Polish team

Folk customs in Poland 

Culinary specialties from Poland

Croatian team

Folk customs in Croatia - during Christmas and New Year

Children especially rejoice in St. Nicholas, when they receive gifts in boots, and naughty kids whip from Krampus.

 St. Nicholas  

What is Christmas weat?

What is Christmas?

Culinary specialties from Croatia

Nutella rolls

 Homemade sausages, kulen, bacon, prosciutto with cheese.  

The texture of the meat may be somewhat gelatinous due to the amount of collagen in the young pig. Serve with French salad or bean and onion salad.

Greek team

Folk customs in Greece - during Christmas and New Year

Christmas is a very important festival in Greece and traditionally food plays a major role. This is a good chance for families to come together over the decorated table and try Christmas food prepared by the housewife. The traditional Christmas celebration lasts for 13 days, from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on January 6th, the day when the baptism of Jesus Christ is symbolically celebrated.

As our country is a maritime country, the Greeks traditionally decorate boats for Christmas. This custom survives today in seaside towns and islands, where people decorate Christmas boats in the central squares. 

The Christmas tree is a foreign custom for Greece and it was brought by Otto, the first king of the country, who was of Bavarian origin. Over the years, the Christmas tree was integrated in the local cultural and now the Greeks decorate fir trees in their homes and in squares of mountainous towns.

Nikos P

On Christmas Eve, New Year Eve and Epiphany Eve children go out door to door singing 'kalanda' (carols). They play drums and triangles as they sing and add at the end some verse that wishes the head of the household a long life and prosperity:

"Σ’ αυτό το σπίτι που ‘ρθαμε, πέτρα να μη ραγίσει

κι ο νοικοκύρης του σπιτιού χρόνια πολλά να ζήσει." 

meaning:

"In this house we have come no stone may ever crack

And the landlord may live for many years."

When they finish, people give them money, as well things to eat like melomakarona, kourabiedes. 

Savvoula K

According to the Greek folk tradition, from Christmas Day until the Epiphany Day, that live underground come up to the Earth to tease and play pranks with people. Based to myths these are little monsters with bandy legs and arms, hunched backs, large ears, strange eyes and all kinds of deformities. All over the year, the hobgoblins live under the ground and saw the tree of the year. Around Christmas, when their sawing is nearly done, they go up to the world. On Epiphany Day, the village priest goes from house to house around the village and sprinkles with blessed water the rooms of the houses so that the hobgoblins return underground.

Tim S

The Greek Festival of Epiphany, or 'The Blessing of the Waters', is held every year on January 6 throughout all of Greece. This is the special occasion when many daring young Greek men brave the chilly waters to dive for a cross after it has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the water. For his gallantry, the first man who recovers the cross is said to have good luck throughout the coming year. 

Christmas bread: Χριστόψωμο (Christopsomo). 

For the Greeks, making this Christmas bread is like making an offering to Christ. We make this offering with special care and love. We feel it will strengthen the wellbeing, health and happiness of our household. 

Traditionally the lady of the house makes the bread. She mixes wonderful ingredients like walnuts and raisins into the dough. To make the bread sweeter she adds some sugar or honey.After making the dough, she uses the largest part to make the Christmas bread. There is usually an entire walnut in the middle of the cross. We decorate it with pieces of dough, nuts and sesame seeds.

Vasilis F Foteini A

The top among all Christmas desserts in Greece is Saint Basil’s Cake, called Vassilopita. This is a cake that is cut right after the coming of the New Year, which actually means a little after midnight, or at the lunch of New Year’s Day. The special thing about vassilopita is that it is baked with a coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake is expected to have much luck for the entire coming year. 

After midnight on New Year’s Eve, the family and friends gather around the table and the householder or housewife starts cutting the pieces. The first piece is for Christ, the second for Virgin Mary, the third for the poors, the fourth for the house and then the householder cuts pieces for the members of the table by order of age.In the old times, in the villages they cut a pice for the animals and one for their fields,too.

The slice that is for the poor is given to the first person that knocks the door for help.

Culinary specialties from Greece

Melomakarona and kourabiedes are the two varieties of Christmas and New Year's cookies in Greece. 

Melomakarona are incredibly soft, moist and flavorsome cookies soaked in a delicious honey syrup. Adding hot cookies to the syrup is crucial as that will help the cookies absorb that delicious honey. For an authentic last touch we sprinkle the melomakarona with chopped walnuts and just a pinch of cinnamon.

Kourabiedes are soft, fluffy cookies with a crunchy bite and rich almond (or pistachio if you are feeling adventurous) and butter flavour garnished with luscious layers of icing sugar.

Achilleas F

Diples get their name from the Greek word διπλώνω (diplono) meaning “fold” and are a traditional festive dessert that is very popular around Christmas time throughout Greece. They are thin sheets of dough that are folded while being fried into a crispy package that is drizzled with honey and dusted with cinnamon and ground walnuts.

Omaties or mpompari  look like sausages, but they are not ...They are stuffed with rice, onions, cinnamon, pork heart, pork kidney, pork spleen and pork lungs.

Sausages are made by pork gut stuffed with pork meat and fat, pepper, salt, cinnamon,zest of orange, leek, oregano, paprika and boukhovo.

Nikos P

Chicken soup avgolemono is a familiar dish in Greeks homes. It's served as the first course at the main meal of Christmas or New Year's day. It's a chicken and rice soup made with the famous mixture of eggs and lemon juice (avgolemono).

Another favorite winter dish that combines the succulent flavors of braised pork, celery, and the beloved avgolemono and is eaten in Christmas meals is Pork stew with celery. 

Lachanodolmades or sarmades

A traditional greek recipe of cabbage rolls stuffed with mince meat and rice that is connected to family meal and moments! A delicious and special dish, ideal for all our special moments!

Foteini A.

Serbian team

Folk customs in Serbia - during Christmas and New Year

The day before Christmas

The day before Christmas, the host of the house went to the forest early in the morning and cut down an oak branch and brought it in front of the house. We call this oak branch "Badnjak". The women in the house make Christmas cakes and prepare food for Christmas.

Badnjak

What is Badnjak?

"Badnjak" is a young oak or cer tree (branch) that is brought into the house in the evening, the day before Christmas.

            Straw

After "Badnjak", straw is brought into the house. Straw is sprinkled all over the house. Women put sweets and small gifts for children in the straw, under the table. This straw symbolizes the straw in the cave where Christ was born.

Christmas

The happiest holiday of all holidays in Serbia

    7th January

Položajnik is the special Guest who first came to the house on Christmas.

Položajnik is a man who brings happiness to the house on Christmas and next year.

Culinary specialties from Serbia

Česnica

"Česnica" is a type of bread that is kneaded for Christmas. Before baking, a metal coin is placed in it.

Before Christmas lunch, česnica  is broken into as many parts as there are people in the house. The person who gets the part of česnice in which  the money is, will be happy all next year.

Sarma

Sarma is one of the staples of traditional cuisine, especially during the winter months. 

Sarma consists of a filling that is snugly surrounded by leaves or leafy vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish but the mixture typically combines ingredients such as minced meat, rice, various herbs, seasonings, red pepper, pepper, while the typical wrapping usually includes vine, cabbage, or sauerkraut leaves, or a variety of leafy vegetables. 

The dish is usually accompanied by plain yogurt, mashed potatoes, and crusty bread on the side.