Christmas on Elafonisos

Christmas on Elafonisos is a celebration of home and neighbourhood. All through the holidays the island is decorated, with trees, nativity scenes and the Christmas boat, and from the coast opposite it is a unique sight.

The Christmas bread

Two days before, housewives started the sourdough, and on Christmas Eve they kneaded the christopsomo, with a dough cross on top and almonds in its centre and at its ends, as the island had almond trees. While it rose, they fetched wood from the hills for the oven, and every neighbourhood smelled of cinnamon and cloves. On the day the father marked it with a cross using the knife and shared it out.

The tree

No firs grow on the island. In the old days, for a tree they cut bushy juniper branches, decorated them with coloured balloons and put cotton wool on them for snow. In the vases went myrtle and narcissi.

The lykoutsardoi

In local tradition, from Christmas Eve the lykoutsardoi appear, the island’s goblins: hairy creatures that slip into houses down the chimneys, spoil the food, especially the figs they love, and then dance.

The day

Before dawn the whole family set off for Agios Spyridonas. Before the bridge was built, when the sea was rough, they took off shoes and socks to cross the wet stones. Gifts were not exchanged at Christmas but at New Year.