Merry Christmas in Greek (+6 More Holiday Greetings)
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Want to join in on the festive fun and wish your Greek friends a Merry Christmas? The first step would be to learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in Greek! Short answer: it’s Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúgenna). Long answer: why stop there? Instead, learn more festive words, holiday phrases, and related vocabulary!
Table of contents
Here is a quick summary of the festive phrases we’ll cover:
| English | Greek | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| “Merry Christmas” | Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúgenna) | |
| “Happy Holidays” | Καλές Γιορτές! (Kalés Yiortés!) | |
| “Happy Christmas” | Ευτυχισμένα Χριστούγεννα (Eftychisména Christoúgenna) | |
| “Happy New Year” | Καλή Χρονιά (Kalí Chroniá) | |
| “Many Years”(an all-purpose greeting you can use on many festive occasions) | Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Pollá) |
Καλά Χριστούγεννα: “Merry Christmas” in Greek
Καλά (Kalá) means “good” or “merry,” and Χριστούγεννα (Christoúgenna) means “Christmas.” You typically say this on Christmas Eve, rather than on the actual Christmas Day.
Καλά Χριστούγεννα is pronounced Kalá Christoúgenna, with the ch sounding like a “h,” and the g sounding like a “y” sound. It’s the go-to phrase to say “Merry Christmas” in Greek.
Don’t forget that the accent marks indicate word stress in Greek — so you’d say ka-LA chris-TOU-genna.
Breaking Down the Word Χριστούγεννα (Christoúgenna)
The origin of the Greek word for Christmas, Χριστούγεννα (Christoúgenna), is pretty interesting to look at:
- Χριστός (Christós) means “Christ”
- Γέννα (génna) means “birth”
So, Χριστούγεννα literally means “Christ’s birth.” Pretty straightforward, right?
Other Festive Greetings in Greek
Sure, you’ll hear Καλά Χριστούγεννα (“Merry Christmas”) all the time, but you’ll also come across other festive words, like the equivalents of “Happy Holidays,” “Happy Christmas,” and “Happy New Year.”
Here are 6 more festive Greek greetings for Christmas and afterward.
- Καλές Γιορτές! (Kalés Yiortés!): “Happy Holidays!”
- Ευτυχισμένα Χριστούγεννα! (Eftychisména Christoúgenna!): “Happy Christmas!”
- Χαρούμενα Χριστούγεννα! (Charoúmena Christoúgenna!): ”Merry/Joyful Christmas!”
- Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος! (Kalá Christoúgenna kai Eftychisméno to Néo Étos!): “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
- Καλή Χρονιά! (Kalí Chroniá): “Happy New Year!”
- Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Pollá): “Many Years”
Note: Χρόνια Πολλά literally translates to “Many Years” in English. It’s a multipurpose greeting, used for various celebrations and wishes. It’s essentially a wish for someone to have many more years of life, health, and happiness. You can also say it on:
- Birthdays: Χρόνια Πολλά is a common birthday wish.
- Christmas Day: After Christmas Eve, including on Christmas Day, you’d say Χρόνια Πολλά instead of Καλά Χριστούγεννα.
- Name Days: In Greece, name days (the feast day of the saint after whom a person is named) are very important. You can celebrate someone’s name day with Χρόνια Πολλά, but a more specific name day greeting would be Να χαίρεσαι το όνομά σου (Na chaíresai to ónomá sou) — “May you rejoice in your name” or “may you enjoy your name.”
Greek Christmas Traditions
Did you know that Greeks usually exchange gifts on New Year’s Eve rather than Christmas Day?
Here are some other traditions:
- Kalanda (Κάλαντα): On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, children visit their neighbors to sing kalanda, or Christmas carols. Unfortunately, this is becoming less common in big cities.
- Christmas Boats: Decorating boats for Christmas is an old Greek tradition, especially in coastal areas and islands. In the past, wives and children of sailors used to dress wooden boats to welcome men home. Today, many Greek towns and homes still display illuminated boat models, but a lot of people also decorate trees.
- Christopsomo (Χριστόψωμο): Meaning “Christ’s Bread,” Christopsomo is a sweet bread decorated with a cross. By the way, common Greek word alert: ψωμί (psomί) means “bread” in Greek.
- Vasilopita (Βασιλόπιτα): This New Year’s cake has a hidden coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in their slice is said to have good luck for the year.
- Breaking a pomegranate on New Year’s Day: Just after midnight or on New Year’s Day, Greeks break a pomegranate by throwing it. This act is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year.
Greek Christmas Phrases and Vocabulary
To really get into the Greek Christmas spirit, here are some more seasonal words:
| English | Greek | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| “Santa Claus” | Άγιος Βασίλης (Ágios Vasílis) | |
| “Gift” | Δώρο (Dóro) | |
| “Star” | Αστέρι (Astéri) | |
| “Snow” | Χιόνι (Chióni) | |
| “Party” or “Feast” | Γιορτή (Yiortí) | |
| “Family” | Οικογένεια (Oikogéneia) | |
| “Joy” | Χαρά (Chará) | |
| “Tree” | Δέντρο (Déntro) | |
| “Ornament” | Στολίδι (Stolídi) | |
| “Toy” | Παιχνίδι (Paichnídi) | |
| “Christmas carols” | Κάλαντα (Kálanta) | |
| “Christmas boat” | Χριστουγεννιάτικο καράβι (Christougenniátiko karávi) |
FAQs
How does Greece say “Merry Christmas”?
Christmas in Greek is Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúgenna). It’s the combination of two words: Καλά, meaning “good,” and Christoúgenna, “Christmas.”
What is the traditional Greek Christmas greeting?
You would say Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúgenna), “Merry Christmas” on Christmas Eve or anytime before Christmas. On Christmas Day, you’d say Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Pollá).
What do Greek Orthodox say on Christmas?
Before Christmas, including on Christmas Eve, Greeks say Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúgenna). On Christmas Day, they say Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Pollá).
What is the Greek word for Christmas?
The Greek word for Christmas is Χριστούγεννα (Christoúgenna). It’s the combination of the words Χριστός (Christós), “Christ” and γέννα (génna), “birth.”
Ready to Celebrate in Greek!
You’re now ready to celebrate several special days in Greek — from Christmas and New Year’s Eve to birthdays and name days! Pick the most suitable phrase from our list, or simply use Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Pollá), which fits many occasions.
Take a look at our other Greek articles and learning resources to improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural knowledge!
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