Christmas is practically around the bend and is commended in various courses the world over, shifting by nation and area. The time has come to take in not more than a few moments more about the Christmas customs in Greece. You need to know the traditions and conventions of a nation to have the capacity to completely comprehend its kin. Thus, we should observe the Christmas traditions and conventions of Greece, the vast majority of which are of religious nature and others come from agnosticism.
St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas is a vital figure to the individuals from the Eastern Orthodox Church, as are most Greek Christians, as the supporter holy person of mariners and is praised on December 6. While in whatever is left of the world Father Christmas is St. Nicholas/Santa Claus, in Greece Aghios Vasilis or St. Basil is the person who conveys presents to kids on New Year’s Day.
Kalanta (Christmas Carols)
St. Nicholas is a vital figure to the individuals from the Eastern Orthodox Church, as are most Greek Christians, as the supporter holy person of mariners and is praised on December 6. While in whatever is left of the world Father Christmas is St. Nicholas/Santa Claus, in Greece Aghios Vasilis or St. Basil is the person who conveys presents to kids on New Year’s Day.
Christmas cuisine and delicacies
Conventional culinary enjoyments that portray the Christmas season in Greece are melomakarona (nectar treats with nuts) and kourabiedes (sugar treats with almonds) and the Christopsomo or ‘Christ bread’ (exceptional enriched roll of different shapes). After the customary 40 days of fasting, the Christmas devour is anticipated with awesome suspicion by grown-ups and kids alike and the table is loaded with conventional dishes like sheep or pork, simmered in a stove or over an open spit and presented with different servings of mixed greens, vegetables and potatoes.
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a Western custom that was embraced by the Greeks and every year consistently picks up prominence as another Christmas convention. Before, keeping in mind the end goal to respect St. Nicholas, each family unit used to enliven little wooden Christmas water crafts and until today, many embellish vessels, rather than trees, restoring this deep rooted Christmas convention.
Kallikantzari (Mischievous spirits)
Rising up out of the focal point of the earth, more insidious and malignant than hazardous, are the sprites called Kallikantzari who go after individuals and draw different tricks amid the twelve days of Christmas, amongst Christmas and Epiphany on January sixth. It was trusted that throughout the entire year they saw the base of a tremendous trunk on which rests the establishments of the world and stop for the 12 days of Christmas to play traps on the housewives. When they came back to the focal point of the earth to proceed with their “employment” after Christmas, they discovered that the storage compartment was entire once more. A Christmas supernatural occurrence!
It is said that Christmas positions second to Easter in the list of vital occasions for the Greeks. In any case, that doesn’t imply that it is any less fantastic or great. It is the most superb time and every last novel Greek custom and convention connected with Christmas makes it much more exceptional!
Merry Christmas to all!