Discover Greece's unique Christmas traditions: Saint Basil's gifts, decorated boats, and honey cookies

In Greece, the figure of Santa Claus doesn't hold any association with gift-giving, explains Natalia Gliszczyńska, who has long-standing personal and professional ties with Greece.

Greeks primarily view Santa Claus as the patron saint of seafarers, and the veneration of Agios Nikolaos is profoundly ingrained in the Greek culture. Boats, ships, peninsulas, and beaches are often named in his honor.

So, who delivers gifts to Greek children? As it turns out, children anticipate the arrival of Saint Basil. This former bishop of Caesarea was renowned among his faithful for his generosity and equitable distribution of alms.

Interestingly, Greek children must demonstrate patience as they receive their presents not on Christmas Eve as is customary in Poland, but on New Year's Day. This tradition is linked to the making of Vasilopita, a cake named in honor of Saint Basil. A gold coin is hidden inside the cake, and the person who finds it in their slice can anticipate an entire year of good luck and prosperity.

Decorating the Christmas tree is invariably one of the joyful steps of preparing for Christmas. Poles embrace this tradition to the extent that in some homes the tree appears in early December. It is difficult to envisage the holiday season without this emblem.

In contrast, in Greece, the primary symbol of Christmas isn't a tree, but a boat, reflecting the country's deep maritime associations. Natalia Gliszczyńska clarifies that boat decorating remains a popular tradition among Greeks, particularly those residing on the islands. Cities like Thessaloniki still parade illuminated structures designed in the shape of ships, symbolizing the commencement of a new life cycle with the birth of Baby Jesus. Boats adorned with festive light garlands embellish both streets and Greek homes.

Does it mean that if we visited Greece during the holidays, Christmas trees wouldn't be part of the decor? Not entirely, suggests Natalia, noting that globalized norms have led to the increasing popularity of the decorated Christmas tree, particularly in larger cities.

Unlike the Polish tradition where Christmas Eve is the most celebrated day, in Greece, the main festivities occur on December 25th. On this day, families gather for a grand Christmas feast. Just like Poles on Christmas Eve, Greeks also break the Bread of Christ on this day, although it doesn't come in the form of a typical wafer.

Natalia explains that Greeks share sweet, honey bread containing nuts and cloves. This bread is traditionally specially prepared for the occasion by the homemaker.

Typical dishes on the Greek Christmas table vary, but commonly include goat meat—a traditional Greek staple—as well as turkey and pork prepared with oranges. Rice, tzatziki, dumplings with goat cheese, and pitas are frequent additions. Sweet treats are an absolute must-have, with Melomakarona and kourabiedes being favorite Greek Christmas pastries, notes Natalia.

Melomakarona are honey cookies dressed with walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves in syrup, while kourabiedes are buttery almond cookies flavored with rose water and generously dusted with powdered sugar. Additionally, baklava is often present on the Christmas table.

In Greece, a Christmas tradition called Dodekameiro lasts for exactly twelve days, starting on December 24th. This period in Greek folklore is associated with mischievous creatures known as Kallikantzari who create chaos. These creatures are particularly active during this period.

Natalia indicates that Kallikantzari enter homes through chimneys, causing trouble for all household members. A broken glass, spilled sugar, or "disappearing" sweets could all be blamed on Kallikantzari. However, they never harm anyone despite causing mayhem.

To prevent these mythical creatures from entering, Greeks traditionally keep a fire burning in the fireplace. Another protective measure is to leave a colander outside the house as, according to Greek folklore, the unintelligent Kallikantzari get so engrossed in counting the colander holes that they forget their mischief.

Many Greek Christmas traditions are closely tied to the region where they are practiced. In Ioannina, situated in northwestern Greece, bay leaves and pine cones are tossed into the fireplace, with the sparks symbolizing the exchange of wishes among family members.

The pomegranate fruit is another symbol of Greek holidays. Placed in front of the entrance to the house, it symbolizes prosperity in the coming year. Often instead of real pomegranates, artificial pomegranate decorations, which are available in stores during the festive season, are displayed.