There is a wide array of Greek songs for Christmas today, ranging from traditional songs of Greek music to popular alternative versions of known foreign songs and Greek funny or instrumental songs.
Of course, the first thing that comes to our mind when referring to Greek songs for Christmas and New Year are the Greek Christmas Carols and the New Year Carols. These are songs indispensably associated with the festivities and the spirit of Christmas days. There is a vast range of traditional carols (kalanta) sung in different regions of Greece; actually, each region sings a slightly different version of Carols, paying tribute to local habits and customs.
Traditional Greek music for Christmas is performed by groups and choirs, such as the Typaldos choir, but you can also find some magnificent renderings of carols from artists such as Domna Samiou.
The album “Ellinika Kalanta” (Greek Carols) originally released in 1974 with traditional performers such as Kiki Kapsaki and Giannis Tsiamoulis, is still one of the best selling Christmas songs album.
Modern Greek Songs for Christmas
Except for the Carols, there are modern Greek songs for Christmas, which are either new, or a different version of the already known songs. For instance, Kostas Tournas has performed the “White Christmas” that we know originally by Frank Sinatra, while Sophia Vossou has performed the “Silent Night” by Machalia Jackson.
Christmas songs from abroad cover a wide range of genres from pop to rock and jazz, and the Greek versions offer a similar variety of choices for all tastes – listen to Agia nyhta by Anna Vissi for instance. It is also possible to find some truly well appointed productions and others that just rely on the Christmas frenzy and consumerism without paying much attention to detail or quality.
Pop singers have also contributed to the Christmas tradition, either performing known Christmas sons with Greek lyrics, such as Rudolf to Elafaki (Rudolf the Reindeer) or We wish you a Merry Christmas, with Helena Paparizou. Some of the pop singers who have performed Greek songs for Christmas are Christos Dantis, Michalis Hatzigiannis, Anna Vissi, Kaiti Garbi, Despoina Vandi and more.
Haris and Panos Katsimichas also released an album a few years ago, called, “I agelasti politeia kai oi kalikantzaroi.” (The Mirthless State and the Elves” ). Greeks do like listening to foreign Christmas songs, especially when performed by great singers such as Sinatra, Fidgerald or Armostrong.
Some popular Greek songs for Christmas are:
- Lampis Livieratos – Ta Hristougenna horis esena
- Thanos Petrelis – Simera ta Fota
- Efi Sarri – Christougenna Protochronia
- Glykeria – San Xristougenna
- Antzi Samiou – Ta pio glyka Xristougenna
- Konstantinos Xristoforou – Einai Xristougenna
- Thanos Kalliris – Ta Xristougenna me sena
- Tamta – Efxes apo t’ asteria
- Eirini Merkouri – Agie mou Vassili
- Despina Vandi – Kalanta
- Sakis Rouvas – Chronia polla
- Thanos Kalliris – Xristougenna ksana
- Konstantinos Xristoforou – Xristougenna xoris esena
- Foivos Delivorias – Hristougenna
- Imiskoubria – Christougenna Simainei
- Filoi Gia Panta – Xronia polla
- Michalis Hatzigiannis – Mistletoe and Wine
- Mixalis Xatzigiannis – Protoxronia protominia
- Manos Pyrovalakis – I allagi tou xronou
- Notis Sfakianakis – H mpalanta ton Xristougennon
Greek Christmas songs for children
Greek Christmas songs for children are extremely popular. Listen to Trigona Kalanta, a popular Greek Christmas song for children.
The music industry experts report that every year the best sellers are the albums with Christmas songs for children. Most of these albums are available since early November in the stores, and their sales are relatively high towards Christmas. They usually come in attractive packages, with many drawings and pictures.
Some of them contain songs performed by children and groups of young singers, while other ones include great instrumental and vocal pieces performed by renowned artists, such as Giorgos Katsaros who released an album with Carols for children, played on the sax!