UNUSUAL GREEK CUSTOMS by ΕΛΕΝΗ ΘΕΟΦΙΛΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ

Ε1 Μπαγιατόγλου Ορέστης

2021-12-18 10:45:59 UTC

One of the most atmospheric carnivals in Greece, with a strong Pagan element takes place in Amfissa during the Carnival period. Every year, on the Saturday before Shrove Monday, in the central square of the city, the legend of the elements that protect the water sources of each district and collide with each other comes to life.

Βασίλης Ε1

2021-12-18 10:53:55 UTC

 Tradition states that the snakes that surrounded the monastery in the village of Markopoulo in Kefalonia prevented the pirates from looting it. There, every August 15, the snakes come out, which are considered miraculous.

Angela E2

2021-12-21 16:45:56 UTC

In Colhiko , at the feast of Lights the boys wake up at 05:00 a.m., they ring the bells and then they go home to sing.

Angela E2

2021-12-21 16:56:06 UTC

In Colhiko ,on New Year's Eve
the girls take a small decorated tree and go from house to house singing carols. In exchange they are given nuts and cookies.

John E2

2021-12-22 12:40:16 UTC

In Kavala ,on Holy Thursday ,before Easter, housekeepers put a red piece of cloth outside their houses!

Christalleni E1

2021-12-31 19:27:23 UTC

In Koroni during the Holy Week people fast strictly and do not eat, cook or drink anything. Some of the villagers, because they cannot stand it, do the following: They put a little vinegar in a glass to drink.But because vinegar is not easily drinkable they add a spider in it !!!!

Sophia E2

2022-01-02 10:18:40 UTC

On Christmas Eve it is customary in the villages to hang garlic braids outside the door of houses on which they nail cartation to drive away the bad language that 'nails' the happines of their home.

Elena Papadopoulou E1

2022-01-03 09:06:23 UTC

In many places of Greece , every night of the Resurrection, people burn a statue of Judas as a punishment for the traitor.

Maria E2

2022-01-04 11:36:28 UTC

On Christmas day the boys wear carnibal clothes,they go to the center of the city and dance all night.

Vithleem E2

2022-01-06 16:58:23 UTC

In Serres, in the Greek Halloween,the boys light fires in the center of the villages and start singing and dancing around it. The housekeepers offer sweets, pies, and fruits

Evgenia E1

2022-01-07 13:20:12 UTC

In Grete,the second day of Easter, on Monday , the whole family, with food and wine, goes to the cemetery to have a picnic in order to honor the deads.

Anna Tocci E1

2022-01-07 18:26:21 UTC

In the night of Decembrer 23 the people in Pella light a fire and say;''Kolinta Mpampo.'', which means ''slaughter Granny.''

Billy Georgellis E1

2022-01-08 16:02:15 UTC

In Asvestochori ,a village near Thessaloniki, on the Eve of the Epiphany we decorate a table forming a big cross of oranges and cypress branches in the church. The orange symbolizes health and the cypress symbolizes eternity. Next day the orange will be sanctified with the great sanctification of the Epiphanies, together with the cypress, and then must be placed in the iconostasis and be eaten by the believers on Good Friday as the fruit remains unchanged.

Kiriaki E1

2022-01-08 16:19:12 UTC

In Mesologgi,at Easter,the people who are in the church put the children and the adults around in a circle.The people who are outside the church break the windows with fireworks.

Stratos E2

2022-01-09 11:20:15 UTC

In Nigrita, in Serres, on 1st March children go from home to home singing songs for the swallow's coming. They hold wooden swallows in their hands. This custom is like the Christmas carols.

Maria-Ioanna Manoli E1

2022-01-09 14:12:59 UTC

The snakes of Panagia{Kefalonia}
The tradition says that on 15th August, the name day of Virgin Mary, the snakes come out around Panagia's icon.These snakes aren't dangerous, they are miraculous.

Christina E1

2022-01-10 15:28:03 UTC

with the wrapped meat and lemon people do the so-called "what they think" to eat Christmas.

Chris M. E2

2022-01-10 16:35:34 UTC

On the 6th of January, when the mass is over, everybody goes to a pool, or near the sea or a river and the priest drops a cross in the water and some people dive and they try to find the cross.

ioli E2

2022-01-10 18:46:36 UTC

The day of Epiphany in East Macedonia. Black capes,animal skins, masks, bells and noises synthesize the exaggerationof a custom that has its roots in ancient Greek beliefs

Billy E2

2022-01-10 19:44:27 UTC

Christoxylo -In a lot of villages in Macedonia,on Christmas Eve,a man or a woman looks for a big piece of pine or olive wood in the fields and he or she takes it home.This wood burns in the fireplace for 12 days

Reggina E2

elentheof — 2022-01-11 18:20:40 UTC

According to this custom found mainly in Peloponesse,shortly before the change of the year, families go out of their houses,symbolizing the old time that has passed and they reenter with the right foot while the one who enters first throws a pomegranate at the door to break it.

Georgia E1

2022-01-12 18:27:24 UTC

All over Greek tables over the Christmas and New Year days are set with traditional food savories and sweets. One of them is" Vasilopita", the King Cake with a gold coin hidden inside it. "Vasilopita" is the Cake which Greeks welcome the New Year with. The cake is cut either a couple of minutes right after the midnight of the New Year's Eve or in the first minutes of the New Year!

Paraskevi Aggelaki E1

2022-01-13 18:33:39 UTC

At Galatista, on the 6th of January, takes place the custom "Camel", which is the kidnaping of a Christian girl by a Turkish officer and the trick to get her back. Six men go under a fake camel in order to enter the house of the Turkish, grab the girl and hide her under the camel. The next day, they are getting married.