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The warmest greetings from ARMENIA!

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In Armenia, people first celebrate the New Year and then Christmas, which is celebrated on January 6 in accordance with traditions of Armenian Apostolic church.
New Year is one of the most loved  holidays for Armenians all over the world.
Preparations begin week before. Housewives thoroughly clean their homes before the Christmas season. Then they put up a Christmas tree and decorate it with children. They buy presents for family members and friends,

Armenians do their best to save money for New Year table. People even do more than they can afford, since it's believed that "You'll spend the year just the way you've welcomed it".

Then people start attacking the food stores and supermarkets, trying to do the shopping beforehand, since the last days many things become more expensive. Armenian new year’s table should be rich and luxurious.

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There is a very typical Armenian tradition  in New Year’s celebration. It’s called guest-host tradition.  Usually, in other countries, people celebrate New Year for one or two days and then go back to their usual daily routine. In Armenia, New ear celebration starts on December 31st late at night and the event continues for the whole week. When it’s 12 o’clock, family members congratulate each other, drink something and then, “guest-host chain” starts.

People visit each other’s houses during the whole week.

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Armenian Christmas is celebrated on January 6. On the eve, people usually go to the church and bring consecrated fire to clean their house from evil spirits and bring divine light and blessing to their homes. On Christmas day families gather to eat rice prepared with dried fruits or raisins, eat fish and drink wine. No meat is allowed.
The next day of the main church holidays (including Christmas) is called "merelots" and that day people visit the graves of their relatives.

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On January 6 people visit churches to be present at St. Liturgy after which they take part in the ceremony of “Water Blessing” that symbolizes the baptism of Christ in Jordan River. The miraculous water blessed by the Holy cross and sprayed with Sacred Chrism is distributed to people.