December Events & Festivals in Greece

In December 2025, Greece offers a variety of cultural, religious, and festive events that beautifully blend tradition and modern celebration. Here are some notable events to consider:

Culture

Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People (dates TBA)

The International Film Festival for Children and Young People was created in 1997 as a bold and innovative festival that would present quality European cinema to children, adolescents and young people, as well as to educators, parents and film enthusiasts, in the small provincial city of Pyrgos in the Region of Western Greece. The main event is held in late November-early December. Around 70 feature and short films (fiction, animation, documentaries) participate in the International Competition section, and another 90-100 films are screened in the non-competition sections each year. The hybrid and digital activities reach out to audiences around the country and in some cases to international audiences.

Athens Avant-Garde Film Festival (dates TBA)

The Athens Avant-Garde Film Festival, the Greek Film Archive’s major highlights bold and ground-breaking voices of world cinema. It is the only festival in Greece that focuses exclusively on this kind of cinema (fiction, documentary and hybrid films) and on creators from all over the world who experiment with new forms of storytelling.

Religious Feasts

Christmas Festivities

Christmas (“Christouyenna” meaning “the birth of Christ” ), a time of joy and celebration, is one of the most important holidays for Greeks. On Christmas Eve, children traditionally sing Christmas carols known as “kalanta” from door to door in their neighborhood, armed with musical triangles and drums. This day also marks the beginning of many beloved traditions associated with this special Holiday Season including family gatherings and church services. The main decoration in family homes is the “Karavaki” – a wooden model boat with twinkling lights that is honoring the nautical tradition of Greece but is also a symbol of man’s new voyage in life, following the birth of Christ. You will also find illuminated boats in ports and marinas. Large cities like Athens and Thessaloniki light up beautiful Christmas boats or trees in their public squares. People also decorate Christmas trees.

While the food varies between regions, the traditional Greek Christmas dish is pork roasted in an oven while turkey is starting to feature on some tables. When it comes to traditional Greek Christmas treats, there is a plethora of delicacies such as “melomakarona” (honey cookies topped with chopped walnuts), “kourabiedes” (buttery almond cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar), “diples” (fried pastry dough drizzled with honey syrup). A traditional table decoration are loaves of “Christopsomo” (Christ’s Bread), a special type of a round sweet, aromatic homemade bread. 

Celebrations for the Holiday Season start on December 25 and end on January 6 on Epiphany Day. The whole period is called Dodekaimero (12 days) as it lasts 12 days. Most Greeks don’t exchange gifts on Dec. 25 but wait until St. Basil Day on New Year’s Day (January 1). All around Greece, people celebrate the Christmas holiday with unique traditions centered around history, outdoor festivities, gatherings, and family dinners.

Please note that specific dates for some events may be announced closer to December. It’s advisable to check official event websites or local tourism boards for the most up-to-date information as you plan your visit.