Handmade Christmas Cards

7th P. S. Nikaia Greece

Why the Greeks decorate Christmas boats?

Well, Greece is a blessed place. Blessed with the gift of sea and deep blue. So almost in any house the father or the son or both of them were sailors, fighting with the waves for the bread of the family. The boat maybe was symbolizing the expectation of the family to meet again with their relatives and their own love for the sea. Mean while, small boats were made to honour Saint Nicolas for protecting the sailors and for the safe returning at home. So, children were singing Christmas carols holding small boats. The custom boat lasted for several years after the debut of Christmas trees in the Greek reality. They say, the first Christmas tree in Greece was decorated in 1833, at the palace of king Otto in Nafplio. However, only in 1950 managed to get massive in Greek houses. In our days particularly among sailors and fishermen the custom fo decorating boats still holds strong.