Christmas in Greece
Blog Post #2
April 12, 2015
By:Sarah Jakubek
Like many others, when it comes to a holiday we all have
different traditions. Unlike the Greek culture, they have many different kinds
of Christmas traditions when it comes to food and festivities. In Greece Christmas is more impressive, with store windows decorated a month in advance, and many of the towns and cities are lit
with colorful lights. On Christmas eve Greeks will either go out or stay at
home and watch holiday shows. But on Christmas Day, all the family members
gather at the festively set dinner table. In Greece, a fasting period would start
almost 40 days before Christmas. The faithful would not eat any animal or its
related products, such as meat, dairy or eggs. As Christmas drew near in the
Greek culture preparations began. Houses would be cleaned with extra care, and
the traditions of preparing the Christmas cookies along with the pig (hog)
would start. The traditional Greek cookies that were made on Christmas were
honey cookies called melomakarona. It is a custom the every family in Greece raise
a pig (hog) which then will be slaughtered on Christmas Eve and would be served
as the main holiday meal on Christmas Day. On Christmas Day the villagers would
cut up the pork and make sausages, apakia, pihti, or even omathies. The Christmas
hog was the basic source of meat on Christmas. Nothing was wasted from the
Christmas hog. Each part of the animal was used and or given as a gits.
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"Greece Christmas." Christmas in Greece. Web. 12
Apr. 2015.
"Greek Christmas RECIPES : Kourambiedes &
Melomakarona." Greek Christmas Recipes for Kourambiedes and Melomakarona,
Greek Christmas Cookies. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Yahoo." Yahoo IMAGE Search. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
I found it very impressive that the Greeks fast from all animal products for 40 days in advance of Christmas! I have trouble abstaining from meat for the few Friday's during lent. I also think it is very cool that Greek families raise their own hog for Christmas dinner.
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