Christmas in Cyprus

Christmas in Cyprus in the Sun!

Enjoy Christmas in Cyprus …

Forget about grey skies, rain and snow and enjoy a traditional Christmas, with all the trimmings, in warm and sunny Cyprus.

There are many lovely hotels to choose from close to the beach or inland where you can celebrate Christmas in style. During the day you can relax and chill out on one of the many lovely beaches or hire a car and explore the island. At night you can visit one of the many bazooki clubs or visit one of the concerts which feature top Greek and Cypriot singers.

Over the Christmas period pomegranates are eaten and used for decoration. Pomegranates symbolize joyous times, good fortune, fertility and prosperity.

If you want to escape the cold and enjoy the sun, book your flight and hotel as early as possible and you can enjoy a magical Christmas in Cyprus.

Eating Out for Christmas in Cyprus ?

Some restaurants do remain open but you have to book a table well in advance. This also applies to many of the large hotels which offer traditional Christmas Day Dinner and New Year’s Eve meals and entertainment.

The Four Seasons Hotel in Limassol offer a gala menu for Xmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and features a variety of restaurants and bars, free WiFi and free private parking on site.

The Londa Hotel in Limassol also offer a gala menu for Christmas and the New Year and features the Caprice restaurant on the terrace overlooking the sea. Free WiFi and free private parking on site.

Christmas in Cyprus

Greek Cypriot Christmas Traditions

Christmas is celebrated as a religious holiday and on Christmas Eve everyone goes to church. Many of the children go from house to house singing seasonal carols (kalanda in Greek). 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. Most people protect themselves from these spirits 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.

Christmas in Cyprus

Greek Cypriot Christmas Food

After the long 40 days of fasting, Greek Cypriots celebrate the birth of Christ in style. Many of the food for Christmas in Cyprus has a religious significan. Christopsomo bread (Christ Bread) are traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve all over Greece and Cyprus. Similar to brioche, it contains nuts and raisins and candied peel.

Main meals such as stuffed turkey (Γαλοπούλα γεμιστή), chicken, pork and roast lamb are traditionally eaten on Christmas day. Kotopoulo me Bizeli (chicken with peas) and pork with peas is another traditional dish at this time of year.

Traditional Greek Christmas Cakes & Desserts

Enjoyed throughout the festive season with favorites such as kourabiedes (Κουραμπιέδες) – small almond cakes coated in icing sugar one of the most popular.

Amongst our favorites are Melomakarona (Μελομακάρονα) or (Finikia – Φοινίκια).

These small cinnamon and orange flavored cookies are drenched in a honey syrup with walnuts.

These cakes are all easy to make or you can buy them in bakeries and supermarkets.

Greek Cypriot 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 the Vasilopita (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 cake is cut and the one who finds the coin will be lucky all year.