Christmas and New Year's in Athens

Christmas in Athens Events

Official Christmas in Athens Events

Public Christmas displays used to be hard to find in Athens. But now the City of Athens puts on a festive display each year - though how festive it will be in still-austere 2011 remains to be seen. The city is turning to volunteers, schoolchildren, and art students to help assure a memorably festive Athens, with more events in the local neighborhoods in addition to activities at Syntagma Square, Kotzia Square, and Klafthmonos Square, also spelled Klauthmonos.

Christmas in Athens 2011

Here is the Athens Christmas and New Year's event schedule. Additional updates will be found after December 5th at this Christmas in Athens seasonal page.

Christmas in Athens - Schedule

December 9th - Opening Festivities at Syntagma Square
December 16-18th - "Music of the World" at Klauthmonos Square in Athens.
December 17th-31st - "Magic Children's Square" at Syntagma square
December 20-21st - "Tiny Days" at Technopolis and the Institut Francais d'Athenes
December 22-24th - "Jazzy Christmas" at Klauthmonos Square
December 23rd - "Chorus Festival" Kotzia Square
December 27th-29th - Juggling Festival "The Toy's neighborhood" Syntagma Square and the Rouf Closed Gym
Also on Dec. 27th-29th, "New Music Stage" at Klauthmonos Square
December 28th-31st - "Classic Orchestra Festival" Kotzia Square

For the complete free arts schedule, you may want to check the official "Christmas in Athens" event lists at the Christmas in Athens website. They also have an active Twitter account: @CityofAthens.

New Year's Eve usually offers several firework launch spots. In 2011, that vivid but expensive aspect of the celebration may be limited or absent; final details are pending. The main official celebration will be in front of the Mayor's Office at Kotzia Square.

Want some non-Greek souvenirs from Greece? Try the Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar in Athens at Daidalou 18 in the Plaka. Each year, the Scandinavian Church sells traditional items. In 2011 it's on from November 25th-27th, so it pays to be an early bird on your Christmas shopping.

The American Community Schools in Athens also has a holiday bazaar, usually around the first weekend in December. In 2011, it's on Friday December 2nd. The school will be selling holiday baked goods, collecting unwrapped gifts for the Toys for Tots program, and there will be a visit from Santa. They're located at 129 Aghias Paraskevas Street in Chalandri.

Christmas in Athens Photo Gallery

Planning a Christmas trip to Greece? Compare prices on Hotels throughout Greece and the Greek islands.

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