Exploring Mediterranean Christmas traditions

For many these days, the religious roots of the festive season are less prominent. But even for those who don’t attend church, traditions and Christmas rituals stem from the Christian faith, woven through with the unique fabric of a country’s cultural heritage. One constant wherever people celebrate Christmas is that it will always be about family and feasting. In most Mediterranean countries religion still plays an important role in day-to-day life, and at no time more so than during the Christmas season. In this article, we take a look at Mediterranean Christmas traditions – so if you’re considering visiting at this time of year, you’ll be able to celebrate like a local, knowing your Greek Christmas boats from your pandoro stars.

Mediterranean Christmas traditions in Greece

In this seafaring nation of islands and coast, Greek Christmas decorations look slightly different to those in other Mediterranean countries. The glow of Christmas lights decorates streets, houses and trees, but they also festoon the sails and masts of Christmas boats known as Karavaki. In Greece‘s seaside towns, the harbours will be lit by decorated boats, their coloured lights reflecting in the water. In town squares and homes, model boats are used to carry on the tradition. Other Christmas motifs are the star of Bethlehem and the pomegranate, which is seen as a symbol of prosperity.

The main feast day is December 25th, when families sit down for their Christmas meal together. The Greek Christmas menu can feature a variety of meats, traditionally roast pork or lamb with stuffed turkey gaining popularity in recent years. Greek Christmas sweets and cookies are plentiful, including kourabiedes (almond shortbreads) and spiced, honey-soaked melomakarona. Following Christmas customs in Greece, gifts are exchanged on New Year’s Day, when a traditional sugar-glazed vasilopita cake is baked with a lucky coin hidden in the mix.

Christmas celebrations in Spain

Christmas in Spain begins in early December with festive markets in town squares, lights decorating the streets, and elaborate nativity scenes in public places and homes. Christmas Eve, known as Nochebuena, is the first big event and is celebrated with a family feast of many courses, including cured meats and cheeses, roast meats and fish, and myriad sweet treats for dessert, such as nougat (turron) and marzipan. After feasting, it’s time to attend Midnight Mass at the local church.

Instead of Santa Claus, it’s the Three Kings that deliver the Christmas gifts in Spain, and traditionally children must wait until January 6th to open their presents. The night before, on the evening of the 5th, families take to the streets to join the elaborate Reyes Magos (Three Kings) parade.

A festive tradition unique to Spain is the El Gordo lottery on December 22nd. This lotto has a large jackpot and groups of friends will often club together to enter. On December 28th is a type of Fools’ Day known as Día de Los Santos Inocentes, where people play tricks on each other and make up stories. New Year’s Eve is party night and is generally celebrated with friends. A tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight, one at each chime of the clock, is meant to bring luck and prosperity for each month of the coming year.

Mediterranean Christmas traditions in Portugal

In general, the main Mediterranean Christmas dinner is enjoyed on the night of the 24th, and this is the case in Portugal. The traditional menu is a salt cod meal served with potatoes and vegetables, finished with sweet treats of custards or deep-fried sugar-dusted morsels. After the meal, many families attend Midnight Mass, and sometimes people will gather around a bonfire close to the church to chat and wish each other a merry Christmas. Back at the house, children place shoes under the chimney for baby Jesus to fill with gifts.

Nativity scenes are popular in Portugal, and you’ll often see them set up on the sides of roads or in town centres. Some will be animated ‘living’ nativity scenes. Many people will also set them up in their homes with figurines handed down through the generations; it’s tradition to wait until Christmas Eve to place the baby Jesus figure in the scene. The festive season finishes on January 6th, Epiphany Day, with traditional songs known as Janeiras wishing people a good year. This is also the last official chance to eat the bolo rei (King Cake) – a sweet, fruited bread topped with candied nuts and fruits.

Festive traditions in France

Christmas markets are more of a staple in central and eastern Europe, but France does have a festive market tradition, most notably in Colmar, Strasbourg and Paris. Nativity scenes are popular in France and often form part of a town’s Christmas decorations.

As in much of Europe, the main festive feast takes place on the 24th with the family gathering around the Christmas table to dine on regional favourites. The meal could start with oysters or smoked salmon, followed by roast goose, turkey with chestnuts, or venison. It is usually rounded off with cheeses and a bûche de Noël, a chocolate log cake with buttercream. However, in Provence, some families will indulge in 13 dessert courses to symbolise Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. After the meal, children place shoes by the fireside in preparation for receiving their Christmas gifts.

The festive season draws to a close at the Epiphany on January 6th. On this day it is traditional to share a galette des rois – Three Kings Cake. This buttery almond cream creation is sometimes spiked with cognac, but always with a small figurine. Whoever finds this hidden treasure will become king or queen for the day.

How to celebrate Christmas like a local in Italy

With its distinctive regions and climate, Christmas in Italy can feel quite different from one end of the country to the other. In the mountains of the north, the weather is cooler, with dustings of snow and cosy Christmas markets. In the southern Mediterranean, however, it’s much warmer. Christmas begins early in Italy with a national holiday on December 8th marking the Immaculate Conception. This is when towns across the country will turn on their Christmas lights.

Christmas Eve is celebrated with a family meal, traditionally featuring seafood and pasta dishes. After this, families may attend Midnight Mass. In Vatican City, Midnight Mass is led by the Pope, with big screens set up in St Peter’s Square to broadcast the service live. Christmas Day involves a family feast of many courses, and gifts are exchanged either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day morning.

Italian Christmas cakes are so celebrated that they have been exported all over the world, and we’ve probably all tasted the light and fluffy panettone sweet bread by now. Less well-known outside of Italy, but equally delicious, is the star-shaped pandoro – so if you visit Italy at Christmas, seek it out. The festive season draws to a close at Epiphany on January 6th, when the folklore figure of an old woman known as La Befana comes to deliver candies for children and sweeps the house clean of worries in preparation for another year.

Make it happen

Set your sets on Mediterranean Europe for a festive break you won’t soon forget! Chat to one of our local experts for your chosen destination and start planning a tailor-made trip today, for a chance to dive into Mediterranean Christmas traditions.

1. 1. Greece
   2. Spain
   3. Portugal
   4. France
   5. Italy