In Greece, talk of the holidays refers to the 12-day period from Christmas to New Year’s Day and through to January 6, the Feast of Epiphany. There are many customs associated with each of the twelve days of Christmas, from centuries-old traditions to the relative newcomers, like the decorated tree and stuffed turkey on the Christmas table.
Christmas in Greece is generally not the commercialised affair that you’ll find elsewhere in the world. Besides ex pats and some Greeks who have adopted foreign customs, Christmas remains a warm solemn holiday that celebrates family, religion and of course, food, in a refreshingly non-commercial way.
Preparations
Not surprisingly, the kitchen is command central for Christmas preparations. In almost every Greek home, the scent of cloves, cinnamon and baked almonds from kourambiedes and melomakarona waft through the house.There are regional variations to the tradition, with sesame baklava baked in Evros, and karythopita (walnut spice cake), an Ionian island tradition.
Christmas trees are not historically a symbol of Christmas in Greece, but more and more households have adopted the practice. The concept of the Christmas tree may have been sparked in Greek antiquity, with records showing the use of decorated greenery around the New Year.
The Greek symbol of Christmas in the home was a wooden bowl with a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. A family member would take the cross and basil dipped in holy water and bless each room of the house. This is said to keep the kallikantzaroi – goblins that appear during the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany – at bay. The goblins are mischievous and teasing, secretly eating food around the house. Because they enter homes through the chimneys, the fireplace is kept lit throughout the holiday period.
Christmas Eve
Up from first dawn, children all over Greece prepare in excitement to sing carols. Neighbourhoods ring with the sound of children going from house to house singing the kalanda (Greek Christmas carols), accompanied by their little metal triangles. At the end of the song Kalin Imera Arhontes, the children are presented with money, sweets and dried fruits and both sides will wish ke tou hronou (good luck for the coming year).
In the evening, many families will celebrate with friends with an elaborate feast and late in the evening, will play board games.
Christmas Day
Santa Claus is not a recognised figure in Greece, but interestingly it is said that the American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, are a derivative of Saint Nicholas, a Greek saint. St Nicholas’ calling card was his secret delivery of gifts, creating the foundation for the modern day story of Santa Claus.
Christmas marks the end of 40 days of fasting. In the past, the Greek diet was predominantly made up of greens, meat was only consumed on major holidays and was considered a rare treat. The traditional meal on Christmas day was pork and for those who raised hogs, the slaughter of the animal was an auspicious occasion. The slaughterer would examine the animal’s entrails to make predictions of the future for the home, the family and the next harvest.
Nothing was wasted, as there was a dish for each part of the animal – sausages, pihti, siglina, omathies, tsigarithes. Even the bladder would be washed out, then blown up and used as a ball – a precious gift for the children before the days of Nintendo Wii.
Turkey is now widely consumed in Greece, especially in the cities, and has almost replaced the use of pork meat for the holiday feast in many areas.
All over the country, tables will be strewn with foods that have become tradition, passed from generation to generation. Christmas foods vary from region to region with specialties such as yiaprakia (stuffed cabbage leaves) in Northern Greece, and kalitsounia (cheese pastries) from Crete.
On almost every table, loaves of christopsomo (Christ Bread) are a fixture. This sweet bread has a cross carved into the top crust before it is baked and is decorated in some way that reflects the family’s profession.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve celebrations are similarly a home gathering. The children will sing New Year carols like Agios Vasilis erhete (Saint Basil is coming), and the adults will often play card games. Games of luck are played, as winning on the night means gouri (luck) for the rest of the year.
At midnight, the lights are switched off and fireworks are set off all over the towns and cities. In port cities, the ships blare their horns simultaneously as the fireworks are launched, truly a spectacular event to witness.
In many regions, a pomegranate is hung above the front door of the house.
By the New Year, when the fruit has dried, a family member throws it on the ground so that it breaks, and steps into their house on their right foot. This brings good luck for the year to come.
The cutting of the vasilopita cake is always a major event for the family. Before the cake is baked, a coin is wrapped and concealed inside the cake. When the cake is cut, each piece is supplied from oldest to youngest in the household, and the person who finds the coin in their piece will have luck for the whole year.
New Years Day
Unlike elsewhere in the world, gifts in Greece are exchanged on New Year’s Day (the day of Agios Vasilis or St. Basil). The ‘renewal of waters’ also takes place, a ritual in which any vessel of water is emptied and filled with fresh water, a relic from ancient times.
Feast of Epiphany (January 6)
All around Greece and anywhere with a substantial Greek population around the world, waters are blessed and a cross is thrown into the waters by the priest. Young brave locals dive into the freezing water for the privilege of retrieving the cross, which is said to bring good luck to the brave soul who reaches it first.