Wishes For Hronia Polla In Greece For The Holidays

St. Nicholas is important part of Greek tradition as the patron saint of sailors. Greek ships never set out on a voyage without having an icon of St. Nicholas on board. Greek tradition tells of his clothes being soaked from sea water and perspiration from working to save sinking ships and rescue sailors from the angry sea.

Boys travel from home to home on Christmas Eve beating drums and tinkling triangles while singing Christmas carols. Each household usually gives each boy a gift of dried figs, nuts and candies.

Following 40 days of fasting, the Christmas feast is a grand celebration. Pigs are slaughtered and on almost every table are loaves of christopsomo, or Christ bread. This bread is made in large sweet loaves of various shapes and the crusts are engraved and decorated in some way that reflects the family's profession. As people gather together to celebrate and feast, they say Hronia Polla, or many happy years. Another favorite holiday treat is a kourambiethes, a cookie made from nuts.

The main decorative symbol of the Christmas season in a Grecian household is a shallow wooden bowl with a piece of wire is suspended across the rim. Sprigs of basil that are wound around a wooden cross hang from the wire. And just like a Christmas tree, the basil is watered slightly to keep it fresh. Then once a day someone in the family dips the cross and basil into some holy water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room of the house. This ritual is believed to keep the Killantzaroi, or mischievous goblins believed to appear from the earth during the 12 days of Christmas, away from the house.

At Christmas very few presents are given to each other. Instead, Greeks choose to give small gifts are given to hospitals, orphanages and others in need.