Christmas, New Year’s Eve and

Epiphany Day traditions in Cyprus

9th Primary School of Paphos “Koupatio”

Preparations for Christmas Christmas in Cyprus is traditionally a solemn, religious holiday. For many Cypriots, Christmas is proceeded by fasting, from the 15th of November until the 25th of December. The preparations for this great event of Christianity start in the beginning of December. All the main roads and squares in the villages or cities are decorated with the figures of the Nativity scene, Christmas trees, Father Christmas statues, snowmen, angels and lights. Every house also prepares to celebrate Christmas. People clean and decorate their houses, exchange Christmas cards and wishes and shop the gifts for the beloved ones and especially for the kids.

Preparations for Christmas The housewives prepare traditional sweets, such as “kourambiedes” (small almond cookies coated in icing sugar), “melomakarona” (walnut biscuits with honey syrup), “finikota” (rolled cookies stuffed with dates) and “christopsoma” (Jesus’ bread, with nuts and raisins).

Additionally, in the villages, the housewives make the traditional “zalatina”, which contains boiled pork meat in citrus and gelatin, and the traditional sausages, called “loukanika”.

Christmas traditions On Christmas Eve, groups of children go from house to house, carrying musical triangles, to sing “kalanta” (Cypriot Christmas carols, passed down from Byzantine times). Early in the morning of the 25th of December, people go to church for Christmas mass.

Afterwards, all the family gathers together for Christmas lunch, which includes stuffed turkey, sausages and the traditional “souvla” (pieces of pork or lamb cooked over charcoals).

New Year’s Eve traditions People in Cyprus welcome the New Year with their families or friends. At midnight, when the New Year comes, the host of the house cuts a cake, called Vasilopitta (Santa’s pie). The first piece of the cake is kept for Ayios Vasilis, the second for blessing the house and the rest is cut for every member of the family. It is believed that the one who finds the lucky coin, hidden in the cake, will have good luck all year long. When everyone goes to bed, the housewives leave a tray for Ayios Vasilis, with his piece of the cake and a glass of red wine. Older housewives also leave a plate of wheat, an olive tree branch and the wallet of the host. When Ayios Vasilis comes to bring the children’s presents, he rests for a while and he blesses the house to be wealthy all year long.

New Year’s Day traditions In the morning of the 1st of January, the kids open the gifts that Ayios Vasilis left for them under the Christmas tree. The family is gathered once more to have lunch together. If there is a fireplace in the house, the grandmothers play a game with their grandchildren. They throw small olive leaves in the fire, in order to find out if a person they care about, loves them.

They say a small pray to Ayios Vasilis and throw the leaf. If the olive leaf jumps out making noise, this person truly loves him/her. If no sound is heard, then … he/she tries again!!!

Epiphany Day traditions Epiphany Day is another important religious holiday. In the morning of the 6th of January the Christians go to the church to celebrate the Baptism of Jesus Christ and the consecration of water. In the villages, the consecration of water takes place near running water, if it’s possible, whereas in the coastal cities, it takes place at the sea. The priest throws the cross in the sea and the bravest dive in order to catch the cross and be the lucky one of the year. Meanwhile, white pigeons are released as a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s Baptism.

Epiphany Day traditions Traditionally, on Epiphany Day, grandparents “ploumizoun” (give money-gift) to their grandchildren, who visit them in the morning saying “Kalimera ke ta Phota ke tin ploumistiran prota” (Good morning on this day of light and let us have our gift first).

The 6th of January is considered to be the last of the twelve days that “Kalikatzaroi” (goblin-like, impish, little black spirits, who live in the center of the Earth) visit people causing them all kinds of trouble. In order to protect their properties, housewives try to trick “Kalikatzaroi” by throwing sausages or “loukoumades” (honey balls) on the roof for them to eat and by singing a wish, that will make the nasty creatures go away forever .

How do we celebrate Christmas

in our school

Christmas decoration with useless material

Christmas decoration with useless material

Making and selling chocolates and cookies

Making and selling Christmas cards and chocolates

Christmas show for the parents

Christmas show for the parents

Christmas show for the parents

Christmas show for the parents

Christmas show for the parents

Christmas show for the parents

Wishing you all a prosperous

New Year 2014!