Greek Name Days on Christmas, New Year Day and Epiphany

December 25, Christmas day, is a very important holiday in Greece. It is also when people named Christos, Christina and Chryssa celebrate their name day.

Manolis, Manos, Manoussos and Emmanouella celebrate their name day on December 25 in Crete, but in other areas in Greece their name day is on December 26.

If you have a friend named Vassilis or Vaso, remember to wish him Chronia Polla (Many Happy Years) on January 1st, the day of Agios Vassilios, the Greek Santa Claus.

On the Epiphany day, January 6, you should wish to Fotis, Fotoula and Efi. Also to Theofanis or Fanis.

On January 7 you should not forget to wish to Giannis, Yannis, Ioannis, Gianna and Giannoula.

If you have friends that celebrate their name day on these days, you should know that most of them will probably organize something at their house for friends and relatives.

If you want to visit them to wish them up close and personally, you should not be expecting an invitation; we do not invite on our name days in Greece. You can call your friends and ask them if they are celebrating at home and if the answer is yes, you can buy a gift and go to their place at the expected time (usually around 8 or 9 pm).

The gift you will be buying doesn’t need to be expensive; it can be a good bottle of wine – but not a beer or a bottle of retsina wine. Keep in mind that a very cheap gift can be insulting to the host. If you definitely want something inexpensive, you can buy some flowers or make one bunch yourself from wildflowers. You can also make a homemade sweet and bring it. Sweets are always welcomed in Greece.

Chocolates, sweets, books, perfumes and gifts for the house, everything is suitable to be offered as a name day present.

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