Kalanda

There is a Greek tradition that takes place every Christmas Eve and New Years Eve called kalanda. Kalanda (κάλαντα) is the Greek word for carols. It’s a time that kids go around to the houses in their neighborhood singing Christmas carols in return for money (small change), sweets, and/or cookies. As we prepared to move here, we tried to learn about the different traditions, but there is only so much you can know without experience. So, it’s Christmas Eve 2004 and we’ve only been in Greece for 3 months. Emily was just a week old and we get a knock on the door early Christmas Eve morning. I answer it and find three Greek kids with small musical triangles standing at my door. After an awkward moment of silence they start singing a Greek Christmas carol! At the time, I didn’t understand the words of the song and I thought to myself, “How could anybody be so low as to send their children to beg?” You see, there are a lot of beggars on the streets of Athens and I thought they were trying a new tactic to get money (because it was known throughout the neighborhood that we’re Americans and all Americans are rich beyond belief). So, I sternly command the kids to “Get out of here” after they sing. Then I closed the door amazed at how low some will go for money. About 10 minutes later we get another knock at the door and my mind starts to wonder why all the beggars are sending their children to our door on the same day. To my amazement and shame (for telling the kids to leave me alone) I learned that this is a tradition that happens every Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Man did I feel like an idiot!!! Oh well, sometimes you learn a new culture by making mistakes!