Christmas in Greece!!! Traditions then and now
Few days before Christmas… In the old days… every home had a decorated ship.
In our times… everybody decorate a tree or... … both of them!
Housewives and children make traditional christmas sweets “k o u r a b i e d e s” and “m e l o m a k a r o n a”.
At Christmas eve… When the song is over, they treat them candies or/and money. children are going from door to door and sing Christmas carols by holding metallic triangles and a traditional ship.
At Christmas day… family preparing the Christmas meal with pork, filled turkey or chicken.
At 31 December… Children are going from door to door and sing carols, this time for the first day of new year by holding metallic triangles, too. New year’s carols presage that new year and “A g i o s V a s i l i s” is coming with presents.
every home makes “v a s i l o p i t a”. “V a s i l o p i t a” is cake with a coin inside, called “f l o u r i”. The name of the cake coming from “A g i o s V a s i l i s” whose nameday is at 1 st of January.
The night of 31 December… family and friends gather together to celebrate the coming of the new year. First minutes of new year… everybody kiss each other two times and give wishes for new year. The host cuts and splits the “v a s i l o p i t a”. Whoever finds the “f l o u r i” is lucky for all new year.
First hours of new year… one person, guest or host of the house, who believed that is lucky, makes “p o d a r i k o”. “P o d a r i k o” is always with the right foot. After, he/she throws a pomegranate into the house. As many seeds come out, so many luck will come to the house for the new year.
someone left some gifts under the tree!!! Who is he? “Agios Vasilis” is also Santa Claus???
At 6 th of January… All Christians celebrate the baptism of Christ. Priests bless the water. Then, people gather at the sea or a lake and a priest throw into a cross. Some people dive into. Whoever finds the cross, is lucky all year.
Now…let’s do a quiz! Melomakarona Kourabiedes Vasilopita Flouri Agios Vasilis