January Festivals
Agios Vasileios: is held in 1 January and is a national holiday celebrating New Year’s Day. It is also known as Protochronia and sees locals attending a morning church service before exchanging gifts and singing and dancing. A special cake is baked and eaten (vasilopita), which contains a coin inside. It is believed that however eats the piece that contains the coin will have a year of good luck. Epiphany (Theofania): held on 6 January, this is another national holiday. It is a day to feast and attend ‘Blessing of the Waters’ ceremonies. Rivers, lakes and seas are blessed around the country and crosses are placed in them.
February Festivals
Apokries: held in February on the first Sunday before Lent, carnivals take place and festivities include parades and costume balls. April/May Festivals
Orthodox Easter (Megali Evdomada): Easter is the most important holiday in the Greek Orthodox religion. It rarely coincides with Christian Easter, although is usually held in April or May. Shops are closed and most businesses take several days holiday. June/September Festivals
Athens Festival: this popular festival lasts for two months between mid-June and mid-September. It sees a mixture of modern and ancient theatre, ballet, opera, classical music and jazz. December Festivals
St Nicholas’ Day (Agios Nikolaos): held before Christmas Day on 6 December, people celebrate at seaside churches, as St Nicholas was the patron saint of seafarers, travellers, children and orphans. Christmas Day: is a national holiday in Athens, although it is less significant than Easter. The western concept of Christmas trees, decorations and present-giving has been introduced and now all three are a celebrated part of the festivities. | 
