1. MERRY CHRISTMAS
from the students of
Nea Vyssa Junior High school,Greece

2. Do you want to learn more about:
• The local Santa Claus..
• …Christmas Carols..
• Our traditional food..
• Local Christmas dish, and
• ….desert?

3. Agios Vasileios

4. His life
Agios Vasileios, the Greek equivalent to
Santa Claus, was born in 330 in the
Neokesareia kapadokias. He had nine
other siblings. He was the Archbishop of
Caesaria, a leading theologian fourth
century and one of the three Ieraechs,
Saints- protectors of education. He was
also a great philanthropist.

5. “Tempelekia”
Our local Christmas Carols!

6. History of
“Tempelekia”
Since 1940 the lads of New Vyssa sang the
traditonal carols organized into "Tsetis", groups of 12
persons, which symbolize the 12 apostles of Christ.
With "Tsetis" always came the "Kamilaris”. The
"Kamilaris" was a disguised lad, dressed
with animal skins and handmade fabric mask, so as
not to be recognized. Their belly was belted with
bells; this way they wanted to announce the message
of the birth of Christ and the kamilaris was carrying a
large wooden "stick".

7. The costume
The participants in "Tempelekia" apart from the "Kamilari",
who wears a special costume, wear the following outfit:
- A suit (pants, jacket, shirt).
- A cap on their heads.
- The “pallikarisio’s” scarf draped on their backs, around the
neck with both edge falling in front of their chests.
- A green sprig of ivy, pinned on the jacket in front of their
hearts, which is said to symbolize fertility. The leaves of the
ivy was painted gold, "varakomena" as they are known in N.
Vyssa

8. The Traditional “Boumbari”
is a local dish served on Christmas Eve
Ingredients:
1) Pork intestine (thick).
2) Pork liver (white).
3) A cup of rice.
4) A teaspoon of salt.
5) A tablespoon of oregano.
6) A half teaspoon of black pepper.
7) A half teaspoon of red pepper.
8) A half pound of ground beef or pork.

9. …have a very happy
Christmas holiday!
Greetings from…
Valanto, Vasso, Zoe, Stefanos, Iliana,
Eleftherios, Irene, Christina, Thanasis,
Maria, Katerina, Sotiris, Stefanos,
Konstantinos, Yannis and Stefanos!