Kathara Deftera, or Clean Monday is an important day for Greeks. We celebrate the end of the Carnival and the beginning of fasting which leads to Easter (forty days later). The name comes from the adjective “katharos”=clean. This day is also called “Koulouma”.
Carnival in Greece is a big winter celebration, during which Greeks enjoy themselves, organize parties and eat a lot of meat!
The aim of Carnival is to encourage all citizens, and visitors, to be a part of a lively, fun-filled celebration, which takes place in many venues, squares, streets and schools of villages, towns, or city neighborhoods. Read more about Greek Carnival, while learning useful Greek vocabulary.
The Vasilopita is a nice Greek Tradition . Baking the “vasilopita”, a special cake for the New Year, will make sure to start things off right! When cutting the cake into slices on New Year’s Day, Greeks will name each slice as they cut it, after everyone in the family and friends. Usually, also a coin is hidden in the bottom of the cake. Whoever is lucky enough to get the coin in their slice is considered especially blessed in the coming year! So maybe a nice Greek tradition to also try it with your family and friends back home?
Greek Traditional Christmas Cookies, are very popular and baked at most households in Greece.
During the month of December Greeks are looking forward to buy, bake, eat or treat the typical Christmas sweets.
One of the typical Christmas cookies you can find in every bakery, patisserie or household, are the “melomakarona”.
What about going to a Hammam in Athens? You will combine elements from classical antiquity, the Ottoman past and a modern city. Since it was under Ottoman occupation between 1458 and 1833, it also had public baths called hammams. When you come to Athens today, you can visit the Bath of the Winds or experience spa services at one of the modern hammams of the city.
Omilo students attending a Greek course on the island of Syros usually take the opportunity to taste the traditional sweets of the island: loukoumi and halvadopita.
In the capital of Syros island, Hermoupolis , you can see many shops selling these delicacies; so enjoy those little sweets along with your Greek coffee, or as a small treat with a glass of water.
How Do Greeks Celebrate Easter? And what are the Greek Easter Traditions?
Greek Orthodox Easter is probably the biggest celebration of the year for most Greeks, with a lot of special traditions and family gatherings.
For 25 years in a row, the Omilo-team is celebrating Easter together with the students, except of the covid years in 2020 and 2021.
If you can not be in Greece during Easter, but you are curious, then read below what Greek Easter is about, and watch some videos!
March 25th: A Greek National Celebration and Independence Day, and this from antiquity to today. Greece has lived through major historical events and the country was involved in many wars: Persian wars, the wars of Alexander the Great, etc. In modern Greek history, from 1821 till of today, two major wars Greece was involved in, were the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire and the 2nd World War. Every year, Greeks remember these historical events with the celebration of two national anniversaries on October 28th and March 25th.
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Easy Greek Stories Podcast #21 – Intermediate Language Level12/03/2023 - 9:23 pm
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