Greek Special Days & Traditions
Halcyon Days / Alkionides Meres
A Greek winter can be cold, and in the mountainous areas on the mainland, there is snow for most of the season. But every year there are also some very warm days with plenty of sunshine. These days are called the “Halcyon Days” or Alkionides Meres. Unfortunately, we never know exactly when these calm, sunshiny days will appear. They usually occur at the end of January—an uninterrupted period of blue skies and mild temperatures. The ancient Greek myth of Halcyon is a tender story of love and commitment, which explains the origin of these calm winter days with serene seas and gentle winds.
Halcyon (Alcyone in Greek) was the daughter of Aeolus, the god of the winds. She was married to the mortal King Ceyx, and they lived by the sea. Despite Halcyon’s warnings, Ceyx drowned in a great storm. Poseidon, the god of the sea, brought his body to Halcyon's arms. Grief-stricken, Halcyon threw herself into the dark waves. Moved by her love and devotion, the gods decided to save her by transforming her into a seabird. They also turned Ceyx into a kingfisher, so the two could live together. Halcyon would lay her eggs in the winter, building her nest near the shore, close to where she had found Ceyx’s body. The stormy waves kept sweeping her eggs away, so Zeus decided to grant her a period of calm weather in the middle of winter. These are the Halcyon Days. Today, the phrase Halcyon Days also symbolizes prosperity, joy, freedom, and tranquility.
From a purely meteorological point of view, the Halcyon Days can be explained by the fact that at the latitude where Greece is located -and up to that of northeastern Europe- there is a winter period of high barometric pressure (pressure equalization). This creates a suspension of wind and results in weather that is chilly but sunny, due to the dominance of anticyclonic conditions.
1 March
One of my favorite traditions in Greece, which has lasted for generations, is making the Martis bracelet and wearing it on the first day of March. The name of this bracelet comes from the Greek word Martios, meaning March. The 1st of March marks the beginning of spring in Greece, symbolizing the promise of warmer days and the return of the burning sun. A grandmother, mother, or teacher usually makes these bracelets to protect children from the strong March sun. As they tie a double knot around the child’s wrist, they say, "This bracelet I make for you will protect you from the burning March sun." There’s even a traditional saying: "Οπόχει κόρη ακριβή τον Μάρτη ήλιος μη τη δει," which means, “May the March sun not burn the precious child.” All that’s needed is a bit of string—usually red and white—and perhaps a small blue bead, known as a xandra, to ward off the evil eye. The red symbolizes rosy cheeks, and the white stands for a fair complexion. This simple bracelet serves as protection.
Depending on which part of Greece you’re from, the ritual may vary. The version closest to my heart is this: when the month ends, I cut off the bracelet and tie it to a tree branch so the swallows can use it to build their nests. Others wear the bracelet until Easter Day, when they burn it in the fire used to roast the lamb. This act symbolises Christ’s resurrection and the burning away of our sins.
What is the deeper meaning behind making the Martis bracelet after all? It’s the story told to children while nurturing their love for Greek traditions, allowing it to take root in their hearts and souls.
1 May
May Day is known around the world as Labour Day, but in Greece it is also an ancient and much-loved holiday tradition that marks the celebration of spring. It is traditionally celebrated in the countryside, where friends and families gather, collect flowers, and enjoy picnics. The custom on 1st May is to decorate the doors of houses with flower wreaths as a way to welcome the power and blessings of nature into our homes. We celebrate nature’s beauty and freshness. The wreath is made from various handpicked flowers, woven together. These wreaths adorn the doors of houses until the day of St. John the Harvester (24 June), when all the wreaths in the neighborhood are gathered and burned in a big fire - the fire of the saint.
The custom of Protomagia (literally "the first of May") dates back to ancient times. The name Maios (May) comes from the goddess Maia, the mother of Hermes. The name Maia embodies the concepts of growth and nurture -translated as both mother and midwife. May holds two meanings: the good and the bad, rebirth and death. The custom celebrates the ultimate victory of summer over winter, life over death- a theme that goes back to antiquity and is symbolically celebrated on the first day of May. This day was also dedicated to the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, and her daughter Persephone, who on this day is said to emerge from the underworld and return to earth. Her return marks the blooming of nature and the birth of summer.
The Start of the Four Seasons
Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, had a child named Persephone. Demeter loved her only daughter dearly, and under her protective care, Persephone grew into a beautiful, well-mannered young woman. Hades, the god of the underworld and brother of Zeus, fell madly in love with Persephone. However, he knew no woman would willingly go with him to the underworld. So, he devised a plan to abduct her. One sunny day, Persephone went for a walk to enjoy all the natural beauty her mother had created. Suddenly, she felt the ground move. The earth cracked open near her feet, and in a split second, four black horses pulling a chariot emerged. Frozen in fear, Persephone couldn’t even cry for help before she was seized by Hades and vanished into the earth, which closed behind them. No one saw what had happened, except Zeus, the highest god, and Helios, the god of the sun. Demeter was inconsolable and wandered the earth in grief. Zeus grew concerned: crops failed, rivers dried up, and humankind was on the brink of extinction. Eventually, Zeus struck a deal with Hades. Persephone would spend six months each year in the underworld with Hades and six months on earth with her mother. Before Persephone returned to Demeter, Hades gave her a magical pomegranate. When she took a bite, it guaranteed her return to the underworld. When Persephone comes back to earth, Demeter is filled with joy, and her love brings forth the most glowing and abundant season of the year—spring. But when Persephone returns to the underworld, Demeter is overcome with sorrow, and the world withers into autumn.
The underworld is divided into three parts. The better one lived, the better the realm they entered. The Greeks did not believe in a heaven and hell in the modern sense. Instead, the dead entered the realm of Hades. Elysium, also known as the “Isle of the Blessed,” was where exceptional individuals went; most mortals became mere “shadows” after death. A few wicked souls ended up in Tartarus, the closest equivalent to hell in Greek mythology.
It is not Zeus who controls our fate, but the three Fates—sisters who literally hold the threads of life. Lachesis rules over joy and sorrow, Clotho spins the thread of life, and Atropos cuts the thread when our time has come. No one can alter their decisions.
1 August
The 1st of August is a special celebration for Zakynthians, especially in Zante town, marked by the tradition of the Malliari! This evening also marks the last day of July, just before the start of the 15-day fasting period leading up to one of the biggest Orthodox celebrations - the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on the 15th of August. At midnight, the bell towers announce the beginning of the fast. Zakynthians head to the edge of the sea, where the waves break. There, they take off their shoes and roll up their trousers or skirts to search for the malliari - a stone on which underwater plants have begun to grow. The hairier (grassy) the stone, the better, as it is believed to bring good luck. It is said that if someone unmarried places the stone under their bed, they will dream of the person they are destined to marry. The Malliari is a centuries-old Zakynthian tradition, most commonly practiced in Zante town.
