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It’s Christmas in Athens again, and once more the city will be awash in lights and celebration. While decorating began in November, along with a favorite Athenian pastime: shopping, the major downtown festivities begin this week. So, whether you currently live in Athens or are visiting Athens anytime in December through early January, here’s a schedule of what you’ll find and where to find it. The city has once again planned lots of activities for young and old alike.
Once again the central square in Athens, Syntagma Square, adjacent to the Parliament Building, will be the centerpiece of the Athenian celebrations. As part of the festivities, an entertainment pavilion will once more serve as a musical oasis. Visitors can expect to hear jazz groups, the Athens Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, Big Band and Greek Music Workshop in addition to a variety of performers from around the globe.

The city hasn’t limited its celebrations to Syntagma Square. As the lights turn on in Syntagma, so will they illuminate Kotzia Square (across from City Hall on Athenas), the National Gardens, Kanari Square in Kypseli, and S. Petroula Square in Kononos. In addition, across the city there will be free concerts in squares and on boardwalks, in Pagrati, Thissio, Patissia and Ampelokoipi. Check our Events Calendar for more on these roaming celebrations.

The festivities begin on at 7:30pm pm December 7, 2008 in Syntagma Square, (a week or so earlier than in previous years), the city is planning an entire month of activities! The evenings’ celebration will include performances by the Athens Philharmonic, Children’s Choir of Athens, and the Big Band of Athens with Michali Gioulas. And as the music plays, and the lights are illuminated, fireworks will fill the Athenian skyline.

Schedule of Christmas concerts and performance at Syntagma Square

Tree lighting and concert

December 7

19:30 (7:30 pm)

De Stijl 

December 8

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Imam Baildi 

December 9

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Ηρώ  (Iro)

December  11

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Λαϊκό Εργαστήρι των Μουσικών Συνόλων

December 12

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Dimitri Tipaldou Children’s Chorus

December  13

13:00 (1:00 pm)

Chorus of the National Technical University of Metsovo

December 14

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Mixed Chorus of the City of Athens

December 17

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Elias Giouroukou Chorus of Traditional Greek Music

December 19

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Despoina Boudani-Sougioul
“How to write your own myth”

December 20

11:30 (11:30 am)

Παραδοσιακή Χορωδία Εθνικού Ωδείου

December 20

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Greek Lyceum 

December 21

12:00 (noon)

Childrens Chorus of the National Conservatory

December 22

18:30 (6:30 pm)

Spiros Lampros Childrens Chorus

December 23

13:30 (1:30 pm)

Chania Folklore Group with Manolis Kontaro and  Μανώλη Κονταρό and his group 

December 24

12:00 (noon)

Athens Philharmonic

December 24

12:00 (noon)

Balkon Swing 

December 26

19:30 (7:30 pm)

Cultural Association of Neas Mesimvrias

December 27

18:00 (6:00 pm)

Athens Philharmonic

December 28

18:00 (6:00 pm)

Athens Philharmonic 

December  31

12:00 (noon)

By Athensguide

How does a little girl from Skokie, Illinois find herself in historical Athens, leading curious explorers through the winding streets of Plaka, down "pezodromos" to hidden ouzeries for tempting mezedhes and homemade barrel wine? The journey began more than twenty years ago, and regardless of whether the wanderlust comes from the spiritual and culture DNA flowing through my veins, or the alignment of the stars on that cold mid-December day this Sagitterian came into the world, I never seem to tire of exploring my adopted homeland of Greece. Here you'll join me as I explore Athens: be it the back streets of Psirri and Gazi, or through the National Gardens and Zappeio where a family of turtles makes their home, or down wide, treelined Imittou Street in Pagrati, which pulses with Athenian life 24 hours a day. And while Athens has stolen my heart, the rest of Greece vies for my curiousity and wanderlust. My two guys (that'd be the Greek God, Vasilis and our Greek dog, Scruffy) and I can often be found settling in for a long weekend in some charming mountain village, or a quaint fishing port on a nearby island, or learning how Greek vitners are producing wines that rival some of Napa Valley's finests productions, or celebrating a panayeri in Epirus or sharing in the festivities as a family of Cretan sheepherders come together to sheer their 1500 sheep in the spring ... And if you happen to find yourself heading to Athens, consider finding yourself a real home for your stay. Living amongst the locals, be it for 3 nights or 3 weeks, will offer you the chance to experience true Athens, beyond the Acropolis. Choose from one of our 5 beautiful penthouse and historical homes, and who knows, I may be leading you down that winding "pezodromo" to our favorite hidden ouzerie!