Greek Christmas customs

CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS ON LESVOS

A few days before Christmas, in the villages of Lesvos, the people used to slaughter the pig they had been fattening all year and divide up the meat. Some of the meat was eaten fresh during the festivities and the rest was made into sausages. Whatever was left over was placed in a huge cauldron with the fat and cooked. A large amount of salt was then added to this mixture and it was preserved in clay pots with the fat because there were no fridges.

All the houses were decorated with various decorations and each family tried to decorate their house better than their neighbours. Rather than decorate a tree, they used to decorate branches from a pine tree. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve the children went carol singing from house to house. They were rewarded by being given figs, walnuts or some sort of festive sweets whereas, nowadays, they are given money.

There are many different sorts of sweets associated with Christmas. Some of them are kourabiedes, melomakarona, also known as finikia, plachenta, baklavas and diples. The most common Christmas meal is selinato (pork cooked with celery), fricassee and roast meat (chops or sausages). Chick peas with meat are often eaten in and around the village of Mandamados.