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Christmas
Part 1 -The Event
The Celebration
Considering that the largest percentage of the population in Greece
is Christian Orthodox, Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in Greece.
Weeks before the birth of Christ everybody is getting ready for the biggest
event of Christianity. The schools are
decorating their windows, the cities put up their Christmas trees
and in the homes the housewives are working to catch up with the baking.
There is indeed a lot of baking to do. They prepare melomacarona,
kourabiethes, pies, thiples
and many more goodies. Of course it all depends on the different
geographical areas of Greece. Different areas have different customs &
traditions. One thing is for sure, you can feel it in the air that
Christmas is just around the corner.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve has arrived. The lucky areas of Greece will have
some snow. The children are in the streets early, to sing the Christmas carols (Kalanda)
and songs and to deliver the important message of Christ's birth to the home owners.
Some give them cookies and others money to thank them for the good news.
Nobody is working that day! It is a family celebration. Many leave that day
from the big cities to go and celebrate Christmas with their families in the villages.
Even the television and the radio stations run, almost exclusively, Christmas programs.
The Big Day
Christmas day has arrived. Everybody is with their families.
The radio is playing Christmas songs. At lunch or dinner the father crosses the
Hristopsomo and gives a piece to everybody wishing them Merry Christmas and Hronia
Polla. The kids don't have to worry about school. They play and enjoying this big
holiday.
Christmas is celebrated differently in various places of Greece.
We will include some of the customs and tales of Christmas including the most
popular one; "Οι καλλικάντζαροι (kalli-KA-ntzari =
goblins)".
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Customs and Traditions