Christmas in greece

Christmas in Greece

People in Greece decorate Christmas trees but in the past they were decorating a ship. This is because Greece has a long navy tradition that still lasts.

In our country Christmas is a very special day..

Schools close on 23rd of December. Houses and streets are already decorated. Children of the age of 6-14 years become members of small groups that on Christmas Eve, early in the morning, will sing a special song (carols) outside of every house or store. Every housewife will offer them money and maybe some candies.

“Trigona – Kalanta” our carols

Traditional Greek Christmas CAROLS (by 6th grade students and our music teacher)

Children sing these carols on Christmas Eve in the morning…

“Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον εν Βηθλεέμ την πόλη, οι ουρανοί

αγάλλονται, χαίρει η φύσις όλη” = Christ is born today in Bethlehem, the sky celebrates, the whole nature celebrates…

…and of course they hold a triangle to sing the carols!

Carols from the past…

And… carols on a painting by a greek artist, Nikiforos Lytras

At midnight

At midnight, everybody stays at home with his family or visits another family. A rich dinner waits for all guests: Stuffed turkey, pork or lamb with potatoes baked in the oven, spinach pie or cheese pie, salads, many sorts of cheese and good wine. Next morning, the Christmas Liturgy begins at 5 o’clock and it last 3 hours…In some places after returning from the church (on Christmas day) people have a delicious chicken soup!

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DISHES

ROAST TURKEY

ROAST LAMB WITH POTATOES

CABBAGE ROLLS

“KOURABIEDES”made with butter and almonds…

“ΜΕLOMAKARONA”They are cookies made with cinamon, walnuts and syrup with honey. Everybody loves it!

“BAKLAVAS”

“VASSILOPITA” (the New Year’s cake)

“Agios Vasilis” is the Greek Santa Claus…

Agios Vasilis(saint Vasilis) was a bishop in Caesaria, he was kind and he was helping poor people. The Greek church celebrates his memory on January 1st and he’s a saint. This is why in Greece Agios Vasilis brings presents on New Year’s Eve and not on Christmas…

The new year is coming!

On the eve of the first January, the children sing, once more, carols out of each house to get some more pocket-money.

On midnight we all welcome the New Year. It’s the time to cut into pieces a special cake, called vassilopita, that is the pie of “Agios Vasilis”(the Greek Santa). So the New Year’s day is the name day of “Vasilis”(male) and “Vasiliki”(female).The lucky person who finds in his piece a coin hidden in the cake, will be lucky for the whole year.

New Year’s Eve carols in Greek islands(By 6th grade students)

Every place in Greece has its own traditional carols. These carols come from a Greek island, Rhodes! Children sing carols like these on New Year’s Eve to give wishes for a Happy New Year to friends, family or neighbors.The actual words of the carols praise the owner of the house, so the kids get some more pocket money!

VASSILOPITA

CUTTING vassilopitta…

In Greece we cut the “vassilopita” (right after the year’s change.A man uses a knife to shape a cross on the pie before cutting it into pieces. The first piece is for Christ, the second for Virgin Mary, the third for “Agios Vasilis”(Saint Vasilis), the fourth for the house and then each member of the family gets their own piece. There is one last piece for the poor. Whoever finds the coin in his piece is the lucky guy of the year and the family usually gives him a present or money! If the hidden coin is found in the piece of Christ, Virgin Mary or Saint Vassilis, then the money is given to church. If it is found in the piece of the poor the family gives the money to a beggar.

CHRISTMAS IN ATHENS!

And in other Greek cities…