Christmas

It appears that Greeks are starting to warm to the idea of Christmas holidays abroad again, with belt-tightening having prevented many from doing so over the years of the financial crisis. This is partly due to the rise in hotel rates in various parts of Greece that has rendered several foreign destinations more competitive.

Five days before Christmas on December 20 the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honors Saint Ignatius the God-bearer (Saint Ignatius of Antioch), quoted by the Bulgarian National Radio. 

St Paul's Anglican Church is holding its popular annual sing-along Christmas service from 8 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, December 16. There will be carols and songs for all the family, as well as mulled wine and stollen (there is a small charge for this).

Bulgarian households will spend up to 25% of their monthly incomes for Christmas-New Year's gifts, according to the FERATUM Group 2018 Christmas Barometer, conducted in 19 countries. It places Bulgaria at fourth place on planned expenses for the upcoming holidays.

Christmas and New Year approach. Bulgarians are already planning their vacations during the holidays and booking their trips. But how are we going to rest this year?
 
The bigger cluster of non-working days is around Christmas. Officially they will be on 24, 25 and 26 December. However, festivities for many may begin on 22 December - Saturday.
 

Don't miss Campion School's Christmas Bazaar, which will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 9. This year's bazaar will be a family day full of wonderful seasonal food, terrific children's games and musical entertainment, along with the chance to do some early Christmas gift shopping.

Campion School, Aghias Ioulianis, Pallini, tel 210.607.1700

Today, on November 30, 2018 (Friday) in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture, the lights of the festive Christmas tree of Sofia will be lit. 

Christmas lights on the tree will be turned on at 19:00 local time (EET).

Starting 17:00, a series of concerts and musical performances will take place on a stage put up next to the tree. 

After attracting more than 3,000 visitors last year, the St Paul's Anglican Church annual Christmas Bazaar is back, with a taste of all things British - from Christmas crackers and gifts to homemade marmalades, jams and chutneys, and from tea and teapots to calendars - as well as toys, books and Christmas cards, decorations, jewelry and quality used clothing. The event takes place from 11 a.m.

Tonight, the German Christmas Market in Sofia will be opened in front of the National Theater. The tradition of this type of celebrations arose in Germany and Austria more than 500 years ago. It is much shorter in our country - it's only the eighth edition, reported the Bulgarian National Television.

As season's greetings are just around the corner, some housewives in Turkey's southern province of Antalya are busy making a large number of wreaths for Christmas and New Year celebrations.