Christmas In Cyprus

Spend Christmas in Cyprus in the sunshine and forget all about those cold dismal grey days!

Greek Christmas (Christouyenna in Greek) is celebrated with lots of delicious Greek food and traditions.

If you're in Cyprus you can enjoy a traditional Christmas in your hotel and at the same time bask in the sun!

Temperatures are normally around 20 degrees during the day and that's why many people spend their Christmas holiday in Cyprus. The sun is shining and you can relax and chill out on one of the lovely beaches. Some people even go swimming!

Greek Traditions for Christmas in Cyprus

Cypriot families celebrate the 12 days of Christmas which end with the feast of Epiphany on 6 January.

Goblin-like spirits known as kallikantzeri make a lot of mischief during the twelve days of Christmas and many homes protect themselves by wrapping a sprig of basil around a cross and then sprinkling it with holy water. The water is then sprinkled in each room throughout the 12 days of Christmas.

Traditional Greek Christmas Food in Cyprus

Also very popular are the traditional mezes and cakes such as kourabiedes (Κουραμπιέδες - small almond cakes coated in icing sugar), melomakarona (Μελομακάρονα - honey cakes) and Finikia (Φοινίκια - walnut cakes).

Greek New Year in Cyprus

Children receive their presents on New Year's Day as this is the day of Ayios Vasilis (St Basil) the Greek Santa Claus.

When all the children have gone to sleep a cake (with a coin inside) and a glass of wine are placed by the Christmas Tree.

Ayios Vasilis (St Basil) drinks the wine and blesses the cake and places presents around the tree. In the morning the Christmas cake (Vasilopitta) is cut and the one who finds the coin will be lucky all year.

Greek Christmas and Pomegranates