1. • We use the pomegranate today at the time
of the changing of the year. When the New
Year comes, the landlady of the house
breaks the pomegranate at the front door
of the house and that's why the
pomegranate symbolizes abundance and
fertility.
2. Also the color of pomegranate, which is red,
was believed to bring good luck.
Family goes to church to welcome the New
Year. The landlord keeps in his pocket a
pomegranate for the priest to bless it.
4. • The Christmas wreath has got cones, mistletoe
and a big red bow. It decorates our houses.
Also, it has got many flowers, leaves and fruits.
Many years ago the people gave presents to
one another and decorated their houses with
mistletoe too.
5. • Some people think that wreath brings happiness in the
New Year that is coming. The wreath decorates the
house both inside and outside too. It is put above
fireplace. It reminds people the true meaning of
Christmas.
6. • The “ feeding of the tap” is a custom that is done in
many parts of Greece. In central Greece the girls go to
get the “silent water” at dawn.
• Before that, they left cooked butter, cheese, wheat or
olive branches near the tap..
7. • Then they return home without speaking until
they drink all the water of the tap.
• In Grevena(a mountainous town) they light a
large log until epiphany to protect themselves
from bad spirits.
9. • On 1st December we decorate the tree and our house. We send
Christmas cards to our friends. On Christmas Eve the children go to
the houses in the area and sing the Christmas carols. On Christmas
Day we eat turkey with rice and salads. Also on New Years Eve we
eat vasilopita.
10. • The decoration of Christmas tree has its roots
in the old traditions. As the Christmas balls
symbolizes the apple of Adam and Eve, or the
lights symbolizing the triumph of the Christmas
celebration .
11. • . The decoration of
Christmas tree is a family
event that celebrates the
beautiful fir filling the
atmosphere with Love.
12. • The lights of Christmas is
a traditional custom that
symbolizes life and the
warmth of winter.
13. • Also the lights placed in the streets, the
balconies of houses, in restaurants, in shop
windows to brighten and in the classes of
school.
14. • The Greek Christmas ship is an old tradition of our country. It was
a kind of welcome to the sailors who came back home. Fifty years
ago Christmas ships there were in a lot of Greek houses.
15. • Also the children held Christmas ships while they were singing the carols. In
Chios (a Greek island) every New Year’s Day there is a competition with
Christmas ships. Every neighborhood makes a big ship, about 5,5 meters long
and the best one wins a prize.
16. • The history of Vasilopita (a Christmas cake) is old tradition which originate in
Kesaria of Kappadokia. On New Year’s Eve the Greek people make a cake
and put in it a coin. At midnight they cut the cake and each one take a
piece. They believe that the person who finds the coin
is lucky all year.
17.
18. The children put near the fireplace for Santa Claus to
put in toys, sweets, fruits and money. Tradition says that
children who are naughty get a piece of coal. Lots of
families make stockings and write on it their names.
19.
20. • In Greece scilla Maritina( onion) is put out of house on
New Year’s Eve. On New Year’s Day father or mother
take the scilla Maritina on his or her hands and get up
the children to go to church.
• After the scilla Maritina puts on one place in
house.
21. • People believe that a lucky person has to be the first to go in their
house, so they have a boy when the family has one to have a good
New Year. They prefer boy when the family has a lot of girls and
they prefer kids because they are innocent.
• When he gets in the house with his right foot, he has to step on something
iron to be strong. In the rural areas, this custom has to do with good crop. In
some villages the lucky person throws rice to make good spirits stay there.
22. • In many different places in Greece the
person who lives in the house is usually
the first one to walk inside the house.
