Participating Schools

1.   Primary School of Perdikkas/Greece 

2.   2nd Primary School of Thermi, Thessaloniki/ Greece

3.   8th Primary School, Kallithea,Athens/Greece

4.   ESCOLA MIGDIA - GIRONA/Spain

This year, Santa's elves feel very tired and bored in the North Pole's cold. They need some adventure... ! 

Santa thinks of it a little bit... And he decides to offer a present to his beloved helpers. He let them travel around Europe on his sleigh.

The elves got pumped up and hopped onto the sleigh at once! 

"Have a nice trip! And don't be naughty!!!", said Santa.

"By the night of Christmas Eve you should be back, otherwise you'll turn into goblins", he added as the sleigh was taking off in the sky. 

And they disappeared in a glimpse of the eye...

Some of them decided to spent their time in Greece. 

An elf, named Winky, landed on the schoolyard of a school in North-Western Greece.

"Phew...! What a nice place! Oh, it's the Primary School of Perdikkas. Wow!"

                                       Chapter 1

             Winky, the elf and "kourabiedes"

Winky is excited and jumps onto the window to have a look inside!!!

At that moment the kids were tasting a traditional Greek Christmas sweet called "kourabiedes".

The bell for the break rings...

"Oh! I'm so hungry! And these seem so yummy!"

"Gosh! The window is open! It's my lucky day!"

With a huge jump Winky lands onto the top of the pile of "kourabiedes". White as the snow, now she can taste these yummy goodies though.

"Oh my God, the almonds and the baking sugar! They're delicious!"

The break is over and the kids are coming back in the classroom...

-What's going on here? What are these footprints? Where are the "kourabiedes?", the pupils shout.

-Maybe a mouse or an alien!, a boy tries to guess.

And all of them run to the open window!

-Look! Look! It's an elf! 

-Come here little friend! 

-We won't hurt you! We want to sent something to Santa!

Winky looks back. The gleaming eyes of the kids and their open hugs make her feel so welcome to this place!

She climbs up close to the kids. They hug her and she answers all of their questions. 

She finally takes their letters for Santa Claus.

- I 'll come back next year for more adventure!!!, she promises and disappears.

                                               Primary School of Perdikkas 

                          The end                                                   4th Grade                                                                                                Teachers: Menia Grigoraskou- Evangelia Fotaki

                         Chapter 2

    Shinny Upatree and the Christoxilo

At the same time another elf Shinny Upatree, Santa's  oldest friend and co-founder of the village in Lapland,  decided to visit Thessaloniki. 

He was amazed at the Christmas trees he saw at the centre of the city.

He admired the White Tower, the landmark of the city.

Later on, he arrived in Thermi and sneaked into the

               2nd Primary school of Thermi

Wow! What beautiful decorations! Christmas trees, 

baubles and stars 

all over the place! 

A few minutes later the students jumped out of the village scenery. They were happy to meet Shinny and sat around him.They had so many things to tell him.

Suddenly a piece of wood attracted his attention. What                                           could it be? 

What is this  piece of wood in front of the nativity scene?

What is it for? 

The students told him that it was actually an olive tree or pine branch found at the fireplace of every house. It is called                       christoxilo. 

People light it and it keeps burning from Christmas Day to Epiphany. According to tradition, burning it provides little Jesus with warmth in the manger in Bethlehem.

What a unique custom!

Really interesting.

I will tell my people all about it.

        Christoxilo 

A custom from north Greece.

                    2nd Primary School of Thermi

                                  Students of 3rd and 4th grade

                         Teachers: K. Karya, D. Tzitzibasi, S. Kovatsi

I will sent your wishes to Santa! 

I promise I'll be back next year!

Finally it was time for him to leave.The students sent their best wishes to Santa.They wished for health, peace and love all over  the world.

              Chapter 3

"Willy, the elf and the decoration of the ship."

Willy,is thinking ......

I want to go 

somewhere,warm. 

Where can I go?

Hmmm! I can go to Athens! 

So, in a few hours, Willy is in the center of Athens.

What a nice 

     place!

Early in the morning, as Willy is exploring Athens, he sees a colourful building. It's the 8th Primary school of Kallithea.

I can hear voices.

Where is everybody?

He goes closer,to have a look. The students of the 5th grade are decorating the Christmas tree and .... a ship.

He hides under the tree, to watch the students.

But as he was excited, he

 got tangled in the wires and the Christmas balls started falling from the tree.

The frightened children, begin shouting 

"Earthquake,earthquake ... and suddenly they see little Willy.

I.. I am really 

sorry.

Don't worry! We have

a lot of ornaments.

What's your name,little elf?

I'm Willy. Nice to

meet you.

Yes, but why are you decorating a ship?

Do you like the

ship that we

are decorating?

Let us tell you a Christmas Greek Custom.

 old custom is disappearing.

Greeks, have a long history as sailors. The boat symbolizes the new trip in a man's life, after the birth of Christ. This tradition is also related to Saint Nicholas, who protects sailors and ships.

The children of the islands, made a model of a ship with paper and wood, decorated it with colored papers and ropes and went to sing the carols,holding this ship. Inside, they kept the sweets and Christmas cookies that the housewives gave them. In some Greek islands, the people still decorate the Christmas ship.

It's time 

to go,now.

"Take this Christmas ball,as a souvenir to remember us. And don't forget to give to Santa our kisses and greetings.

Have a nice trip back to North Pole."

5th grade of the 8th Primary school of Kallithea. Teacher: Karabali Georgia

I promise, I'll come back one day and I will not forget your custom. 

As the three elves Winky, Shinny and Willy were leaving Greece, they had the sound of traditional Greek Christmas carols in their ears!

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                       Chapter 4

Hello! My name is Stick 

I'am an elf, the best Santa Claus' elf.

Stick, a naughty elf, decided to visit Girona, a beautiful city in Catalonia, in the north east of Spain.

I am so tired that I am going to sleep in the recycling paper bin.

But as every Friday, some students from grade 4 went to recycle plastic and paper. Suddenly, they heart a voice from the paper bag...

Please, help me, don't throw me away!

They saw Stick and they decided to bring him back to the school. The showed him the Nativity Scene.

Stick was surprised.

I would to live here, these figurines are tiny like me! They could be my friends.

It's wonderful. 

Oh, look! This is the famous figurine  'el caganer', the pooper. It hasn't been difficult to find him. I am going to hide him better. Can you find a another 'caganer'?

He made a new friend, 'El tió', a Christmas log with a smiley face. Children feed him with some fruit. And Stick was so hungry that they shared the meal.

Thank you 'Tió', I want to give you an elf hat as a Christmas present.

 Then he went to visit the city and the Christmas  lights, and jumping through the lights he teleported himself to another country.

Escola Migdia - Primary School

Students of 4th grade

Teacher: Marta Massó Pastells

As the elves were having fun they forgot about the time and it was almost midnight of Christmas Eve!!!! One of them remembered Santa's words "... you will turn into goblins" and rushed to find his fellows.

Where are you my little elves?

Santa was worried about his elves...

Fortunately, the little elves arrived at the North Pole just in time!!! And they had so many things to tell Santa...!!! 

Santa, Santa, next year can we do it again?

Yes... but I'll come with you!!! Ho Ho Ho!!!