Cretan Christmas customs – expect Christmas with a difference
If you are lucky enough to be heading off to the beautiful Greek island of Crete this Christmas, you may want to learn about the many festive customs this traditional island adheres to, which irrefutably aids its charm and captivation. Even if you are not spending Christmas in Crete, the island’s interesting history, which bred a fascinating culture and some intriguing traditions to drape over the Mediterranean island, always makes for an absorbing read.
The word ‘carol’ comes from a Greek dance known as a choraulein, and traditionally was accompanied with flute music. The popularity of the choraulein quickly spread throughout Europe and during the 1600s it became traditional to sing carols at Christmas. On the island of Crete, and throughout the whole of Greece, children go from house to house singing Christmas carols and often playing small clay drums and metal triangles. The children are rewarded for their efforts with dried fruit and sweets.
Unlike Britain, Christmas trees are not the main symbol of the festive season in Greece. Instead the focal symbol of Christmas is a small wooden bowl which has a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. Each day throughout the festive season a member of the family dips the basil in the water in the bowl and sprinkles the water in a room in the house.
New Year’s Eve is on Crete is celebrated with a similar vigour and passion as most other tourist destinations. It is custom for people to gather in the town’s plaza on Crete, where the festive proceedings become quite maniacal. Children and teenagers pronounce a bloodless war on each other and use many “weapons”, including spray foam and plastic hammers, to bring the play to life. In latter years, some of the larger town’s squares on Crete put on elaborate firework displays.
Similar to Spain, it is Epiphany – 6 January – when Christmas is really celebrated on Crete, likewise the rest of Greece. It is on this day when the feast of Saint Nicholas, the Saint of the fishermen and sailors, is fêted and presents are exchanged. In many towns and villages on Crete a long procession is formed, sometimes accompanied with music and military contingents and priests, which proceeds to the nearest body of water, where the priest throws a cross into the icy water. Those who dare – namely youngsters – then jump into the water in an underwater scramble to be the one who retrieves the cross.
If you fancy experiencing a Christmas and New Year with a difference this year, then jumping on a plane a heading to this magical and charming Greek island, could most definitely be the answer.