Every culture has its own unique, sometimes quirky, customs and traditions.
Greece is no exception and seems to have more than its fair share of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Greek Father Christmas is not Saint Nicholas, but Saint Basil (or Vasilis), being Greek and true to form, he arrives late, a week late; on New Year’s Eve.
Saint Vassilis, or Agios Vassilis, has much in common with Saint Nicholas;
Both are known for their compassion, kind heartedness and their commitment to helping the unfortunate, both bring gifts around Christmastime, one, just a little later than the other.
Christmas trees were introduced to Greece in the 1830s by King Otto, but didn’t really become popular until about the 1940s.
The Greek equivalent of the Christmas tree, is the Christmas boat, a wonderful tradition, which after falling out of favour, I’m glad to say, is making a come back…big time!
For the observant Orthodox Greek, the forty day fast, for Christmas, know as the advent fast, ends on Christmas day, with the breaking of ‘Christopsomo’, Christ’s bread, which was baked the day before, on Christmas Eve.
1.Carol singing.
Children are up and about, bright and early on New Year’s Eve and go from house to house, singing the KALANDA, Greek Christmas Carols, usually only the one, same song, accompanied by a triangle.
- Card playing.
As New Year is considered a lucky time, it’s the perfect excuse for a card-playing marathon, and I mean marathon!
The games go on for hours, starting early evening, and lasting until midnight, usually at home, but there are organised games in the “Kafenion” (Coffee shop) and clubs.
- Pomegranate smashing.
- A POMEGRANATE, an ancient symbol of prosperity and good luck, is hung above the door throughout Christmas.
At midnight, on New Year’s Eve, the lights are turned out and the pomegranate is then hurled to the floor, or at the door, where it smashes, spilling out its seeds, the more seeds the better!
This helps ensure luck, health, happiness and prosperity for the coming year.
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Every Greek family has its VASSILOPITA, the New Year’s cake, concealing a lucky coin.
After midnight, the Vassilopita is sliced and handed round by the head of the family.
A cross is scored over the surface, the first slice is for Jesus Christ, the second for The Virgin Mary, the third for Saint Vassilis, the fourth for the house and then, for each member of the family, starting with the oldest.
Whoever finds the lucky coin has good luck and good fortune for the rest of the year.
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Ho Ho Ho, it’s New Years’s Eve, and Santa’s arrived with his sack full of presents.
Even though he has a different name, and arrives a week later, Agios Vassilis looks a lot like Christmas!
Like SAINT NICHOLAS that is, a jolly, red-clad, chubby chap, sporting a long white beard.
