Gamal Nkrumah finds Greek Christmas a string of merry-making events "Let's kill the Tree of Life," the impish goblin chief squealed. His followers shrieked in excitement, furiously sawing through the huge present-laden Christmas tree. They looked around nervously, fiendishly. The goblins started to saw the branches off the main trunk, picking at the presents beneath. They are creatures of the cold. As soon as December arrives they mushroom and multiply; they literally come out of the woodwork. Every winter, as darkness falls, the goblins creep out of the little crevices in which they hide all day. At daybreak, they flee back into their horrible nether world haunts. They cannot stand the daylight. They are gone as soon as day breaks. Two sips into her steaming cup of coffee, Angeliki Scoumbi-Mitilinou, the headmistress of the Greek School in Heliopolis, told Al-Ahram Weekly that goblins who get up to no good are as essential a part of Christmas festivities as tearing turkeys apart and carving up hams. She spoke animatedly about the demon-like goblins, called kalikantzari in Greek. I warmed up to her fascinating tales at the cosy candle-lit dinner, and it felt like the real thing -- really Christmassy. Scoumbi-Mitilinou dressed some of her students up as goblins with ghastly mean-looking painted faces and tattered-looking rags for clothes. Looking somewhat exhausted, she explained she was up all night -- excited about the prospects of staging a play she wrote. She drew inspiration from traditional Greek legends, and she said the play was one of the highlights of the charity bazaar she was preparing to stage at the school on Saturday and Wednesday, the week before Christmas. While the essence of Christmas may have lost its significance in some Western cultures, it is far from being unfashionable in the one European country that is considered the forerunner of Western civilisation. "The proceeds are going to the children of Africa and Pakistan," Scoumbi-Mitilinou explained. "Christmas is the season of benevolence and generosity. Christmas is about giving. This spirit of magnanimity is what I aim to instill in my students," she said. "The goblins, on the other hand, represent those who want to spoil all the fun -- the wicked ones," she added. Keen on hearing all about the total Greek Christmas experience first hand, I listened attentively. Stories surrounding these scary, hairy little monsters with a talent for destruction often form the centrepiece of Greek Christmas celebrations. The kalikantzari enter rooms wriggling through keyholes and other tiny cavities and hollows. They have a penchant for causing trouble and destroying trees and everything representing love and life that stands in their paths. After their nasty night escapades, the goblins retreat hurriedly to the nether regions of the house. "The goblins are terrified of the priest who visits the homes of his parishioners at the end of the Christmas season," Scoumbi-Mitilinou explained. "The priest brandishes his cross to ward off evil and the goblins drop dead." The ceremony takes place on 6 January as part of the celebrations of Epiphany -- the universal Christian festival commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. On this occasion an ordained priest of the Greek Orthodox Church sprinkles the house of his parishioner with water to bless and cleanse it. Water purifies the heart, and the ritual cleansing of the house at the end of the festive season is one of the highlights of Greek Christmas. "The goblins are said to flee and die on 6 January only to arrive again later in the year just before Christmas," Scoumbi-Mitilinou chuckled. She has written two plays about goblins based on traditional Greek folkloric tales, and is obviously enthused by the subject. "Their mischievous behaviour and ugly looks greatly appeal to children's imagination." Scoumbi-Mitilinou explained that the Greek community in Egypt upholds the traditions of their compatriots across the Mediterranean and try to re-enact their rituals and traditions as faithfully as possible. "We usually prepare all the foodstuffs associated with a Greek Christmas." There are many delicious perks to being party to the festivities. Christmas in Greece is a season of loving, giving, eating and singing. People ask you round for dinner. Family and friends enjoy life together. And life, as the boisterous warm-blooded Greeks know all too well, is about living. The Christmas tree is the "Tree of Life", the Christmas ship is yet another symbol of life. "The ship is like an individual's life," in Scoumbi-Mitilinou's words; "it travels like time". There is nothing lovelier than eating a meal prepared by someone who is steeped in the traditions of their land, and Scoumbi-Mitilino is proud of her Greek heritage, especially that of her native Peloponesse. A table laden with specially-prepared Christmas food is the hallmark of a proper Greek Christmas. Stuffed turkey has assumed the importance it has in many Western nations as the main Christmas dish. The Greek stuffing, however, is somewhat different from the traditional British and American stuffing. The main ingredient of the Greek stuffing is pine nuts. But the bird's offal, minced meat, walnut, almond and pistachio also lend it an especially nutty flavour. The bird is usually cooked to perfection on 24 December. But, there are other side dishes associated with the festive season. Khilopedes Trakhanas soup made of fatty chicken stock and pikhti -- the spiced pig's head meat and pork thoroughly cooked to a jelly. The preparation for Christmas dinner actually starts weeks before Christmas Day. And in Greece, Christmas festivities commence on Christmas Eve, 24 December, and continue until the Feast of Epiphany, 6 January. Special foods and deserts are eaten on those days. Indeed, the most esoteric aspects of food come to light at this time. Feasting on assorted Greek Christmas sweets is an essential prerequisite of a Greek Christmas, too. Khristopshomo -- the Bread of Christ -- is one special Christmas treat. "The woman who bakes the Bread of Christ must be ritually purified, she is bathed thoroughly with water; but she must be pure and clean inside her heart." The "pure women" wake up at the crack of dawn to bake the Khristopshomo, and the cake is decorated with cross-shaped walnut toppings. Kuzabiethes, similar to Egyptian Eid cookies, are made with almonds. Theples Dhipless are cinnamon, walnut and almond honey-dipped butterfly- shaped cookies. Melomakazona biscuits, on the other hand, are made with walnuts drenched in honey. But, the king of all Greek Christmas sweets is Vassilopita -- the Cake of Saint Basil. According to Greek legend, it hails from the small town of Kaissaria in Cappadocia, Asia Minor -- today's Turkey. In the past much of what is now Turkish territory were Helenised provinces of the Byzantine Empire. Some 1,500 years ago, the bishop of the town, Vassilios, was a devout, God- fearing man. Civil wars raged in the country and warlords held sway over the land. A particularly blood-thirsty warlord threatened to sack the city unless the townspeople handed in all their gold. Vassilios ordered his people to collect all the gold in town and he handed the treasure to the warlord. But while doing so he prayed for a miracle to occur, and it did. A knight in shinning armour appeared in the winter sky, much to the surprise of the awe- stricken people. The heavenly knight proceeded to slay the warlord and slaughter his troops. Kaissaria was saved, and Saint Vassilios (Greek for Basil) had to give back the gold to his people. But, he did not know who gave what as the money was collected in such a hurry and there were no records. So he ordered the people of Kaissaria to bake the Vassilopita cake with the gold coins inserted in it -- everyone had their fill of cake and coins. And hence the tradition -- passed down through generations -- to throw a gold coin into the dough. And that is why the Greeks know Father Christmas as Saint Vassilios, Saint Basil. Vassilopita is a rich cake -- orange zest, vanilla and almond are thrown in with flour, sugar, eggs, milk and butter. The icing is invariably rich chocolate and almond topping. At the stroke of midnight, on New Year's Eve, the oldest male member of the household cuts the cake. The first piece is offered as a sacrament to Saint Basil, the second to the members of the household, the third to the poor. Then the remainder is cut into little pieces -- the most senior members of the family having their piece first and the youngest last. The luckiest member of the family, however, is the one who finds the gold coin in his or her piece of cake. Traditionally, a barrel of choice wine, often home-made, is opened. Afterwards, the energetic wander through town to enjoy more cocktails. " Khonya pulaa " -- Happy New Year -- the Greeks cheer. They put out the lights, exchange gifts and sing carols -- there are specific carols for Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. These are ancient songs mostly composed by the once numerous Greek communities scattered all over Asia Minor. Today, the various Greek regions and islands have their own specific carols. " Na ta pume? Na ta pume ?" the children who sing the Christmas carols knock on neighbour's homes. " Peseta, peseta," the hosts welcome the singing children in. Carol signing requires a mastery of line. According to Greek tradition, Christmas carols were first sung by angels announcing the birth of Christ. Carols that date from the Byzantine era are still sung in Greece, some even use archaic terms and phrases used in the then Helenised Asia Minor. There are three different kinds of carols -- Christmas carols, New Year carols and Epiphany Day carols. There are, of course, many regional variations. "The hosts traditionally give the singing children some money after their performance," Scoumbi-Mitilinou explained. This school is a small one -- 20 kindergarten, 51 primary, 32 preparatory and 30 secondary school students. It occupies a beautiful and well-preserved century-old villa and the pupils, mostly Greek, take part in Christmas festivities. The ship, and not the tree, is the traditional Greek symbol of Christmas. In some of the Greek islands huge ships are built, symbolic of the new life Christmas heralds. Christmas was meant originally to replace the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. The traditional Christmas day was invented by Patriarch Iaonis Chrisostomos in 378 AD. The date 25 January was selected by Pope Ioulios I in the fourth century. "The devoutly religious observe a 40- day fast (14 November-25 December) in which we do not touch animal products." On Epiphany, the priest visits the houses of his holding a Greek cross and a bunch of basil. The cross is sprinkled with holy water. The Greeks traditionally flock to churches on Epiphany Day, and after the special Epiphany mass, the priest throws the Holy Cross into the sea. In Alexandria, His Beatitude Theodoros II, head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria and All Africa will lead the three-week-long Christmas celebrations. On Epiphany Day the second in the ranking of the Orthodox See following the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople throws the cross into the Mediterranean with his flock reverently looking on. On Christmas Day, he will also be celebrating mass at Agios Georgios. Saint George stands on the ruins of the Fortress of Babylon, the Byzantine garrison around which clustred the earliest beginnings of Cairo. There is a little chapel where Virgin Mary is said to have washed the clothes of Christ. It was recently renovated and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch will officially open it on Christmas Day. His official Christmas message this year is one of peace and harmony among the peoples of the world. He is just back from a tour of Africa, including South Africa where he met Nelson Mandela. "Do you know what I want for Christmas?" His Beatitude beckoned. "In the Greek tradition people visit hospitals and orphanages in the festive season. We remember the poor, the homeless and the diseased." He said that in the Greek tradition, the Snowman, Theonanthropos, is a symbol of how cold hearts are warmed by the presence of Christ. "Jesus comes down and warms the hearts."
