Sofia, our mentor arrived at 12 p.m., we did our Greek lesson, we are real children during our lesson, we are always annoying each other. Then after all the lessons, Sofia explained to us all the Greek customs for Christmas and New Year. It was really interesting.
Traditionally, in the coastal regions of Greece, boats were decorated for Christmas. Cakes prepared in Greece and associated with the festive period are melomakarona, kourabiedes, diples and vassilopita for the New Year. Christopsomo or "Christ's bread" as its name suggests, is a loaf of bread anise prepared by the housewives of each house on Christmas Eve. On this Christmas bread, women engrave the sign of the cross, while they make various other ornaments with dough. With the change and the arrival of the new year, just before Aghios Vassilis (Santa Claus) comes by for the children, one of the first things that happens in the houses is the smashing of the grenade. The pomegranate symbolizes euphoria and fertility and that is why it is smashed to bring luck to the house by spreading all its seeds! According to Greek tradition, the Kalikantzaroi (goblins) are evil spirits, living in the underworld and their world is connected to ours by a tree.Evil spirits called Kalikantzaroi live under the tree, trying to find an escape for our world, which they manage to do during the twelve days of Christmas (December 25 to January 6). According to legend, Kalikantzaroi can rise to our world at this time and cause trouble because Christ has not yet been baptized and therefore cannot protect people from evil. The faithful of the time kept them away from their homes by burning wood and incense. At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, someone considered lucky or a child (because they are innocent) is sent outside and ordered to enter the house, right foot first, for good luck for the following year. : it's the custom of podariko! Christmas carols are folk songs of praise that have Byzantine roots and are sung each year on the eve of major religious holidays, such as Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. Kalanta are usually sung by children, who, alone or with friends, go to homes and shops and sing these “wishes”. Children now collect money, whereas in the past it was for items such as sweets, cakes and nuts. Thank you very much Sofia, she also brought us some yarn for macramé and Christmas cookies, she is adorable.
English (UK) 
Ελληνικά 
