Greece This month I Special
Christmas Edition
Christmas Traditions in Greece Greece is a country where traditions and customs are a part of everyday life. Most holidays in Greece are celebrated traditionally, and Christmas days are no exception. Christmas carols (κάλαντα) are very popular, with the younger children going from house to house singing with the accompaniment of the traditional triangle, and residents giving them a small amount of money, the so-called in Greek ‘kalistrina’ (καλιστρίνα). Καλήν εσπέραν άρχοντες, αν είναι ορισμός σας, Χριστού την Θείαν γέννησιν, να πω στ’ αρχοντικό σας. Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον, εν Βηθλεέμ τη πόλη, οι ουρανοί αγάλλονται, the legend that the "waters aren't christened" since Christ has not yet been baptized. The goblins are renowned for for their ugliness and their impishness. and it is said that they enter houses through chimneys, and this is the reason people, especially in villages, keep the fireplace lit during the 12 days of Christmas.
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χαίρει η φύσις όλη. Εν τω σπηλαίω τίκτεται, εν φάτνη των αλόγων, ο βασιλεύς των ουρανών, και ποιητής των όλων. Σ’ αυτό το σπίτι που ‘ρθαμε, πέτρα να μην ραγίσει, και ο νοικοκύρης του σπιτιού, χίλια χρόνια να ζήσει. According to tradition, during the Greek 12 days of Christmas (December 25 to January 6), goblins come out to tease people and eat their food. This tradition is based on
Greece This month - Christmas Edition
Christmas Food in Greece During the past years, Christmas turkey has become very popular as the main dish of these festive days. Traditionally, the main course of Christmas dinner in Greece is roast pork, with a variety of side delicacies. No matter what the main dish is, one thing is certain: every thing on the Christmas ta ble will be surrounded by ‘melomakarona’ (the Greek traditional Christmas cookies made of semolina, cinnamon and honey) and the tradiotional ‘kourabiedes’ (made of rosewater and fresh butter, sprinkled with powdered sugar).
The team of the Newsletter of the Press & Communications Office of the Greek Embassy in London, ‘Greece this Month’, would like to wish all of its readers:
Merry Christmas and a Happy & Joyful 2016 !!! Καλά Χριστούγεννα & Ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος !!!! We will be back in January, with our first Newsletter of 2016!!! Follow us :
A Pint of Greece Greek Embassy in UK @GreeceinUK
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