As we are spending Christmas with some friends here in Crete, I can do no better than give you this delicious post from Letter from Athens about a traditional Greek Christmas.
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, Christmas ranks second to Easter, but it is still a very important holiday. For the devout it is preceded by a period of fasting so food, unsurprisingly, plays a major role in the festivities. But more of that later.
In Greece, Santa Klaus or Father Christmas is Agios Vasilios (Saint Basil) – so gifts are opened on his name day, January first.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day children go from house to house singing the Kalanda (carols whose name comes from the Roman calendar, the first days of the month) and accompanying themselves on small metal triangles and sometimes harmonicas. They knock on doors asking ‘Na ta poume?’ – ‘Shall we say them?’ They are rewarded with money, sweets and sometimes dried figs and other fruit. Then the householders wish them ‘Kai tou xronou’ – ‘Again next year’. They will do the same on New Year’s Eve and…
So sweet of you to do this, Sarah! Thank you and have a lovely holiday!
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I absolutely had to, M! This will be the first time we have a typical Greek family Christmas (lots of Easters we’ve experienced) so I can’t write about it yet. Καλά Χριστούγεννα!
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Merry Christmas and a happy new year x
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Wish you an equally merry and happy holiday!
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Merry Christmas, Sarah – and wishing you a most wonderful New Year 🙂
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Wishing you lots of Jolliness this Christmas, Ina!
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I hope you and yours have a really lovely Christmas and I look forward to more of your great posts in 2016
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Thank you, Peter. I look forward to more gently stinging tales in 2016!
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A very merry Christmas to you!
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You too, Mr Jazzy!
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Have a lovely time
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We will, and you, Olga, doubtless in our own bah humbuggy kind of way! x
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A very Happy Crete Christmas to you and yours and look forward to many more brilliant posts next year regards nod and always Ian 🎁🌟
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Ditto!
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Sounds wonderful!!!! Have a fabulous holiday. ❤
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And you, Gigi. Mind you, part of the family is from Georgia so some Russian delicacies might be included!
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Merry Christmas Sarah 😀
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And lots of Spanish Frivolity for you, Irene!
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Thank you Sarah
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I missed this one, no idea why. Love the look of all those Greek delicacies, even though I have just had hot mice pies with brandy butter!
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Now, that’s what I could do with – a lovely mice pie and brandy butter! I’m not going to correct your typo because it’s making me hoot with laughter! x
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I think it was the bottle of Merlot that affected my typing, Sarah. x
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Hee hee!
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Every year we chose a different country for our Christmas dinner cuisine – this year was Greek food so I smiled when I read this. 🙂
Happy Holidays and all the best in 2016! 🙂
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How funny! Sadly, although the lamb was beautifully cooked by our friends, it was way too salty. Happy Holidays to you! I hope 2016 is everything you want. 😀
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