Christmas is associated with the decoration of a tree all over the world, thanks to Queen Victoria and her prosperous England. This tradition has been imported into the culture of most countries, possibly replacing the more meaningful customs of the country that are associated with this time of year. Greece has a vry different Christmas symbol of its own.
One of the most meaningful traditional Christmas symbols of Greece is the ship. Greece has been a seafaring nation since ancient times, still boasting one of the largest fleets in present day maritime economics. The history of shipping is filled with unpleasant stories of ships being lost at sea due to adverse weather conditions, especially in the wintertime. Perhaps the Greek Christmas symbol has remained relatively unknown to the rest of the world because Greece is a summer tourism destination. If you came to Greece int he winter, you may think a boat has been decorated with Christmas lights as a kinky alternative to the globalised tree symbol...
The Christmas boat symbol in Rethimno, another town located on coastal Western Crete, one hour away from Hania
At Christmastime, Greek people used to (and still do) decorate a toy-sized boat, lit up by an oil lamp burning away throughout the Christmas period (the Christmas holidays officially end in Greece on Epiphany, the 6th of January), as a shrine to the sailors in the family during the cold dark stormy days.
The ship is still used throughout Greece as a Christmastime symbol. It appears in the main squares of most towns, as well as shop windows and private homes and gardens. Hania maintains this tradition with an electrically-lit up boat in the main town square close to the taxi stand. Of all the Christmas decorations in the town (we're just as light-polluting as any other small town in the world), for me, this is the most beautiful.
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While we lived in New Zealand, my mother used to make kourambiedes, those shortcrust half-moon biscuits covered in icing sugar; we ate them all year round. I only discovered that they were traditionally served in Greece during the Christmas period (you can't even purchase them at any other time of the year), along with melomakarona (a honey dipped log biscuit topped with chopped nuts), when I ended up living here. She made at least 100 pieces per batch and we were instructed not to eat them, as they were to be served to any guest that came to our house, for whatever reason. When we had visitors, out popped the silver serving tray with a demi-tasse of Greek coffee, a dessert plate containing a melomakarono and a kourambie, along with a glass of water.
There are many recipes on the internet for kourambiedes. I make mine according to Anne Yiannoulis, as she describes in her Greek Calendar Cookbook, a book I've enjoyed using so much, that I was thrilled to hear that it is going to be re-issued some time in the near future by Lycabettus Press.
Another traditional sweet of Greece at Christmastime, apart from melomakarona (mine are from Spitiko in Hania), is the Christmas tsoureki (mine is made by the Xiotakis pastry company), known as Χριστόψωμο (hristopsomo - Christ's bread).
There are many recipes on the internet for kourambiedes. I make mine according to Anne Yiannoulis, as she describes in her Greek Calendar Cookbook, a book I've enjoyed using so much, that I was thrilled to hear that it is going to be re-issued some time in the near future by Lycabettus Press.
Another traditional sweet of Greece at Christmastime, apart from melomakarona (mine are from Spitiko in Hania), is the Christmas tsoureki (mine is made by the Xiotakis pastry company), known as Χριστόψωμο (hristopsomo - Christ's bread).
During these severely troubled times in my country and around the world,
I can only hope that the Christmas Season will bring some peace in everyone's lives.
Last year's poinsettia survived its second Christmas
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas
with all the joy and happiness
associated with this time of year
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A very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Maria!!! And Happy New Year too!
ReplyDeleteWe love the ships also, they're so beautiful. Our neighbor popped over yesterday with her kourambiedes and they are just delicious. I have yet to make them but one day I will.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of the Christmas tree and the children. It's a gorgeous sight.
I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!!
I like melomakarona, only ate them once but they have a taste you don't forget easily.
ReplyDeleteI wish our poinsettias survived too... Usually, their leaves fall off end of winter, and it seems there's nothing we can do about it.
Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming year, Maria.
For easily accessible traditional greek cookbooks (and well translated to english) check out the titles by Vefa Alexiadou. The 'Greek Cuisine' and 'Greek Pastries & Deserts' titles are very good indeed. Sadly they seem to be out of print and sell for much too much money on Amazon used - perhaps one can find a cheaper copy on eBay.
ReplyDeleteA very merry Christmas to you. I showed MrS M the photos of the tree at the Agora and the boat at the main square. She got excited when she realised that zaharo plastio 13 was in the background, we go there for ice cream when we are in Hania.
ReplyDeleteThose honey dipped nut biscuits sound wonderful.
I didn't know the ship was a symbol of Christmas - you learn something new every day! Merry Christmas to you and your family, and all the best for 2009.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your family all the best for Christmas and happy 2009 Maria! Look forward to reading more in the future!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Maria! Xronia polla, me ugeia kai xara.
ReplyDeleteMaria, Merry Christmas to you and your family, health and happiness in 2009.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! I made my kourambiedes the other day. Today I am making artoklassia for liturgy tonight!
ReplyDeleteI also didn't know about the ship being a symbol of Christmas in Greece (how come dad didn't bring that up when we were young). Thanks for teaching us something new (now, to go find a boat and lights... ok, maybe next year. our neighbors would think we were crazy anyway:)
Best wishes to you and your family
ReplyDeleteMy oh my, but doesn't Hania look festive with all the holiday lights! Maria, there is an old carol,"I saw three ships" that I have loved since I was a child. It is a simple piece on guitar or piano with a basic chorus little ones seem to enjoy singing.
ReplyDeleteWe will be in touch soon, but until then I want to wish all the Verivakis a very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
ReplyDeletePetros said they went around to different houses singing Christmas carols, carrying a lit up boat.
He just thought it was because he was from an Island, and were sea-farers.
We are having a white Christmas:( Nobody can come today. We usually have a houseful.
Katherine is coming down on Saturday hopefully.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI love the half moon biscuits and the other goodies:)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Maria! All the best for 2009, a year filled with hope, joy and peace to us all.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to pretend that I didn't read the part about the Kourambiethes being made only at Christmas, I posted my mother's recipe on my site. I would nominate her for the "Best of" in this category.
http://ichkalliope.typepad.com/ich_kalliope/2008/12/ma-baker.html
Merry Christmas and have a very happy new year with your family! I love the picture of the Christmas tree and the Christmastime boat. Who are the two little children in front of the toy boat and the tree? They look cute :)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Maria. My best wishes for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Maria! I love the picture of your kids in front of the ship! Best wishes for a joyous holiday season!
ReplyDeleteI loved looking at your Christmas items. :-)
ReplyDelete