Christmas in Greece – full of lighted boats and honey candy, but without the gifts

Christmas is a time of joy and celebration in Greece.

The holiday dates back to 354 AD, when December 25th was declared the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Since then, it has become one of the most important holidays for Greeks.

When is Christmas celebrated in Greece?

Christmas celebrations in Greece officially last a fortnight, starting on Christmas Day and ending on Epiphany. On Christmas Day, many children go to Carol. They ring house bells and sing traditional Christmas carols (kalandas). They play drums and triangles while singing.

The Three Kings, called Theophany in Greece, colloquially Ta Phota, which means lights, is a holiday celebrating Saint John the Baptist’s baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. There are many events across the country where young men dive into lakes, rivers, and the sea to be the first to retrieve a cross blessed by a priest and thrown into the water. Whoever gets the cross first is supposed to be lucky in the coming year.

Merry Christmas is Kala Christougenna in Greek.

Do you know Greek Christmas traditions?

The tradition of decorating Christmas trees did not reach Greece until 1833, when Prince Otto of Bavaria, who ruled the country then, decorated the first Christmas tree in his palace in Nafplio. Until then, it was much more common in Greek households to decorate a small boat.

Greece is a maritime nation with a long naval tradition, and the lighted boat symbolizes love and respect for the sea and the anticipation of meeting seafaring relatives.

The custom of decorating boats for Christmas can still be seen in many areas today. A Christmas boat is a sailboat model with usually wrapped sails decorated with holiday lights, fir or pine branches, holly, and ribbons.

An old and traditional ornament is a shallow wooden bowl with a wire hanging over the edge. A sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross is suspended from the wire. A little water is kept in the bowl to keep the basil alive and fresh. Once a day, a cross and basil are dipped in holy water and sprinkled in every room in the house.

It is believed to ward off the kallikantzaroi, or evil spirits, elves that appear during Christmas. What do kallikantzaroi look like? According to rumors, they commit all sorts of mischief, from destroying things in the home to attacking people on the streets.

Who brings the children’s presents?

Unlike most European countries, Christmas in Greece is gift-free. Instead of presents, a nativity scene is placed under the tree. Traditionally, Greeks do not give gifts on Christmas Day but on New Year’s Eve.

Saint Basil, or Aghios Vassilis in Greece, brings gifts to children on the night between December 31 and January 1. Saint Basil, whose feast day falls precisely on January 1, was a medieval bishop from Caesarea who protected his community from various aggressors.

By the way, Greek children don’t even get presents from Santa Claus. Although Agios Nikolaos is celebrated in Greece on December 6 because he has been the patron and protector of sailors since time immemorial, he does not go around households and give gifts. On this day, families cook koliva, a mixture of grains and fruits, which is finally sacrificed and thrown into the sea.

What is eaten in Greece at Christmas?

The basis of the Greek Christmas table is Christopsomo or Christ’s bread. This is a sweet round cake similar to our Christmas cake. Although the decoration varies by region and is adapted to represent the life and work of households, each Christopsomo has a cross in the center sprinkled with almonds and nuts to symbolize prosperity. Christopsomo is eaten on the night of Christmas Eve.

Traditionally, the main dish on the Greek Christmas table is roasted pork or pork stew with various vegetables. Cabbage leaf rolls filled with pork and rice are commonly prepared in many regions.

The most popular traditional Christmas desserts in Greece are melomakarona, or honey cookies, and kourabiedes, butter cookies covered in sugar. The main ingredients of both delicacies are oil, honey, oranges, and nuts. Although today, these honey cookies are mainly associated with the Christmas season, in ancient times, the Greeks ate them as an everyday dessert.

How to prepare melomakaron?

Do you like honey gingerbread? Try baking melomakarona Greek Christmas cookies this year. Your home will be filled with the aroma of orange, honey, cinnamon, and cloves.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fine semolina
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups of sunflower oil
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• orange peel from 2 oranges
• honey and chopped walnuts for garnish

Syrup

• 3 cups of sugar
• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup of honey
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 1 orange

Method:

1. First, prepare the syrup.
2. Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and an orange cut in half in a saucepan.
3. Cook for a few minutes and then remove from heat.
4. Then, mix the honey well, and let the syrup cool completely.
5. Preheat the oven to 374°F.
6. Put all the liquid ingredients for the dough in a bowl and mix them with a whisk.
7. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
8. Add the liquid ingredient mixture to the solid ingredient mixture and mix very gently with your hands briefly.
9. On a sheet lined with baking paper, shape the melomakaron into small oval shapes.
10. You can also use cookie cutters.
11. At the end of the cookies, pierce them lightly with a fork.
12. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
13. Once the melomakarons are ready, dip them in the cold syrup and sit for 10-15 seconds.
14. Then, take them out, drizzle them with honey, and sprinkle them with nuts.

What places to visit in Greece at Christmas?

While the Peloponnese is incredibly hot in the summer, sometimes making visiting historical sites uncomfortable, Christmas in Greece offers much more favorable weather.

• Athens – Greece’s capital- is beautifully decorated and illuminated at Christmas. The center is Syntagma Square, with a glowing Christmas tree, Christmas markets, and many other events that will put the whole city in a festive mood. Various theater performances, music concerts, and charity bazaars are also held here.

• Thessaloniki—Another city where you can spend the Christmas holidays is Thessaloniki. Most events occur in Aristotelous Square, which is beautifully decorated annually.

• Mykonos – You can spend Christmas in Greece on one of its many islands and islets. On the island of Mykonos, in addition to Christmas decorations, you can also enjoy beautiful views. On the 27th of December, a celebration is held in the church of Agios Stefanos, where people from all over the island gather.