Christmas in Athens Greece
Christmas in Greece, is not the traditional Christmas holiday
destination, but it has so much to offer that it will be one of the most
unforgettable holidays in your life!
There are two sides to Christmas in Greece; one is religious and
solemn, while the other is festive and glamorous. Both of them have
their charm. Most towns in Greece are decorated with bright lights,
bells, angels and other Christmasy objects. According to Christmas
traditions in Greece, the patron saint of the holiday is Saint Nicolas,
who is also the protector of sailors. For this reason, you will often see
boats decorated with many sparkling lights, rather than the
traditional Christmas trees. The Christmas season in Greece begins
on December 6 th, which is Saint Nicolas day, and ends on January 6
th, which is the Feast of the Epiphany (Theophania). Celebrations
really pick-up from the 20 th of December, as Christmas day gets
closer. If you are an amateur photographer, you will be constantly
taking Christmas pictures in Greece.
Celebrating Christmas and New Years Eve in Greece is like finding
yourself in an expressionist work of art: decorated Christmas trees,
shiny bright ornaments, and karavkia (small Christmas ships)
decked with blue and white lights illuminate our streets in honor of St.
Nicholas; harmonious bells and childrens carols echo through our
cities and villages. Traditional culinary delights symbolize good luck in
the New Year and adorn our white-clothed tables. In this mosaic of
Christmas sensations, holiday experiences are rendered even more
colorful by the deep blue of our seas, the green forest of our
mountains, the red coral of our sunsets, and the rich violet of our
night sky.
Christmas and New Years holiday though is a major holiday time for
Greeks, as is around the world. The majority of them will go back to
their islands and towns to spend Christmas in a conventional method.
That is why Christmas vacations in Greece can be incredible for a
traveler, no matter whether they choose to check out a city, a
mainland village or a Greek island.
All in all if you have chosen that Greece needs to be your next
destination for vacation and journey consider well exactly what you
are going to do there whether you wish to go on a vacation at the
beach or you just want to check out ancient Greece, which is rich in
historical and cultural heritages. In both cases Im sure you will be
satisfied and full of lots of feelings and memories after your vacation
journey in Greece.
Christmas shopping in Greece is an absolute delight. Streets are
packed with people buying Christmas gifts for their loved ones, as well
as Christmas carolers singing Christmas songs. Since gifts are
traditionally given on New Year's Eve, Christmas shopping in Greece
continues way after the 25 th of December. Shops are decorated with
all the usual Christmas ornaments, and an upbeat atmosphere is
apparent as you walk along the streets and in the shops. Therefore,
Xmas shopping in Greece isn't just shopping. It's a festive experience!
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Christmas Holidays in Greece
If you come to Greece at Christmas, you will have the opportunity to
attend a wide variety of events and festivities. In the country's major
cities, such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra, Heraklion, etc, the
municipal
authorities
organize
music
concerts,
theatrical
performance, and a number of other cultural events. Christmas in
Athens is a fantastic time of the year. The largest Christmas tree in
Europe is lit in Syntagma Square, the location of the capital's
Christmas village, where little elf houses sell candy and children can
take part in a number of activities. There is no limit to Christmas fun
in Greece!
Christmas Eve in Greece, as in countries throughout the world, has
numerous stunning and fun traditions. Christmas Eve starts with
children singing kalanda (Christmas carols) around the community.
Some of the youngsters play triangles and some play other
conventional instruments. Sometimes they are accompanied by a
guitar, a harmonica, an accordion or a lyra. Good desires are
provided and the youngsters are awarded with treats.
Lets try to recreate this atmosphere by taking a short trip to some of
the places where age-old Christmas customs still survive:
Be
aware
of
the hobgoblins:
Greeces
hobgoblins
are
called
kallikntzari, friendly but troublesome little creatures who look like
elves; they surface on Earth only during the 12-day period from
Christmas to the Epiphany (January 6). According to the Greek
legend, these creatures origin is the centre of the earth, where their
mission is to chop at a huge tree trunk symbolizing the earth's
foundations. While on Earth, they love to hide in people's houses
slipping
down
the
chimney.
Being
extremely
naughty,
the
kallikntzari do things to frighten people, like overturning furniture,
devouring Christmas foods, or contaminating the water. Throughout
Greece, numerous rituals are performed to keep these hobgoblins
away. In some places mothers sprinkle holy water in every room of the
house
to
scare
the
kallikntzari
away.
In others, like the island of Kefallonia (or Kefalonia), women burn
incense at the front door of their houses making the sign of the cross
in order to repel these undesirable guests. The kallikntzari
disappear on the day of Epiphany when all the waters are blessed,
and
they
return
to
the
earths
core.
However, due to the miracle of Christ's birth, they find the earth's tree
trunk completely restored, so they start their mission to destroy it all
over again.
Greece is a country where traditions and customs are a part of
everyday life. Most holidays in Greece are celebrated traditionally, and
Christmas in no exception. Christmas caroling is very popular, and
although you might hear them being sung at any given moment
during the holiday season, there are actually three "official" caroling
days. 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.
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.
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.
Follow a Dionysiac rite: In Kastoria, people recreate a three-day
Dionyssian custom (6th-8th January), called ragoutsria (from the
Latin verb rogo meaning to ask). If you want to be part of this feast,
you have to disguise yourself and wear scary masks in order to ward
off evil spirits. Go from house to house, from village to village, and ask
people to reward you for protecting them from evil entities. While
fighting malevolent spirits eat, drink, dance and sing to the rhythm
of traditional tunes as the folk musicians fill the citys streets
accompanied by the locals.
Dont attempt to put off these fires: In Kranohri village, on Christmas
Eve huge pyramid shaped bonfires are lit, called boubones. Take a
swig of the local wine and enjoy traditional delicacies. In the village of
Ayios Panteleimonas in Flrina, on the 23rd of December, the locals
divide into groups and light bonfires at midnight. Everyone dances
and celebrates Christmas around these mesmerizing outdoor fires.
Have the meal of brotherhood in Tinos: A custom that takes place
every year on the 25th of December. During a symbolic meal, which
only the men of the village and the priest attend, friendship and
solidarity are praised. During this celebration, an icon of Christ is
venerated in a warm atmosphere of Christmas hymns and gentle
candlelight.
Attend customs influenced by ancient ceremonies held in honour of
Demeter: The re-enactment of a local wedding ceremony takes place in
the village of Vlakas, in Drma, on the 8th of January, a day also
dedicated to the midwives.
Children, open your presents on New Year's Day: On the 1st of
January children in Greece receive their presents; this day is also
dedicated to St. Basil because he is Father Christmas, and everyone
called Vassilis (boy's name) or Vassiliki (girl's name) celebrates his/her
name day.
In the warm atmosphere of a Greek family, you will witness rituals for
good luck: The so-called podarik (first footing), the hanging of the
kremmida (big onion) outside the door, and the breaking of the
pomegranate are the most characteristic. Both kremmida and
pomegranate carry heavy symbolic meanings from ancient times
representing prosperity, abundance in the family, and also bring good
luck
to
one's
descendants.
On New Year's Day, Greeks break a pomegranate on the doorstep
before entering their houses (an action which is sometimes performed
by the bride in some regions of Greece when she arrives at her new
home after the wedding); or they hang a kremmida outside their
doors on New Year's Eve. The next morning the father or the mother of
the family wake up their children by gently tapping them on the head
with the kremmida, then they all go to church to attend the liturgy
held in commemoration of St. Basil.
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!
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.
Christopsomo is the bread that is made on Christmas Eve, which has
a cross carved into the top crust before it is baked. On Christmas Day,
the head of the household makes the sign of the cross above the loaf
of bread, cuts it and gives a piece to each person at the dining table.
Vasilopita is a cake that is eaten on New Year's Day. Before the cake is
baked, a coin covered in foil is placed in it. The New Year is written on
top of the cake with almonds. The person who cuts the cake makes
the sign of the cross three times above it and then starts serving the
pieces, one to each person, the house, Christ, The Virgin Mary and
Saint Vasileios. Whoever has the coin in his piece of cake will have
luck for the rest of the year.
Savour a piece of St. Basil's Pie (Vassilpita) and find out if you are
going to be lucky: A special cake is eaten on New Years Day in which a
lucky coin, the flouri, is baked. Before you start searching for your
lucky coin, the head of the house must first cross the cake with his
knife and then cut the first slice for God, then the next for the baby
Christ, followed by the Panayia (Virgin Mary), then the next slice for
the house and after a slice for each member of the family starting with
the eldest. If you find the flouri in your piece of cake good luck will
follow all the forthcoming year. A specially decorated bread also
adorns the festive table; it is called Vasilpsomo (St. Basil's bread),
and is actually identical in form to the Christpsomo (Christ bread)
served on Christmas Day.
Its time for the kallikntzari to leave the surface of the Earth: The
Greek Christmas celebrations conclude with the festival of Ta Phota
(the Lights) as Epiphany is called, a feast as important as the baptism
of Christ. On the Eve of this day, the priest will visit houses and
sprinkle holy water to bless them and the family members. This
service is known as ayiasms: this is also the name of the holy water
which Greeks keep with the family icons. Throughout Greece the
Epiphany is celebrated in Byzantine splendour and religious awe.
Due to the nature of the Christian Orthodox religion, Christmas is a
very religious holiday in Greece. The season starts of with Saint
Nicolas day and continues with many other saints' days up till
Christmas. It is customary for those of faith to go to church on
Christmas morning for the religious service. New Year's Day is also
Saint Vasileios day. The Christmas season winds down with the
Theophania on January 6 th. On this day around Greece, waters are
blessed and a cross is thrown into the waters. Dozens of brave young
people dive into the freezing water to retrieve the cross, which is said
to bring good luck to the person that reaches it first.
Churches: large and small, are magnificently lit and echo with the
joyful melodies of bells. In some larger churches a pair of doves are
released from the bell tower. During the ceremony, a cross is thrown
in the waters sea, lakes or rivers in a ritual that revolves around the
Great Blessing of the Waters. An impressive custom follows: any
number of volunteers may dive and try to recover the cross. Whoever
finds the cross returns it to the priest, who then delivers a special
blessing to the swimmer and their household. The celebrations are
accompanied by the sweet melodies of the Epiphany carols sung by
children. The next day is dedicated to the great feast of St. John the
Baptist, when the numerous Johns, Joans or Joannas celebrate their
name day.
You can always be a passionate city lover: In the midst of the mild
Athenian winter, immerse yourself in open-air celebrations: free
concerts in Sntagma Square, and dancing in the ouzeries and
tavernas in Plka and Psiri; light up your nights: all the clubs put on
rembtika (urban music), laik (mainstream popular music) and
jazz/blues/rock shows; shop your heart out in Ermou, Monastirki, or
Kolonki listening to the music played by the street musicians; or just
stroll around archaeological sites and relax relishing a fine meal
outdoors. Santa and his reindeer will be waiting for children to pose
with for photos; cheeky hobgoblins will guide them through Earths
Christmas forest, while a visit to the zoo will fill the whole family with
excitement!
From Athens, you can also take a cruise to nearby islands, go skiing
on Mount Parnassos, or make short yet memorable trips around the
mainland to Delphi, Meteora or Nafplion.
