Christmas is coming!<\/p>\n
This will be a series\u00a0 of 3-4 celebrating posts about the Christmas customs\u00a0 in Greece.<\/p>\n
I will present the customs of\u00a0 this series in chronologically order. So, in this post I will write to you about the Christmas carols.<\/p>\n
Christmas carols (kalanda) is a very old custom in Greece which has remained intact throughout the years. The history of carols goes very deep into the past. Written carols from Ancient Greece have been discovered which are similar to the ones sung today.<\/p>\n
The word kalanda(\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1)<\/em> originates from the Latin word calenda which means the beginning of the month. The word carol comes from the Greek word choros(\u03c7\u03bf\u03c1\u03cc\u03c2)<\/em> which mean dance. There are three different carols; for the Christmas, the New Year and the Epiphany on January 6th .<\/p>\n The carols are sung by children in groups of two or more. They start very early in the Christmas\u2019 Eve morning going door to door singing the carols. The traditional instrument is the triangle which they play while they are singing. They are not actually playing the triangle. In reality they are banging the triangle.<\/p>\n Apart from the triangle, if some of the children know how to play a stringed instrument like the guitar or an aerophone instrument like the melodica or the flute, it is considered as an advantage.<\/p>\n The children knock the door, usually waking up the residents (It is good luck if the carols wake you up). Then, a happy and shy voice comes out of a small person:<\/p>\n \u201c Na ta poume?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n In direct translation is \u201cshall we say them?\u201d meaning shall we sing to you? After the positive answer the children start singing. A couple of minutes later a wish brings the carols to an end:<\/p>\n \u201cXronia polla kai tou xronou ! \u201c<\/em><\/p>\n In direct translation is \u201cmany years and the next year\u201d, meaning many happy returns.<\/p>\n The reward in older times used to be cookies,sweets or fruits. Nowadays most of the people give a small amount of money. Thus every house is prepared with a pile of coins ready to be given to the children.<\/p>\n Such a nice feeling to hear all over the place happy children\u2019s voices singing\u2026<\/p>\n I have to mention that many cities have their own traditional carols. The carols that I am going to show to you are the common carols for the Christmas.<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n\n\n
\n \u039a\u03b1\u03bb\u03ae\u03bd \u03b5\u03c3\u03c0\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd \u03ac\u03c1\u03c7\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2,
\n\u039a\u03b9 \u03b1\u03bd \u03b5\u03af- \u03ba\u03b9 \u03b1\u03bd \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bf\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u03cc\u03c2 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c2
\n\u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03cd \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03b8\u03b5\u03af\u03b1 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03bd\u03b7\u03c3\u03b7
\n\u039d\u03b1 \u03c0\u03c9- \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c0\u03c9 \u03c3\u03c4\u2019 \u03b1\u03c1\u03c7\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc \u03c3\u03b1\u03c2\u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03ac\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c3\u03ae\u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd
\n\u0395\u03bd \u0392\u03b7- \u03b5\u03bd \u0392\u03b7\u03b8\u03bb\u03b5\u03ad\u03bc \u03c4\u03b7 \u03c0\u03cc\u03bb\u03b7,
\n\u039f\u03b9 \u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u03af \u03b1\u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9,
\n\u03a7\u03b1\u03af\u03c1\u03b5- \u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03c1\u03b5\u03c4\u2019 \u03b7 \u03c6\u03cd\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2 \u03cc\u03bb\u03b7\u0395\u03bd \u03c4\u03c9 \u03c3\u03c0\u03b7\u03bb\u03b1\u03af\u03c9 \u03c4\u03af\u03ba\u03c4\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9,
\n\u0395\u03bd \u03c6\u03ac- \u03b5\u03bd \u03c6\u03ac\u03c4\u03bd\u03b7 \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03b1\u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03c9\u03bd,
\n\u039f \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u03cd\u03c2 \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd
\n\u039a\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9- \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03b7\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2 \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03cc\u03bb\u03c9\u03bd\u03a0\u03bb\u03ae\u03b8\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9\u03bd \u03c8\u03ac\u03bb\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9
\n\u03c4\u03bf \u0394\u03cc\u03be\u03b1 \u03b5\u03bd \u03a5\u03c8\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03b9\u03c2
\n\u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c4\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u03bf \u03ac\u03be\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03b5\u03c3\u03c4\u03af
\n\u03b7 \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd \u03c0\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03c2.\u0395\u03ba \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b5\u03c1\u03c3\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ad\u03c1\u03c7\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9
\n\u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03bc\u03ac\u03b3\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03b4\u03ce\u03c1\u03b1
\n\u03ac\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03c0\u03c1\u03cc \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03bf\u03b4\u03b7\u03b3\u03b5\u03af
\n\u03c7\u03c9\u03c1\u03af\u03c2 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03c8\u03b5\u03b9 \u03ce\u03c1\u03b1.Source: http:\/\/www.greeksongs-greekmusic.com<\/a><\/td>\nKalin esperan arhontes,
\nKi an ei- ki an einai orismos sas
\nHristou tin theia gennisi
\nNa po- na po st’ arhontiko sasHristos gennatai simeron
\nEn Vi- en Vithleem ti poli,
\nOi ouranoi agallontai,
\nHaire- hairet’ i fisis oliEn to spilaio tiktetai,
\nEn fa- en fatni ton alogon,
\nO vasilevs ton ouranon
\nKai poi- kai poiitis ton olonPlithos aggelon psallousi
\nto Doksa en Ipsistois
\nkai touto aksion esti
\ni ton poimenon pistis.Ek tis Persias erhontai
\ntreis magoi me ta dora
\nastro labro tous odigei
\nhoris na leipsei ora.<\/td>\nGood evening noble men
\nmay I sing at your mansion,
\nthis day celebrating Jesus\u2019 holy birth, (that)Jesus is being born today
\nin the town of Bethlehem
\nThe skies rejoice
\nthe whole nature is happyIn the cave he is being born
\nin the horses\u2019 trough
\nthe king of the skies
\nand maker of everythingA large group of angels sing
\nGlory to God
\nand holy be
\nthe faith of the shepherdsFrom Persia three magi arrive
\nwith their gifts
\nA bright star shows them the way
\nwithout any delay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n