Christmas in Sweden

In Sweden, Christmas Eve is a very big celebration. They have a very special custom. In the evening all the family has dinner and they open their presents. But before they open them, they have to go around their house for three times. Only after doing this they can open their presents. I think this custom is very interesting. 

George Athanasiadis

                                    CHRISTMAS  IN  GREECE

Christmas is one of the most important holiday of the year for Greek people. The twelve-day celebrations in Greece last from 25th of December until 6th of January.  Greeks usually decorate their houses with Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree. They also have big family dinners and delicious desserts like “melomakarona”. On Christmas Eve children sing the carols and on Year's Eve the family exchange  gifts and eat the “vasilopita”. Greece has  many Christmas traditions and customs, that's why it is so special this time of the year.

VAGGELIS ANAGNOSTOU

                                 CHINESE NEW YEAR!

China is a very beautiful and interesting country with many customs! One of them is the Chinese New Year known in china as Spring festival. The Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays for Chinese people all over the world. People hang decorations, especially pairs of Chinese poems (couplets) on either side of their door. They also wear red more than usual, which makes them think of happy times like weddings! In this holiday they mostly eat fish, Chinese noodles, whole chicken, Chinese New Year cake, spring rolls, sweet rice balls and longevity noodles.

Electra-Danai Anagnostoy

                                    New Year’s Eve in Mexico

On New Year’s Eve, Mexicans try to talk to the spirits. They believe they can actually talk  with their loved ones. The best day for them is the New Year’s Eve. Another custom there, is to eat with all the family in the evening of the day. Also they eat 12 grapes for 12 wishes for the New Year. How interesting!! 

Adriani Gousiou

                                    Carnival in Rio de Janeiro  

It's a time when people feel free to party wildly and celebrate life. The streets are filled with music, dancing, activities, contests, parades, parties, and many more happenings.  People and especially visitors can also enjoy top traditional Brazilian foods such as “feijoada” (slow-cooked pork and beans with rice), “moqueca baiana” (a fragrant fish stew) or “carurú” (a dish made with shrimp and toasted nuts)

THOMAS ZOUGROS

                                    The Nice Carnival

The Nice Carnival is one of the biggest Carnivals in the world. This Carnival takes place every winter. This year, in particular, it took place from February 10th to February 26th. This lasts about 16 days. The Nice Carnival also contains a lot of floats and a lot of people are dressed as they want. Some of these floats are scary for some people while for others they are fun. It is a very beautiful Carnival.

Elektra Kanata Baroga

                                    Carnival in Patra

This carnival is the largest event of its kind in Greece. It has more than 180 years of history.  It is one of the most popular customs in Greece. The carnival is not a single event but a variety of events that includes parties and parades. In 2019 there were about 750.000 participants in the carnival. People from all over the world want to attend this carnival parade. The events begin on 17 January and last up to Clean Monday.

Deppy Karanastasi 

                    The Halloween customs in Great Britain

The Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of the summer and the beginning of the winter, when people used to light fires and wear costumes to scare ghosts. The word Halloween comes from “All Hallow Eve” and it means “hallowed evening’’. On this day people are making carved pumpkins to scare the bad spirits and they decorate their houses with them. Children are wearing strange and scary costumes and they go from door to door and say “Trick or Treat”. If you give them a candy then they won’t play a trick on you. People light candles and bonfires and they offer candy apples or candy corn as a treat. 

 JOHN KOURTIS

                                    Easter in Germany

On Easter Sunday, German families traditionally come together for a big Easter brunch. Then the Easter bunny hides the eggs in the garden and the children must find all of them .After they find the eggs the children help with painting and decorating them . In many German families they decorate brunches with eggs and put them in a vase !

Easter in Germany and in other countries as well, is a family celebration.

Sillia Malliou

                            Bowing - a Japanese Custom

In Japan, people greet by bowing to one another. A bow can range from a small nod of the head to a deep bend at the waist. A deeper, longer bow indicates sincere respect while a small nod is more casual and informal. Additionally, bowing with your palms together at chest level is not customary in Japan. If the greeting takes place on tatami floor (a type of mat), people get on their knees to bow. Bowing is not only used to greet, but also to thank, apologize, make a request, or ask someone a favor. Most Japanese do not expect foreigners to know the proper bowing etiquette. A combination of a bow and shaking hands is usually expected from foreigners.

Loukas Manolakis

                                Carnival in Venice

The Carnival in Venice is the second most popular carnival in the world and attracts millions of tourists every year. The most fascinating fact is that the people who take part in the carnival dress up with traditional costumes and masks of the 18th century and dance in the narrow streets of the city for almost twenty days. However, the last two weeks are the peak of the carnival and visitors can taste two typical desserts, the Galani and the Castagnole!

Xanthippi Miliou

                        The Ghent Festival in Belgium

An important event in Belgium is the Ghent festival (Gense Fieste or Gentse Feesten ). It takes place in the city of Ghent, Belgium. The festival starts in the middle of July and lasts 10 days. It is a music and theatre festival. The first Ghent Festival was held in 1843 and the modern version of it was started in the summer of 1969 by a Ghent singer. There are many stage vents and street acts such as mimes. The last day of the festival, which is always on Sunday, is known as “the day of the empty wallets” ,because the visitors spent all of their money for the festival.

Nefeli Bakaki

CHRISTMAS IN THE NETHERLANDS (The feast of Sinterklaas)

The most important day for children in the Netherlands is the 5th December. Sinterklaas (the Dutch Christmas figure based on Saint Nicholas) brings them their presents. Sinterklaas is assisted by his servant Zwarte Pier(Black Pete). He arrives in the country by boat. This boat is filled with gifts for all the good children, younger and older, and Sinterklaas gives them to everyone while riding his white horse.

Arianna Barkouzou

            Weddings in Norway

On the wedding day, the bride and groom wear traditional clothing and exchange silver or gold rings that represent eternal love. Also, as they go to the wedding, they are followed by violinists who play traditional music. The weddings in this country are generally intimate and only the closest relatives and friends are invited. Finally, newly married couples are planting a fir tree together on both sides of the driveway. This is a symbol of the couple's desire to start a family.    

MARITINA BESSA