She loves to write about travel and education stories in the hopes of learning more for herself at the same time. Christmas in Greece means it's kourabiedes time again, and the mellow aroma of melomakarona cookies will fill Greek kitchens around the globe. The Greek Orthodox Church until 1923 was with the old calendar and Christmas was celebrated on January 6th. The nation is home to countless islands. It is interesting to emphasize another form of the Synodical system, which accentuates the importance of Tradition: the Eucharist itself. (Check out our article on the history of the Christmas tree.). This is a time that is filled with moments to spend with loved ones, church services, and plenty of unique traditions. Christmas is one of the major holidays of the year. The Nativity scenes are a popular Christmas tradition. Categorized in: Greek Christmas Traditions, on Interesting Greek Christmas Traditions to Know, Best Greek Dessert Recipes to Eat During Christmas, Recipe for Christopsomo – Greek Christmas Bread, Recipe for Melomacarona (Melamakarona) – Greek Christmas Cookies. Christopsomo (χριστόψωμο, say: hree-STOHP-soh-moh) literally means "Christ's Bread," and is a fixture in Greek Orthodox homes at Christmas. The only Orthodox churches that still observe the January 7th date are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian churches, the Serbs and the Mount Athos monks in Greece. In Greece, certain traditional foods are eaten in celebration of Christmas. When the homeowners invite them in, the youths sing. Greek Orthodox Christmas 2020. (Read more about Bulgarian holidays here.). This is in stark contrast to the US and Western Europe, where it is one of the main holidays of the year for most people regardless of religious affiliation. The day is a In 1929, Christmas in the Soviet Union was officially crossed out from the calendar and canceled. Typically, gifts are opened on New Year’s Day rather than at Christmas, to honour Saint Vasilis, the Greek saint associated with Santa Claus. Here’s a guide on the history and traditions. As soon as the New Year comes in, a celebration … Carols are sung in Ukraine on Christmas Eve and Christmas, called koliadky. Christmas is one of the major holidays that are celebrated in Greece and amongst people of Greek origin throughout the world. Ta Kalanda (Carol singing) Greek Kalanda singers 1950s . The difference in these dates lies in the history of how these dates came about in the first place. The wood is set alight on New Year’s Eve to make a big fire and they sing carols until the clock strikes 12. ), When you have a Christmas Eve dinner in Bulgaria, it is important to have an odd number of dishes, one of them being a Christmas bread with a baked coin in it. Given the nation’s proximity to water and its possessing a tropical climate, citizens have typically consumed the famed Mediterranean Diet, comprised primarily of seafood and produce products. First, t he Greek Orthodox Church is celebrating Christmas on December 25th, on the same date as the Catholic and Protestant Churches. Like other countries and cultures, Greek people embrace the Christmas season by singing jovial and religious-based carols, also known as “kalanda”. Comments Off on Interesting Greek Christmas Traditions to Know. Instead of celebrating the birth of Christ, they celebrated New Year’s Day, with many attributes of the forbidden Christmas but no church implications. For example, in Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, Christmas celebrations are held on the 25th of December. Orthodox Christian Christmas. 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