Crete tourist guide

Christmas decorations in Crete

2023-12-18 18:34:57

One of the signs of the quickly approaching holidays is the appearance of city illuminations and the activation of lighting on Christmas trees placed in the main squares. In Greece, crowds of locals come to these events, especially when the weather is nice. In the two videos below you can see Rethymno decorated with lights and the lighting on the Christmas tree located in the Venetian Port in Chania.

Pre-Christmas Rethymno

Tree or ship?

In Greece, decorating a Christmas tree is a relatively new tradition. For the first time, Christmas tree lights lit up in 1834 in Athens. This happened thanks to Otto I Wittelsbach, a Bavarian prince and the first modern king of Greece, who decided to transfer this custom to the country where he was called to perform this honorable role. Before this happened, traditionally in Greece, ships in ports and their models in houses, the so-called karavaki, were decorated with lights. This emphasized the country's eternal connection with the sea. It was also a symbol of longing for those who had to spend Christmas somewhere far away at sea, away from home and their loved ones.

Chania, Venetian Port, lighting on the Christmas tree

Nowadays, this custom persists on the islands, and the cities of mainland Greece tend to decorate Christmas trees. However, in the island part of the country, in addition to decorating ships, Christmas trees are also decorated. Sometimes it happens that you will find both a Christmas tree and karavaki in one house.

Gosia,  2023-12-18 18:34:57

Średnia: 0

Liczba ocen: 0

• 0.5
• 1.0
• 1.5
• 2.0
• 2.5
• 3.0
• 3.5
• 4.0
• 4.5
• 5.0

 

 

Oceniłeś na: