Christmas in Greece is an annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a cultural public holiday .The festive period lasts from 30 November to 6 January (Epiphany) .

Christmas is known as Christougena ) and people wish Merry Christmas to each other “Kala Christougena”Most families set up Christmas trees and shops have decorations and lights. Presents are placed under the Christmas tree and are opened on 1 January, St Basil's Day. In some areas of Greece Christmas boats are decorated as Christmas decoration.

Christmas and New year

ΤraditionsChristmas decorations are not only trees or boats but also garlands, wreaths ,mistletoe and holly or squills .The Squill (scilla maritima) is a common plant in Crete , which grows wild and looks like a large onion.

Christmas and New Year Traditions

In Greece, a fasting period starts almost 40 days before Christmas. people fast for religious reasons. The faithful do not eat any animal or its related products.

As Christmas draws near, preparations begin so all can be ready for the big holiday. Houses are cleaned with extra care, and a few days before Christmas housewives prepare the Christmas cookies, which will be eaten on Christmas Day when the fasting ends. In the past the honey cookies (melomakarona) were made exclusively for Christmas, while sugar cookies, or kourabiedes (kourabiethes,), were prepared for the New Year.

Ingredients for kourabiethes 2 cups of olive oil 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of orange juice 1 kilo of soft flour 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda Lemon and Orange zest Crushed walnuts

 

Preheat oven to medium (175c). •  Whiten the butter by beating by hand for ½ hour. Add the sugar, cognac, almonds and finally the flour, mixed with the baking soda. Continue to beat until all ingredients are well mixed. •  Mold into the familiar shapes of the kourambiethes and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with rosewater, then roll in the powder sugar.

 

Simple syrup: (In a pot, mix together 1 cup each of water, honey and sugar and bring to boil while stirring constantly.)

Ingredients for melomakarona

2 kilos of soft flour 1 kilo of butter 300 grams of powdered sugar 300 grams of crushed roasted almonds 1 small glass of cognac 1 teaspoon of baking soda Rosewater  

Preheat oven to 200c 1.Beat oil well with mixer, then add the sugar, both zests, orange juice and then, a little at a time, the flour mixed with the baking soda. 2.Form the dough into small shapes, as the pastries will get quite big while baking. Make sure the oven is hot before baking, otherwise the pastries will flatten. Bake for about 30 minutes until pastries are firm and golden brown. 3.When completely cooled, arrange in rows in a pan and pour warm syrup over them. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts.

Christmas and New year Τraditions

on December 24 and 23 housewives make the Christmas cake with a cross in the middle and avgokouloures which are offered to the elderly and children.

Christmas Eve

Christmas and new YearΤraditions

INGREDIENTS : 1 cup of fresh milk 2 teaspoons of yeast 4 eggs, separated 1 cup of milk-butter, melted 1 ½ cup of sugar Zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon of salt 1 kilo of flour Handful of blanched almonds  

The cutting of the vasilopita is one of the most popular customs still surviving since ancient times .In the Kronia (the celebration of the god Kronos, who was worshiped in Greece) and the Saturnalia of Rome, sweets and cakes would be prepared with a coin inside. The one who received the piece with the coin would be the lucky one of the group . . .

1. pour half a cup of lukewarm milk and dissolve the yeast in it. 2.Add ½ cup flour ,

3.Stir to mix. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour.

•  While the dough is rising, beat the egg yokes with the sugar in an electric mixer or food processor and set aside. Beat the egg whites into a meringue.

To the risen dough, add yoke/sugar mixture, the remainder of the milk, the meringue, butter, mahlepi and zest.

Knead until all is well mixed, adding the remainder of the flour a little at a time so the dough won't be too tight. Shape the dough into several balls,

place in a bowl, cover it with a towel and leave in a warm place for about 3 hours until it doubles in size.

•  Knead the dough for 5 minutes more and place in a large round oiled pan (or two smaller ones) and leave covered in a warm place until it doubles in size again. •  Before placing in oven, beat the yoke of 1 egg with a teaspoon of water and brush it on the dough with a pastry brush. Then, using the blanched almonds, form the "new" date on the top of the dough. Bake for about 30/40 minutes, or until Vasilopita looks well browned.

Father Christmas whobrings gifts to children during the Christmas season is another popular tradition in modern Greece. In Greek tradition, Basil’s (of Caesarea) name was given to Father Christmas and is supposed to visit children and give presents on 1 January (when Basil's memory is celebrated), unlike other European traditions, where this person is Saint Nicholas and comes every Christmas.

On New Year's Eve in Greece it is customary for most people to gather in the town's center, or plaza, for last minute shopping or just a pleasant stroll. Later, all the friends gather at one of their houses to celebrate the New Year together. After Christmas, the children impatiently await the New Year (Protohronia ) because that's when St. Basil ( Ayios Vasilis ) delivers their gifts.

Christmas and New Year

ΤraditionsEpiphany in Greece is known as Theofania or Fota. The Epiphany (The Enlightenment) takes place in church on the eve of the holiday. Afterwards, the priest goes from house to house holding a cross and a basil branch. As he walks through each house, he uses the basil to sprinkle (bless) all the areas of the home.

Christmas and New year ΤraditionsThese are the goblins and it is said that they are the

descendants of God PAN or Satyrs who jumped from mythology . People believe they are naughty evil creatures that disappear on 6th of January when the priest throws water eveywhere to send them away.

Many people pay particular mind to the good/bad omen regarding who will first enter their home in the new year ( pothariko). On New Year's Eve they will ask a close friend or relative, whom they consider lucky, to be the first to come into their house the following day. Often, a child is preferred for this special practice because children are considered innocent and their hearts free of malice and envy.

Christmas and New year Τraditions

Children singing carols from house to house either before or on Christmas Day is another popular Greek custom.Children in Greece sing carols on new year’s eve and before Epiphany too.

Christmas and New year Τraditions

CARDPLAYING ON NEW YEAR'S DAY Because Greeks consider the New Year lucky, it is the custom to participate in games of chance on the first day. People play cards and roll dice in coffeehouses, clubhouses and homes throughout the country. In the homes it is also the custom for cards to be played on New Year's Eve while waiting for the year to change.

Merry Christmas

And

Happy New Year