Christmas, New Year‘s Day and Epiphany traditions of Greece
There was a post on another website with many comments about traditions from various Greek regions that was very informative and interesting. The number of the comments was outrageous so I gathered here as many as I had the patience to read and translate. Also, as this comes from many people’s experiences, there may be inaccuracies regarding the customs or the range of the area where this custom takes place.
Cephalonia, Heptanese islands
On New Year’s Eve people get out in the streets and spray perfume to each other, their houses and shops. They accompany this with the wish “Ήρθαμε με ρόδα και άνθους να σας πούμε χρόνους πολλούς” (=We came with pomegranates and flowers to wish you a long life).
Cephalonians also do not wish with a typical “Happy New Year”. In stead of this, they say: “Καλή Αποκοπή” (kalí apokopí) which pretty much means “Good riddance to the previous year”. Seems especially appropriate this time.
Pontic villages of Macedonia and Thrace
Pontic Greeks of the aforementioned regions celebrate the custom of Μωμόγεροι (Momóyeri) throughout Christmas, New Year’s Day and Epiphany. The custom involves a theatrical dance around town and the dancers are dressed in wolf and billy goat skins. Others are dressed like men, wield swords and are hidden behind masks that resemble old men. There are also three protagonists, the old man Kití Ghotsá, the Bride and the Young Man. The custom has pagan Ancient Greek origins and it was initially revived in Livera, Trebizond, modern-day Turkey. It belongs to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Kastoria, West Macedonia, they celebrate Ragoutsaria which is similar.
Litohoro, Macedonia
On New Year’s Day, in Litohoro, the town in the shadow of Mount Olympus, people eat a billy goat pie.
Achaea, Peloponnese
Achaeans eat fried liver and drink wine early in the morning after church on Christmas day. On New Year’s Day, they touch iron to take its strength, look over at the mountains and wish to “live as long as the big mountains” and eat loukoumades with honey so that the new year will be sweet.
Attica, Central Greece
There people have to wash their faces outside with cold water on New Year’s Day. Then they hit each other with a branch of olive tree on the head (softly) for good luck.
Yannitsa and Florina, Macedonia
In Yannitsa and Florina they celebrate the custom of Kolinda Babo on December 23rd. Groups of friends gather piles of wood and create big cones with them and light a fire. The group with the biggest cone / best fire wins. That day fasolada (Greek bean soup) and wine are served. The custom symbolizes a warning to the grandmothers to hide the children King Herod comes to kill. The name of the custom has Slavic origin.
Chios, Islands of Northeastern Aegean
In Chios they take the Greek custom of decorating a ship (instead of a tree) a bit further. Groups of people from different neighborhoods of Chios town build merchant and war ships, 5,5 meters big. On New Year’s Eve, every team presents its ship with music and carols. The team with the best ship wins a prize and then takes the ship around all the neighborhoods.
Ikaria, Islands of Northeastern Aegean
On New Year’s Day, Ikarians get out to sing Saint Basil’s (our Santa Claus) carols. The owners of the first house of a village get out first and sing the carols to their neighbors. Then the neighbors get out too and all together they go to sing to the next house and so on. When they reach the last house in the other edge of the settlement, the whole village is now out and sings the carols. The people do not come near the houses that grieve someone’s loss and even if they do by mistake, the house owners do not come out to join the others.
Emporio of Eordaea, Kozani, Macedonia
On New Year’s Eve children and adults dress up, kinda like in Carnival, and hide their faces. They visit neighbors who give them treats and alcohol. They stay at a house and get treats until the owner finds out who they are.
On New Year’s Day, men wear traditional costumes and join the feast and dance in the village square. There is also a guy who carries a whip, supposedly to keep the men under control. Whoever shows up with regular clothing is thrown either in the river or in a barrel with freezing water.
Thrace
In Thrace, instead of Vasilopita, they bake a milk - cheese pie and instead of a single coin they hide inside it a “little symbolic treasure” for each family member.
On New Year’s Day, people visit their elder relatives and hit them with a branch of dogwood on the back for good health.
Fragades, Zagori, Epirus
Young children sing New Year’s Eve carols. The oldest child carries a thin branch of dogwood (again) and hits with that the owner of the house for good health.
In this region, they do not make a Vasilopita (Saint Basil’s cake) like in most of Greece. They make a meat pie inside which they hide a small piece of dogwood and a small piece of vine. Whoever finds the dogwood will be healthy all year long and whoever finds the vine will have the most alcohol!
Zakynthos (Zante), Heptanese Islands
On Christmas Eve, Zakynthians eat a broccoli soup called Brokolina.
On Christmas Day, they have an Avgolemono soup, made of eggs and lemon. Also, in order to make a good Avgolemono soup, you have to kiss it. Yep, you heard that right. This is actually a thing in the entire country and my mom does it too!
Cyprus
On Epiphany’s Eve, Greek Cypriots throw loukoumades on the roofs of their houses, so that the goblins will eat them and leave.
Pontus, Turkey
Pontic Greeks light candles to commemorate the dead of the family every Epiphany Day. They start with the loved person that died most recently and progressively go back in time. Those candles are called “μνημοκέρια” (mnimokéria).
