Gingerbread Men

 Baking gingerbread men has become an annual tradition. Not for me. I just eat them....

Gingerbread is not a Greek Christmas tradition.  There are plenty of other syrupy, sugar covered sweets

 A few years ago powdered ginger was very hard to find and it was expensive. Greeks bakers use more cinnamon and cloves and two other spices mahlepi and mastiha. 

Most supermarkets do stock ginger now and even our little grocer has it, powdered or fresh. 

Of course when I googled I was not surprised to read 

'Recipes for Gingerbread originated from  Greece in 2,400 BC' 

My daughter Elli and the girls from her office have a gingerbread baking day just before Christmas 

Maria and Katerina make an amazing array of gingerbread

This is my little house 

If its anything like last year's it's going to be delicious 

Sometime I'm going to have to break it up and eat it

I'm not looking forward to that at all.   Last year's gingerbread house was delectable and I ate most of it by myself

Once it's broken up I'm going to be gobbling it down

Saint John

 

Saint John....Agios Yiannis in greek

There are so many different St Johns. Not all are celebrated today

St John of the Fleas 

Of the Fires 

Golden Mouth 

The Baptist 

Theologian and Apostle 

7th January is the big one. 

Today is my son in law's name day

It was warm enough for a BBQ

Yiannis looking after his m in law

Opening the Prosecco

Galaktobouriko, sweet semolina pie.  Really delicious and even better when served on a NZ Tui plate.

Thanks Julie

Thanks Yianni and Danae for a lovely day

There was music, there was talk but  it wasn't just a loud babble. I enjoyed being able to take part in the conversations today

There is a saying here

'A house without a John (Yianni) is not a home' 

Down in Australia my niece Gemma was celebrating her birthday today.

Many happy returns Gemma

So many of our family  anniversaries fall on the same day.  

It's not a coincidence.  Close families celebrate together

Last of the Seasons Festivities

6th January

Today is Epiphany, a national holiday. The island people head to the waterfront for a church ceremony, winter swimmers and drinks with friends

Last year the Blessing of the Waters was conducted from a fishing boat. 

It looks a bit top heavy with all the island's Priests, incense swingers, Mayor, Councillors and hangers-on

This year they brought in the big guns, the largest car ferry

Everyone of importance piled on board and the ceremony took place on the ferry, without it even moving out to sea

The cross was thrown overboard from the side of the ferry. You can just see it, attached to a long blue ribbon. 

This day the Orthodox church celebrates the baptism of Christ in the river Jordan. 

Crosses are thrown into the sea, rivers, reservoirs or lakes all over the country. 

After the blessing 3 white doves are released, symbolising the Holy Trinity. 

The cross is thrown twice, reeled in and the 3rd time......... 

 

A bunch of hardy swimmers dive into the freezing harbour.  The one who reaches it first lifts it high and is blessed for the year ahead

This year there were 12 who dove in,  boys and a girl

Then we all head off for 

The traditional 'aftermath' 

Ouzo, wine or raki with friends. 

 

The cafe where we gather is known for its good prices and more traditional mezes (small platters of food).  Local Greeks and aliens prefer it here where the wine is served in jugs and the raki and ouzo is by the glass 

There were no free tables outside so we sat inside. Smoking is not frowned on. Fortunately the doors and windows were open today. 

The crowd inside and the waiter are all old friends. There was a lot of shouting across the cafe, loud music and the booming laugh of our table companion. 

A bit too much for me.  

The noise in the cafe

Went round and round

Round and round

All day long

It was difficult following any of the conversations so I watched the activities outside, took a few photos and sent a post to Instagram. 

It was enjoyable simply to be in the company of daughter Elli, my son in law Kyriakos and to see K happy in this social atmosphere. 

7th January

St John or in greek Agio Yianni

St John is a huge name day.

Half the male population is named Yianni (John) 

The female version is Yianna or Yoanna

Happy name day to

Son in law Yianni

Friend Jan

Sister in law Joan

The Christmas tree comes down. The only decoration remaining 

Schools go back on the 8th

Winter routine begins again

Traditions 2026

2026

Honestly, as I write that date it seems to me as though it's something out of science fiction. I'm actually living in the year 2026. 

New Year Traditions  

New Years loaf with a coin

The first slice is cut for the Madonna

The second for the house and fields, olive trees, grape vines

Then a slice is cut for everyone in the family from the oldest to the youngest

The slice cut for Grandson George had the lucky coin

Grandson Jamie got the coin in the sweet cake I baked

Dear daughters enjoying yet another New Year's cake

George got the coin in this one too

K got the coin in the cake Elli cut on New Year's Eve

So much cake to eat

As usual we give away as much as possible 

Our lucky bulb, boska, hanging on the front gate

K smashed the pomegranate the next morning 

This is his first throw which only split the fruit 

It took a 2nd throw for the seeds to spread out over the flagstones

I left them there till the next morning and swept them into the garden

 

New Years Eve

 

And Australia 

I love waking up on New Year's Eve and knowing celebrations will begin in just a few hours as NZ and then Australia enter first into 2026.

Our midday news will show fireworks lighting up the sky over Auckland City. 

The afternoon news will show the fireworks display over Sydney Harbour bridge and it's iconic Opera House.

Down in Poros town bands of children are going door to door banging triangles and singing the New Year's eve Carol. It's a tradition that is still very much alive.

K misses all that and hopes that some of the neighbourhood children will ring our bell.  

There are only a couple of children 

 up here and none appeared on Christmas Eve so probably there will be none today.  He has a purse full of small bank notes just in case.

The children are given a small monetary reward.  More from us out in the wopwops.

Wishing you all a joyful New Year's Eve .

I will probably be in bed by then.

Grandchildren in Athens will be opening Champagne, or another bottle of vodka.  Those who remained on the island will be celebrating with their friends on the waterfront, kissing cheeks and yelling greetings along the harbour.  

Church bells will be tolling merrily, the car ferries will be tooting away and the whole town will be lit up 

K, if he is awake will be phoning friends and sending messages on Facebook.  Maybe I'll be awake too and I'll pop the cork on a bottle of Prosecco. Then I shall go out to our front gate and smash a pomegranite. On the road maybe. They make a mess. 

Coming back inside I'll make sure it's right foot first over the threshold..... even though I'm left-handed. 

Happy New Year to all my blogger friends

Good health and happiness to you all

Mushrooms are Magic

 But these aren't magic mushrooms  

They are mushrooms magically transformed into coffee

Instant coffee made from a blend of the mushrooms listed below

Reishi

Shitake

Maca

Cordyceps

Lion's mane

Ashwagandha 

'Supports energy, focus, productivity and adrenal health. Enjoy the added benefit of happiness in every sip' . So it says on the packet. 

My son in law Yiannis gave me a packet for my birthday.  I was a bit wary of trying it, not sure what to expect. Then I read about it on another blog (Jabblog). I opened the packet, gave it a sniff. Not mushroomy at all. So I boiled some water and made a cup. 

It's very pleasant with an almost chocolatey taste. It has less caffeine, reduces anxiety and improves immunity. 'They say'. 

Now you know

27th

 Today, in the Greek Orthodox church it's the feast of St Stephen.

The day when Good King Wenscelous once looked out...... 

Elsewhere it was celebrated yesterday, the 26th.  

The day has dawned chilly and very cloudy.  About 13o. No rain. 

Yesterday I started the clean up. Dishes were done on the Big day.  All the leftovers were divided up and taken away. I made sure they emptied the fridge as well. 

The girls did a fantastic job.  Bones and scraps were bagged too and left for the wild cats.  

The boys scrubbed the baking dishes till they shone.

I'm slowly and surreptitiously taking down Xmas decorations and storing them away. This year I've got it sorted. Every plastic container has 2026 written on it and the contents written on it. Next Christmas I can chose what I open and what I leave.  Minimal seems to be acceptable.

Except for the lights. K loves stringing them inside and out.  They're lovely at night, brightening up our rural neighbourhood.

Though actually it's St Basil who should be filling our stockings here in Greece and he doesn't arrive till New Year's Eve .

Saint Nick is patron saint of sailors.

I'm not supposed to do any washing today. It's not 'done' on a Saints day.

My Greek mother in law is no longer here to click her tongue and frown at me. The washing line is full.  The big tablecloth and half a dozen kitchen towels for a start. 

We went down to the harbour to pick up some medicine and dump half a dozen bags of rubbish and glass, plastic and paper for recycling.  Empty ouzo and wine bottles, beer cans, empty Xmas cracker boxes and loads of crumpled Xmas paper.

I also recycled  those tight Christmas t-shirts.

Next year I may buy more for the girls but I'll make sure they're not crop tops!

I start buying little presents for the stockings right away.

The repairman for our Wifi turned up today. The router was fried by lightening , even though we have a special breaker thing which is supposed to stop this happening.

It didn't cost us anything and took 10 minutes.  Good service especially on the Saturday between Xmas and New Year.

I'm back online. My phone had free data till the Wifi was up and running again but paying bills and  shopping online is difficult. I need a wider screen and larger keyboard.