamom, or other regional herbs.
It is produced in Crete and other islands of
the Aegean Sea and on the Greek mainland,
chiefly consumed during the winter as a warm
drink. Rakomelo can be found as a bottled mixed
drink in liquor stores, ready to be served.
