Christmas traditions in Greece

 How quickly time goes by! It's amazing! 

Here in Greece, depending on each prefecture, Christmas Day is celebrated in different ways. But today I'm going to tell you what people do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Things that are common throughout the country.

On Christmas Eve, young children and teenagers wake up very early in the morning holding their triangles and ring the bells of every house in their neighbourhood and within the district. It's one of their favourite days during the year to earn pocket money. I must tell you though that the little kids are luckier than the older ones as the landlords and landladies prefer to listen to the Christmas carols sung by the them who are petite and cute as they sing the carols at the top of their voices. As a 'thank you' to the children, the owners of the houses hand out coins or even banknotes which are shared among the children if they 2 or 3 together. Nobody should be left out. 

There are people though who don't open their front door because they have no change to give the children so out of embarrassment they don't answer the door. There are some others too who don't have change and instead of not answering the door, they listen to the carols and treat the children to traditional biscuits that are called 'melomakarona' and 'kourabiedes'. What a disappointment! The children lower their heads and you can see them looking sad. Some of them take the treat while some others do not. So they carry on ringing the next door's bell...Maybe they are lucky this time.

 On the other hand, the older teenagers dare to take the bus to go downtown and earn some money by singing the carols to the shop owners. However, throughout the journey on the bus, they sing the Christmas carols and earn money from the passengers too. You should see their gleaming faces...

"Mum, look! I earned X euros," the kids say when they are back home at noon. It's been a great day for them....

Now, as far as Christmas Day is concerned, most Greeks go to Mass very early in the morning to find a seat on one of the pews. That is, 6:00 am. Mass finishes at about 9 o'clock am and then everybody goes back to their homes, eat their 'melomakarona' and 'kourabiedes' and have a cup of coffee till it's time for Christmas lunch where relatives get together to celebrate the Mighty Day. 

If it's somebody's name day (every Greek Orthodox person, like me, has one of our Saint's name. Mind you, there are quite a lot of saints in our religion) this is a special day for them too, as they get presents. Not Christmas presents , but gifts for their name day. My name is Chrisoula, so my name day falls on Christmas Day every year. I celebrate this day because my name is Jesus Christ's name for the females.

As it's my name day on Christmas Day my relatives come over at noon, their hands carrying my presents  and we all have lunch together and late in the afternoon friends and other relatives come over to greet me for my name day. More presents....

They have a drink or two, I treat them to 'kourabiedes and melomakarona' and if there is some cake left (handmade by me!) I treat them to that too. This year I made a MOKA cake. It was absolutely delicious!! But it's all gone. My family are really into cakes...

Well, this is how most Greeks celebrate Christmas Day. 

I would like to hear from you, those abroad, and tell me how you celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

So long for now...

Chrisoula 

P.S. Don't forget! The Christmas holidays are not over yet so if you are thinking of buying a present for a friend or relative here's my suggestion. 

Buy them a copy of  'One more smile...'