MAIN Christmas Europe Christmas in Greece

Not as wildly popular as a festive Greek Easter, the winter holidays are marked throughout Greece with lots of cooking and baking in the days leading up to Christmas, New Year's Day and Ephiphany.

Christmas Day celebrations, especially, are observed by devout religious services in the morning, followed by visits with family.

Here, the festive holiday table usually groans under the weight of homemade holiday treats including Christopsomo, or Christmas bread, and honey soaked melomakarona.

New Year's Day celebrations center around the Vasilopita cake, with the new year written out in almond pieces on top, and a coin hidden inside the batter. The suspense mounts as the family waits to see who finds the coin in their slice, which by tradition ensures good luck for the rest of the year.

The holiday season ends on January 6th when more holiday blessings come to any young diver who during the observance of Epiphany (or "Blessing of the Waters") retreives a crucifix thrown into a bay or river by a local clergyman.

Elsewhere on the Web, discover more facts and photos of enduring traditions & customs, including Greek Christmas carols and folktales, holiday happenings in Athens and Crete, and additional recipes with instructions for celebrating a sweet virtual Christmas in Greece ...

Greek & Cretan Christmas customs - A guide to a Greek Christmas including photos, illustrations and interesting folktales about pesky Kallikantzaroi, Epiphany celebrations, and the blessing of the waters, and modern controversies over the holiday's commercialization, with related links to more.

Christmas Holiday Traditions in Greece - Brief overvew of holiday customs plus a tempting collection of related recipes including complete instructions for homemade stuffed turkey, melomakaronas, kourabiedes, and Greek New Year's Cake.

Christmas in Athens - Insider guide to traveling to Greece in the off-season with tips on travel tours, shopping, sightseeing and day trips, with an archived photo gallery of Athens during the holidays.

Christmas traditions in Crete - Colorful overview of traditions peculiar to Crete and throughout Greece with a history of the holiday as well as modern customs, plus links to more informaton on Epiphany, Greek Christmas carols, and holiday foods.

Christmas in Greece - View online excerpts & color photos from the book describing holiday foods, songs, and traditions celebrating Christmas in Greece.

also see in Holidays -> Christmas Cookie Recipes | Christmas Party Ideas

Christmas Recipes | Christmas Trees | Epiphany

Holiday Planner | New Year Party Ideas | Santa Claus

also see in Travel -> Greece Tourist Attractions

Athens Tourist Attractions