Greece is one of the most visited countries in the world, welcoming close to 20 million visitors each year. Greece and Italy enforce strict quarantine-on-arrival rules for Christmas and New Year holidays. In this mosaic of Christmas sensations, holiday experiences are rendered even more colourful by the deep blue of our seas, the green forest of our mountains, the red coral of our sunsets, and the rich violet of our night sky. Christmas holidays in Greece Tweet Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Greece is like finding yourself in an expressionist work of art : decorated Christmas trees, shiny bright ornaments, and “karavakia” (small Christmas ships) decked with blue and white lights illuminate our streets; harmonious bells and children’s carols echo through our cities and villages. We also have daily crowd predictions for Athens, … To predict crowds, Avoid-Crowds.com gathers lots of tourist data from around the world. Our 2020 list of Christmas lights in the Rochester area: Includes Greece, Henrietta, Gates, Hamlin, Irondequoit, Pittsford, Fairport, the City of Rochester, Victor, Farmington, Penfield, Webster, Williamson, Ontario, Nunda, and more! Please check with event organizers for details. Zante and Kos rule the 24-hour party scene. Christmas Log: The custom of decorating the Christmas tree was introduced to Greeks during the rule of King Otto in 1833 when a tree at the Royal Palace was decorated for the populace to … On the Eve of this day, the priest will visit houses and sprinkle holy water to bless them and the family members. Basil's bread), and is actually identical in form to the “Christopsomo” (Christ bread) served on Christmas Day. Corfu’s a lush, green paradise, while Rhodes comes up trumps in the sun stakes, and Kefalonia’s all about picture-perfect scenery. The government as of December 14 softened a few of Greece’s Covid-19 lockdown restrictions for the Christmas and new year holidays.. It became an official holiday in 350 AD. Labor Day, or May Day, is a day off for workers in many countries around the world. During a symbolic meal, which only the men of the village and the priest attend, friendship and solidarity are praised. Christmas Covid-19 Rules in Greece – Here’s what you need to know: No more than nine people (from two households) should gather in the same house, in order to avoid overcrowding. Children, open your presents on New Year's Day: On the 1st of January children in Greece receive their presents; this day is also dedicated to St. Read about Orthodox Christmas around the world in 2022. Wed January 01, 2020. Christmas 2020 in Greece When Is Christmas 2020? December 25th will be a public holiday in most countries around the world. National holiday: Sep 22: Wednesday: September Equinox: Season: Oct 28: Thursday: The Ochi day: De facto holiday: Nov 17: Wednesday: Polytechneio: Observance: Nov 21: Sunday: Armed Forces Day: Observance: Dec 21: Tuesday: December Solstice: Season: Dec 25: Saturday: Christmas Day: National holiday: Dec 26: Sunday: Synaxis of the Mother of God: De facto holiday GNTO © 2021. Valentine’s Day is a special time to celebrate love, romance and friendship. How many days until Christmas 2020? Some Native American tribes named this the Hunger Moon, others called it the Storm Moon. From Athens, you can also take a cruise to nearby islands, go skiing on Mount Parnassos, or make short –yet memorable– trips around the mainland to Delphi, Meteora or Nafplio. Savour a piece of St. So there’s a whole month of festivities to enjoy. Basil's Pie (Vassilopita) and find out if you are going to be lucky: A special cake is eaten on New Year’s Day in which a lucky coin, the “flouri”, is baked. Mon March 02, 2020. There will be no exception on Christmas or New Year’s. In Greece, political spat over lockdown turns personal Greece’s prime minister and his main political rival are involved in a spat over competing claims that they broke the spirit of … If you find the “flouri” in your piece of cake good luck will follow all the forthcoming year. Greece racks up a tonne of crowd-free destinations. The celebrations are accompanied by the sweet melodies of the Epiphany carols sung by children. Greece Holidays. In some places mothers sprinkle holy water in every room of the house to scare the “kallikantzari” away. Follow a Dionysiac rite: In Kastoria, people recreate a three-day Dionyssian custom (6th-8th January), called “ragoutsaria” (from the Latin verb “rogo” meaning “to ask”). If 25 December falls on a weekend, then a nearby weekday may be taken as a holiday in lieu. Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Greece is like finding yourself in an expressionist work of art: decorated Christmas trees, shiny bright ornaments, and “karavakia” (small Christmas ships) decked with blue and white lights illuminate our streets; harmonious bells and children’s carols echo through our cities and villages. Epiphany Monday January 06, 2020. Despite a significant drop in cases … Also allowed to operate as of … Everyone dances and celebrates Christmas around these mesmerizing outdoor fires. Now, you can directly access this detailed information by simply scrolling down. Crete’s the biggest of the bunch, and home to some of the most famous archaeological attractions outside Athens. Basil because he is Father Christmas, and everyone called Vassilis (boy's name) or Vassiliki (girl's name) celebrates his/her name day. All content included on this site consists intellectual property of GNTO and you are not allowed to reproduce the whole or part of this work in any way. Santa and his reindeer will be waiting for children to pose with for photos; cheeky hobgoblins will guide them through Earth’s Christmas forest, while a visit to the zoo will fill the whole family with excitement! Please check at least one of the boxes. The “kallikantzari” disappear on the day of Epiphany when all the waters are blessed, and they return to the earth’s core. Sunday June 7- Saturday June 8th (2020): Pentecost & Monday of the Holy Spirit (public holiday) Fifty days after Easter Sunday, Pentecost celebrates the Holy Spirit appearing before the apostles, an event known as the birth of the Christian Church. In the warm atmosphere of a Greek family, you will witness rituals for good luck: The so-called “podariko” (first footing), the hanging of the “kremmida” (big onion) outside the door, and the “breaking of the pomegranate” are the most characteristic. Privacy & Terms. For information please contact: info@visitgreece.gr. Clean Monday Monday March 02, 2020. Greece extends key lockdown measures over Christmas holidays They must also take a rapid Covid-19 test on arrival. Services are held, but many Greeks don’t celebrate the day in any particular way. The nationwide night curfew from 10pm-5am will continue to apply until. That's because you didn't select any holiday types. According to the Greek legend, these creatures’ origin is the centre of the earth, where their mission is to chop at a huge tree trunk symbolising the earth's foundations. While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. On this page you can find the calendar of all 2020 public holidays for Greece. Scroll down for 2020 public holidays in Greece. Basil. All the information display below is also available via our API as well as downloadable as a csv. The February Full Moon is named after the snow on the ground. Gov’t to announce measures for Christmas holidays, retail stores and churches December 8, 2020 CORONAVIRUS 1 Comment 3,984 Views Greece’s government spokesman said on Tuesday that the final decisions on lockdown restrictions and their partial lifting over the holidays of Christmas and the New Year will be announced on upcoming Friday. Wed March 25, 2020. Fifty years ago almost every household in Greece featured a Christmas boat at this festive time of year, and one can still see it lit up today, but mainly in island village homes. Millions of Orthodox Christians around the world annually observe Good Friday to commemorate the events leading up to Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Have the meal of brotherhood in Tinos: A custom that takes place every year on the 25th of December. Whoever finds the cross returns it to the priest, who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their household. Santorini, Mykonos and Skiathos have all put a cosmopolitan gloss on the classic Greek combination of sun, sea and sand, while Kefalonia and Skopelos offer up beautiful beaches and laid-back towns. Shopping in stores remains banned. Churches will open for the faithful only twice on December 25th and January 6th. Christmas 2020 falls on Friday, December 25. Take a swig of the local wine and enjoy traditional delicacies. The Christmas season in Athens kicks off on December 6 for the feast day of St. Nicholas, and continues until Epiphany on January 6. Let’s try to recreate this atmosphere by taking a short trip to some of the places where age-old Christmas customs still survive: Be aware of the hobgoblins: Greece’s hobgoblins are called “kallikantzari”, friendly but troublesome little creatures who look like elves; they surface on Earth only during the 12-day period from Christmas to the Epiphany (January 6). Both “kremmida” and pomegranate carry heavy symbolic meanings from ancient times representing prosperity, abundance in the family, and also bring good luck to one's descendants. Greece - Public Holidays in 2020. No holidays shown? Independence Day Wednesday March 25, 2020. An impressive custom follows: any number of volunteers may dive and try to recover the cross. If you have suggestions for other places to go to see holiday lights (or if you have some yourself that you'd like listed), please email Debra Ross at … Mon January 06, 2020. National holiday: Sep 22: Tuesday: September Equinox: Season: Oct 28: Wednesday: The Ochi day: De facto holiday: Nov 17: Tuesday: Polytechneio: Observance: Nov 21: Saturday: Armed Forces Day: Observance: Dec 21: Monday: December Solstice: Season: Dec 25: Friday: Christmas Day Churches large and small, are magnificently lit and echo with the joyful melodies of bells. It became an official holiday in 350 AD. Find out why, and explore the rest of the list here. However, having a laid back pace doesn’t mean you have to compromise on family activities! Traditionally, New Year is when Agios Vasilis (St. Basil), … The Orthodox Church recognises January 7th as the day that Jesus was born. Thassos, Paros and Samos like to stay out of the spotlight – the beaches here are footprint-free and cypress trees are the only high … While “fighting malevolent spirits” eat, drink, dance and sing to the rhythm of traditional tunes as the folk musicians fill the city’s streets accompanied by the locals. During the ceremony, a cross is thrown in the waters –sea, lakes or rivers– in a ritual that revolves around the Great Blessing of the Waters. During this celebration, an icon of Christ is venerated in a warm atmosphere of Christmas hymns and gentle candlelight. Christmas Day celebrates the Nativity of Jesus which according to tradition took place on December 25th 1 BC. At present, if it is negative they are free to enter Greece … This service is known as “agiasmos”: this is also the name of the holy water which Greeks keep with the family icons. The next day is dedicated to the great feast of St. John the Baptist, when the numerous Johns, Joans or Joannas celebrate their name day. However, due to the miracle of Christ's birth, they find the earth's tree trunk completely restored, so they start their mission to destroy it all over again. While Greece will still be under a strict lockdown for the holidays, with a 10 PM to 5 AM curfew in effect, Greek citizens will be able to celebrate together in … Greece Public Holidays 2020 ; This page contains a national calendar of all 2020 … Throughout Greece, numerous rituals are performed to keep these hobgoblins away. In the village of Agios Panteleimonas in Florina, on the 23rd of December, the locals divide into groups and light bonfires at midnight. It’s time for the “kallikantzari” to leave the surface of the Earth: The Greek Christmas celebrations conclude with the festival of “Ta Phota” (the Lights) as Epiphany is called, a feast as important as the baptism of Christ. Don’t attempt to put off these fires: In Kranohori village, on Christmas Eve huge pyramid shaped bonfires are lit, called “boubounes”. A specially decorated bread also adorns the festive table; it is called “Vasilopsomo” (St. Signup here to get started.. Being extremely naughty, the “kallikantzari” do things to frighten people, like overturning furniture, devouring Christmas foods, or contaminating the water. You can always be a passionate city lover: In the midst of the mild Athenian winter, immerse yourself in open-air celebrations: free concerts in Syntagma Square, and dancing in the ouzeries and tavernas in Plaka and Psiri; light up your nights: all the clubs put on rembetika (urban music), laika (mainstream popular music) and jazz/blues/rock shows; shop your heart out in Ermou, Monastiraki, or Kolonaki listening to the music played by the street musicians; or just stroll around archaeological sites and relax relishing a fine meal outdoors. Visitgreece.gr is the official tourism web site for Greece, run by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, where you'll find information on the main tourist destinations, such as cities, beaches, as well as activities, events and much more! These dates may be modified as official changes are announced, so please check back regularly for updates or sign up for … Before you start searching for your lucky coin, the head of the house must first cross the cake with his knife and then cut the first slice for God, then the next for the baby Christ, followed by the “Panayia” (Virgin Mary), then the next slice for the house and after a slice for each member of the family starting with the eldest. I have teamed up with TUI, who have their best ever selection of family holidays in Greece, including waterpark holidays and luxury properties, as well as 10 and 11 night stays in Zakynthos and Rhodes.There are more properties added to firm favourites such as Holiday Villages, … Traditional culinary delights symbolise good luck in the New Year and adorn our white-clothed tables. Attend customs influenced by ancient ceremonies held in honour of Demeter: The re-enactment of a local wedding ceremony takes place in the village of Volakas, in Drama, on the 8th of January, a day also dedicated to the midwives. The next morning the father or the mother of the family wake up their children by gently tapping them on the head with the “kremmida”, then they all go to church to attend the liturgy held in commemoration of St. Public holidays and school vacations are key to predicting crowds and are used in all our prediction models. On New Year's Day, Greeks break a pomegranate on the doorstep before entering their houses (an action which is sometimes performed by the bride in some regions of Greece when she arrives at her new home after the wedding); or they hang a “kremmida” outside their doors on New Year's Eve. © Time and Date AS 1995–2021. Throughout Greece the Epiphany is celebrated in Byzantine splendour and religious awe. 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