CHRISTMAS AROUND EUROPE

The traditional Christmas meal unfolds as follows:

First courses
“Racituri” or “piftie,” jellied headcheese, consisting of the pig’s feet, ears and head in aspic, accompanied by a grated horseradish and beet salad marinated in vinegar, water and sugar.

Piftie

Fresh pork sausages, either grilled or fried, garnished with “muraturi” (cucumber pickles), as well as hot peppers and green tomato pickles.

Various traditional charcuterie products are served: “toba,” pork intestine stuffed with meat jelly, liver and rind; “caltabos,” a kind of blood sausage; “babic” and “ghiudem,” varieties of sausage, very dry and highly spiced, made from goat, mutton or beef.

Boeuf salad – steamed or boiled vegetables: carrots, celery, potatoes, peas and pickled vegetables (cucumbers, tomato peppers and green tomatoes), all finely chopped and combined with olives and strips of cooked beef and bound with mayonnaise.

Main dishes
“Ciorba de perisoare” – a slightly sour vegetable soup made with fermented bran and pork meatballs.

“Sarmale” – Romanians’ best-loved traditional dish – sour cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork and served with polenta.

Roast pork – garnished with pickled vegetables or mixed salads.

Desserts
The traditional Christmas dessert is called “cozonac.” This rich fruit bread requires a long preparation time that begins early on the morning of Christmas Eve. Usually while the men are outdoors butchering the pig, the women stay in the kitchen to make the cozonac.

Since it takes so long to make, cozonac is made in huge quantities. It has to feed the entire family throughout the week of Christmas. “For 5 kg of flour, 30 eggs are used and 3 kg of white sugar. Kneading the dough lasts at least two hours.”

The filling is made up of ground walnuts, egg yolks, raisins, vanilla, rum and no less than 2 kg of sugar! In well-to-do homes, cozonac replaces bread at every meal, served with both savory and sweet dishes.

This may seem a very rich diet… but keep in mind that the holidays have been preceded by one to five weeks of fasting. What’s more, the temperature in Romania at Christmas can easily dip to -15° C, so the extra calories are required!

When it comes to sweets, cheesecake is the dessert traditionally associated with religious holidays in Romania. Every region has its own version.

In some regions “grau fiert” is served: sweetened boiled wheat garnished with nuts and various flavorings.

Traditional beverages
Tuica or palinca – very strong eau-de-vie, usually made from plums Wines – mostly reds, depending on the region

spanish—->Feliz Navidad

russian-—-> с Рождеством Христовым

portuguese—–> Feliz Natal

korean—–>즐거운 성탄

japanese——> メリークリスマス

italian-——-> Buon Natale

greek——–> Χαρούμενα Χριστούγεννα

german——>frohe Weihnachten

french——>Joyeux Noël

dutch—–> vrolijke Kerstmis

chinese——>圣诞快乐

Christmas, like many other holidays in Greece, is a time for feasting. In the past years, Christmas turkey has become very popular as the main dish of the holiday. Traditionally, the main course of Christmas dinner in Greece is roast pork, with a variety of side delicacies. No matter what the main dish is, one thing is certain: Christmas food in Greece is delicious!

Melomakarona and kourabiedes are the two varieties of Christmas and New Year’s cookies in Greece. The first are semolina, cinnamon, and clove cookies drenched in honey, while the second are rosewater and fresh butter cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar that are normally served on New Year’s but many succumb to temptation and begin consuming them earlier.

Christopsomo is the bread that is made on Christmas Eve, which has a cross carved into the top crust before it is baked. On Christmas Day, the head of the household makes the sign of the cross above the loaf of bread, cuts it and gives a piece to each person at the dining table.

Vasilopita is a cake that is eaten on New Year’s Day. Before the cake is baked, a coin covered in foil is placed in it. The New Year is written on top of the cake with almonds. The person who cuts the cake makes the sign of the cross three times above it and then starts serving the pieces, one to each person, the house, Christ, The Virgin Mary and Saint Vasileios. Whoever has the coin in his piece of cake will have luck for the rest of the year.

In Greece the ornamentesion  of the town when it’s CHRISTMAS is wonderful…!!!   We decorete are houses with christmas trees or boats and colourful lights.In the center of Athens the atmosphere is festive many children sing christmas song and the Christmas spirit is everywhere!!!!!

by Aggelita,Fanh,Zwh..

3o high school Marussi

Christmas shopping in Greece is an absolute delight. Streets are packed with people buying Christmas gifts for their loved ones, as well as Christmas carolers singing Christmas songs. Since gifts are traditionally given on New Year’s Eve, Christmas shopping in Greece continues way after the 25 th of December. Shops are decorated with all the usual Christmas ornaments, and an upbeat atmosphere is apparent as you walk along the streets and in the shops. Therefore, Xmas shopping in Greece isn’t just shopping. It’s a festive experience!

Merry christmas and a huppy new year. I wish everybody to fullfil his goals and Santa Claus bring him whatever he wants.

many wishes,

TONIA

Mery christmas & happy new year!!!

Hello, we would like to show you some pictures of Santa at our school – he brought us some presents and delicious chocolates!

                Hello. We are from Poland and we are fifteen. Our junior high school is in the village and we are from different places: Kielanówka , Rzeszów and Racłwawówka , but we attended to the same school. We are funny and smart teenagers. We are like millions teenagers on the whole world. Our interests are music, theatre, fashion, another cultures, singing and poetry. We like English and PE.  

The festive season in Poland starts about 6 December because then is Santa Claus’s Day. Christmas in Poland is the most popular and important days in the whole year. This time is specially expected by all the people. They are buying presents for their families and friends. In this time kids are especially excited, but the real gifts are given on the Christmas Eve under the Christmas Tree. When the December starts, appear Christmas decorationsin the super markets and gallerias. In these days everyone is feeling well and their souls become better.

The preparations for Christmas begin already a few weeks before, by the Advent. It is the time of the waiting. It is rather rare to see people organizing something during this time, it is rather the time of silence during which people seek their serenity. It is not rare, even now, to see people who make sacrifices, such as for example: not to eat candies or to void drinking alcohol.

                Everyone want to fed momentous atmosphere. So in the school are organized competitions about carols. And students are preparing with their teachers nativity plays, and present in the other schools or houses of culture. And in the schools students are organized little Christmas Eves. Then everyone telling wishes for the following time.

Christmas in Poland lasts 2 days: 25th and 26th December, but the most important day is the day before Christmas, on December 24. It is Wigilia in the Polish language is the equivalent of French Midnight supper. It is the day which, according to habits’, decides chance and success for the New Year. It is then very important to live this day in peace, good mood and good health, full of energy, because that says that all the year will be good.

                A traditional food found in Poland is Oplatek which is a piece of bread pressed with a holy picture on the surface. Oplatek is more symbolic than real food. We celebrate with at least 12 different vegetarian dishes like: mushroom soup, carp, cabbage with pea, stuffed dumplings, and shells macaroni with poppy “makielki”. People once carried these oplatek from house to house and wish their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Nowadays, the bread is mostly shared with members of the family and immediate neighbors. As each person shares the bread, they would have to do two things: forgive any hurts that have occurred over the past year and to wish the person all the happiness in the coming year.

Once the dinner finished, one distributes presents and one continues the evening by singing Christmas songs (called in Polish “koledy” – which will be still present in the everyday life during a few weeks). The evening generally finishes around midnight and those who which wish it can go to the midnight mass (pasterka), which in Poland is always at midnight.

 Second day before Christmas boys take a straw and get to line drive to home . This is a sign  that a girl are really liked .

 We love Christmas because it’s really happy time for everyone because Jesus was born  . We like to exchange Christmas greetings and to get presents from the cherub. At that time everything is dressed in fairy lights and colorful chains. We think that the Christmas is the best holidays .

The 3rd High School in Maroussi wishes you Marry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true!!!

Kalikantzaroi, or the Greek Christmas Sprites, are small blackish and hairy creatures, with long arms and tail, who reside in the bowels of the earth.

With a big saw, they compete to cut down the huge wooden stake which holds the earth in place. But the column is very thick and the sawing seems to go on forever.

Right before Christmas, however, Kalikantzaroi almost accomplish their mission and the column seems ready to fall. Overjoyed by their almost successful effort, but also fearful that the earth will topple over on their heads, they rush to the top to bother and annoy the people.

Thousands of these creatures come up to the surface from every hole or crack they can find. However, Kalikantzaroi are very much afraid of the light, so they hide during the day. But at night – that’s when they strike! As soon as it’s dark, they scramble from their hiding places to taunt and menace people. Because Kalikantzaroi are small, some even very tiny, they can get into the homes through chimneys, keyholes, even from the little cracks on windows and doors.

Kalikantzaroi enjoy lollygagging around in places like oil vats, frying pans, oily pots and dishes, and they really get a kick out of soiling food with their filthy fingernails and leaving their excrement all over the place. About the only good thing that can be said about these nasty pests is that they never steal anything – oh, but what a mess!

Their name Kalikantzaros (singular of Kalikantzaroi) comes from the adjective, kalos, meaning good, and kantharos, the word for beetle. The beginning of the myth regarding the Christmas Sprites can be found in ancient times. The people of that time believed that when the souls in Hades found the door open they would come up to our world and make the rounds among people without any restrictions.

Much later the Byzantines celebrated with music, song and masquerading. Because the people hid their faces they were shameless and behaved boldly. They would bother people on the street, and go into the homes uninvited, pestering the people by continuously asking for sausages and sweets. The homeowners would slam the doors and shut the windows, but the persistent masqueraders would always find a point of entry – like coming down the chimney.

All this activity would occur during the 12 days of Christmas and on the Epiphany. Then, after the big sanctification all would become calm again as the people settled back down into their normal routine.

Kalikantzaroi disappear during the celebration of the Epiphany, after the waters are blessed by the priests. As those pesky little creatures depart, you can hear them saying: “Leave we shall, because the crazy priest has arrived with his incense burner and his holy water sprinkler . . .”

kalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa xristougennaaaaaaaaa…!!!!!!!<3

feliz navidad…..and a happy new year….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is our last “log in” in this project so, i wish you Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!
Yours, Apostolos

Merry Christmas…

Happy New Year!!

Vaggelis-Nicky <3

Christmas in Italy

There are Christmas trees everywhere in Italy during this period. They are fascinating and shining, so relaxing and happy. People decorate them with tinsels and glass baubles or candles, stars, angels, bells and ribbons. There are Christmas trees with sweets, chocolates or funny Christmas puppets.

According to the Christian tradition, Christmas is celebrated on the 25 December to commemorate Jesus’ Birth.

 One of the most common traditions in Italy at Christmas is the nativity  scene or crib. The crib was first introduced  by Saint     Francis by Assisi in 1223 a.C.

    This tradition soon became widespread     everywhere but it was in Italy that it took   an artistic form.  In the XVIII century,  important craftsmen and artists from   In the XVIII century,  important craftsmen and artists from    Naples such as Giuseppe Sammartino,   Matteo Bottiglieri and Lorenzo Vaccaro built wonderful cribs for Charles III of Barbone and for the people In Sicily there were artistic    cribs too,  similar to the    ones from Naples, even if,    some new characters were  introduced to represent the    Sicilian tradition.  Nowadays    the most beautiful and    artistic cribs can be found at    the “St. Martino” Museum of     Naples, at the Royal Palace    of Caserta and at Acireale.    The most ancient crib is kept   in Rome, at St. Maria Maggiore:    it is a marble crib, built by    Arnolfo di Cambio in 1289 ( here in  the photo).   

Living cribs are very common too. They are performed by living people, to recreate  the setting and the atmosphere of the period in which Jesus lived. The most ancient living crib in Italy is the crib  of Greggio (Rieti). In the surroundings of Messina there is  a very nice living crib at Castanea, a village on the hills. Every year the inhabitants of this village are involved in this wonderful crib, set in the park of a huge, wonderful and ancient  villa and thousands of people go and visit it during

    the Christmas holidays.

St Stephen Day

Saint Stephen was killed in 32-33 d.C.   Saint Stephen is celebrated on 26 December because he was the first martir to die for the Catholic Chuch.  Before dying Saint Stephen looked at  the  sky and prayed for the people that were killing him and  prayed for himself too. God  welcomed  him in heaven

31st   December: New Year’s Eve

On Christmas Eve Italians wait for  midnight eating, drinking, dancing singing and playing cards. The Italian tradition provides for a series of rituals to favour good luck such as  wearing red underwear  or throw out of  the window old or unused objects (the custom is almost completely abandoned now). Lentils are  eaten at dinner on December 31 to attract  wealth and money for the new year and another tradition provides the kiss under the mistletoe as a sign of good omen

6th January : Epiphany

On the 6th of January, in Italy we celebrate Epiphany.

 It is considered the last of the Christmas holidays. There are symbols and cults belonging to pagan and Christian traditions: for example the “Befane”, the old ugly woman  flies on a broom and takes presents to good children, ashes and coal to the bad ones. Of course we all know the real meaning of this festival is the coming of the three kings to see the Baby Jesus, led by the comete star.  On this day we usually take away all Christmas Decorations

Hi, we’re two students from 3rd High School of Maroussi, Greece. Chrissa and Joan. We would like to share with you one of our traditions.Here, in Greece we have the original tradition of Santa Claus! Which n the western countries is Saint Nicholas in fact is Saint Basil…In Greek tradition, his name was given to Father Christmas and he is supposed to visit children and give presents every January 1 (St Basil’s Day) — unlike other traditions where Saint Nicholas arrives either on December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day) or on Christmas Eve (December 24). It is traditional on St Basil’s Day to serve “Vasilopita,” a rich bread baked with a coin inside, in commemoration of St. Basil’s charity. In his time due to taxes the villagers had lost all their jewellery and he wanted to give it all back to their owners but he couldn’t know what belongs to whom. So he baked some cakes and put one piece of jewellery in each cake and shared them to the villagers. As a miracle every villager took his piece of jewellery in his cake. It is customary on his feast day to visit the homes of friends and relatives, to sing carols, and to set an extra place at the table for Saint Basil. In Greek tradition and according to historical records, St Basil, of Greek heritage, is the original “Santa Claus” who being born into a wealthy family, gave away all his possessions to the poor and those in need, the underprivileged and children. A similar story exists for another Greek bishop, St. Nicholas of Myra. Over the centuries the two have been merged but the Western “Santa Claus” is St. Nicholas and the Eastern “Santa Claus” is St. Basil.

hiii!our names are foteini zoe and athena!we come from greece,athens(maroussi: a suburb of athens up north)!we are seventeen years old!every year in greece,specifically every 25 &31 december children are awaiting of the santa claus to bring them presents… I(ATHENA)  want santa claus to bring me a hoodie,an ipod and a bracelet! I(zoe) want a tracksuit,a bag!I(fo) want a jacket!however, we all want happiness,love and peace and of course one position in a greek uni!

what about you guys?with love your friends from greece!

Kalikantzaroi, or the Greek Christmas Sprites, are small blackish and hairy creatures, with long arms and tail, who reside in the bowels of the earth.

Kalikantzaroi are nasty

With a big saw, they compete to cut down the huge wooden stake which holds the earth in place. But the column is very thick and the sawing seems to go on forever.

Right before Christmas, however, Kalikantzaroi almost accomplish their mission and the column seems ready to fall. Overjoyed by their almost successful effort, but also fearful that the earth will topple over on their heads, they rush to the top to bother and annoy the people.

Thousands of these creatures come up to the surface from every hole or crack they can find. However, Kalikantzaroi are very much afraid of the light, so they hide during the day. But at night – that’s when they strike! As soon as it’s dark, they scramble from their hiding places to taunt and menace people. Because Kalikantzaroi are small, some even very tiny, they can get into the homes through chimneys, keyholes, even from the little cracks on windows and doors.

Kalikantzaroi enjoy lollygagging around in places like oil vats, frying pans, oily pots and dishes, and they really get a kick out of soiling food with their filthy fingernails and leaving their excrement all over the place. About the only good thing that can be said about these nasty pests is that they never steal anything – oh, but what a mess!

Kalikantzaroi, their history

Their name Kalikantzaros (singular of Kalikantzaroi) comes from the adjective, kalos, meaning good, and kantharos, the word for beetle. The beginning of the myth regarding the Christmas Sprites can be found in ancient times. The people of that time believed that when the souls in Hades found the door open they would come up to our world and make the rounds among people without any restrictions.

Much later the Byzantines celebrated with music, song and masquerading. Because the people hid their faces they were shameless and behaved boldly. They would bother people on the street, and go into the homes uninvited, pestering the people by continuously asking for sausages and sweets. The homeowners would slam the doors and shut the windows, but the persistent masqueraders would always find a point of entry – like coming down the chimney.

All this activity would occur during the 12 days of Christmas and on the Epiphany. Then, after the big sanctification all would become calm again as the people settled back down into their normal routine.

Kalikantzaroi disappear during the celebration of the lights, after the waters are blessed by the priests. As those pesky little creatures depart, you can hear them saying: “Leave we shall, because the crazy priest has arrived with his incense burner and his holy water sprinkler . . .”