In Greece, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. Many Greek Christmas traditions and celebrations are taking place all over the country. The day is a national holiday and the Greeks celebrate it with lots of food, drinks and presents.

So, the holiday season is upon us, which means you might be wondering what it’s like to celebrate Christmas in Greece. Many Greek Christmas traditions are the same or similar to Christmas customs and celebrations around the world. Let’s look at what it means to celebrate the holiday season in Greece!

Christmas is a magical time of year in Greece, and it comes with plenty of surprises. If you’re planning to visit this holiday season, here are some traditions that will make your trip extra special! Keep reading and learn 5 amazing Greek Christmas traditions.

What Christmas represents for Greeks

From the moment the first star filled the sky on Christmas Eve, the holiday has been a time for families to gather together and celebrate, sharing gifts and love. This bright star represents the birth of Jesus Christ and for many Greeks, Christmas is a time for remembering the past and looking forward to the future. Christmas is a great and special celebration for Christianity.

Greeks traditionally celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts, eating a festive dinner, and spending time with friends and family. Many people also make special Christmas decorations and prepare special gifts for their loved ones.

The most popular Greek Christmas traditions

The Christmas season is a time of joy, and the traditions and customs of Greece are many. From family gatherings to gift giving, here are five popular Greek Christmas traditions.

1. Decorated boats and trees

Greece, being a maritime nation by tradition, has long-established as its customary Christmas symbol a decorated sailing boat, known as “karavaki”. In 1833, the Bavarian King Otto was the one who introduced to the Greeks the Christmas tree, as a German and Scandinavian custom, when he first decorated one in his palace.

However, it was not earlier than 1950 when the Greeks adopted the new custom, replacing Christmas boats with decorated trees. Nowadays, the tradition of “karavaki” is still practiced in some islands and coastal regions, representing the love and respect towards the sea, as well as a sign of anticipation for the reunion of seafarers with their beloved families. The “karavaki” is decorated with candles and beautiful colored lights.

2. Carol singing

On Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany Eve, kids wander door to door through their neighborhood, asking for permission to sing the traditional Christmas carols “kalanta”, using a small metal triangle as their main musical instrument.

In their songs, kids narrate the birth and baptism of Jesus and the coming of Saint Basil, wishing at the end the householder a happy and prosperous new year. Usually, the neighbors reward the singers with a small amount of money or offer them a sweet treat.

3. Traditional Christmas desserts

A proper Greek Christmas festive table is never complete without the following delicious delicacies: “melomakarona” (honey cookies sprinkled with nuts) and “kourabiedes” (sugar-dusted butter cookies). “Diples” (dough rolled into thin strips, fried in hot oil, and covered in syrup and walnuts) is mostly popular in the Peloponnese region. It might be hard to choose, but make sure you finish your meal with one of those scrumptious desserts.

4. Vasilopita (Saint Basil’s pie)

Vasilopita or otherwise translated as Saint Basil’s pie, is a traditional cake made for the New Year’s Day. Agios Vasilis is the Greek Santa Claus according to Christmas traditions. Every Vasilopita contains a lucky coin inside. On New Year’s Day, a piece of the cake is shared to each member of the family and whoever finds the coin, gets a small gift. The coin is believed to bring its holder good luck throughout the whole year.

5. The celebration of Epiphany

Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and marks the end of the Christmas season in Greece. Though it is a religious holiday, it also has a lot of family-oriented traditions. Epiphany means “manifestation or appearance,” and it’s the day that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:21).

The “great blessing of the waters,” which is conducted by a Greek Orthodox priest, is the most significant ceremony on this day. A priest traditionally casts a particular cross into the river, after which many courageous young men and boys plunge into the chilly water to recover it. The priest bestows a blessing on the fortunate individual who finds the cross and returns it for the entire year. The priest releases a white dove as a representation of the Holy Spirit once the cross has been brought back. This ancient custom is performed to remember Christ’s baptism and to bless the waters.

Conclusion

As you can see, Greek Christmas traditions are anything but boring! From the traditional cookies to the carol singing, these customs give us a glimpse into the culture of Greece.

If you want this year to spend magical Christmas holidays in Athens, enroll on one of our courses! Grab the chance to learn the Greek language, while getting familiar with Christmas customs and traditions. After all, when it comes to language acquisition, learning is always more interesting and fun if you have the chance to immerse yourself in the country’s local culture.

What do you think about these Greek Christmas traditions? Have you ever experienced any  Greek Christmas celebrations? Let me know by commenting here.