Christmas Customs
Greece
- Kalanda (Carols): Children sing carols door-to-door on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and Epiphany for money or treats.
- Christmas Boats (Karavaki): Traditionally, decorated boats symbolize Christmas, though trees are now common too.
- Nativity Fast: A 40-day fast (mid-Nov to Christmas Eve) ending in feasts.
- New Year Focus: Gifts for children are exchanged on New Year’s Day (St. Basil’s Day).
- Vasilopita: A New Year’s cake with a hidden coin for luck.
- Pomegranate Smashing: Breaking a pomegranate on the doorstep on New Year’s Day for fertility and good fortune.
The UK
- Father Christmas: Children write letters and hang stockings for gifts.
- Christmas Crackers: Pulled at dinner for paper hats, small toys, and jokes.
- Christmas Dinner: A large feast, often turkey, is central on December 25th.
- Christmas Tree & Mistletoe: Widely decorated, with mistletoe for kissing.
- Pantomime: Traditional Christmas theatre.
Customs around the world!
Customs are traditional ways of behaving or doing things that are followed by a group of people or a society. They are part of a culture and are passed down from generation to generation.
Examples of Customs Around the World
1. Bowing in Japan
People bow to greet others, show respect, or say thank you instead of shaking hands.
2. Diwali in India
Families light lamps, decorate their homes, and share sweets to celebrate the victory of light over darkness.
3. Siesta in Spain
In some parts of Spain, people take a short nap in the afternoon after lunch as a traditional daily rest.
