Greek Traditions Community

Greek Ships Christmas Tradition?

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d_kakavouli

d_kakavouli

Active member
I have heard of the tradition of decorating boats in Greece for Christmas. I think it's called karakavi? Does anyone know anything more about it? This isn't a tradition my family adopted but I have heard of friends doing it. I am thinking of adding it to our holiday celebrations this year.

From what I can tell, people who don't have an actual boat decorate models of boats. At first, I thought based on pics I had seen of Greece in the past, that boat owners were just being festive. lol
 
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The word for boat is "karavi" so what you mean to say is "karavaki"

Greeks didn't decorate trees in the last; they decorated boats for St. Nicholas. The ancient Greeks started this tradition. Today, many Greeks don't decorate boats anymore unless they happen to have them. Most just decorate a tree now.

Also, Santa doesn't come on Christmas, he comes on January 1.
 
My family has been in the United States for a while, and many of the old Greek traditions have gotten lost. No one in my family has done this thing with the ships, but it is something that I might want to experiment doing this year!
 
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