Paphos Life

Just curious really. I spend a couple of weeks in a nice hotel getting cosseted. On Christmas Eve we will have a big gala dinner, the following morning there will be champagne breakfast, a few of us will probably walk into Kato Paphos and go to the midday mass at Agía Kyriakí. We normally have a late lunch at Muse, and a relaxing evening in the hotel bar!

Do you celebrate Christmas UK style, with turkey, trimmings and so on? Or do you do it differently? Are there any events in the few days before Christmas (or leading up to New Year) that are worth attending in and around Paphos? The reason I ask that is because we have several days there before Christmas this year (flying Wednesday 20th).

Thanks.

We celebrate exactly the same as we would in the UK. The only difference is we are less likely to get sick of the whole affair by December 2nd because we won't have been inundatated by it for a month on the high streets already. Oh and we don't get carol singers.

But Die Hard and Love Actually are watched, just as they are in the UK.

Double post

Same as UK, family are over fom the UK and Holland , so if its sunny they will want sun beds on the beach.

Same as in Holland (as not from UK). Nice Christmas lunch, enjoying Christmas songs, Christmas tree and far better temperatures than in The Netherlands.

Done the hotel thing here in Cyprus at Xmas, fancied a change this year ....off to Rome ....

Belonging to a fairly large group of ex pat friends, usually we would all gather at one house, and each couple would take one course, or other necessity, as agreed. The same applied to Boxing day, but different house. It worked well, and it was just like a usual Christmas day in the UK. Of course the tree was up and the wine flowed, happy days.

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 8:04 am We celebrate exactly the same as we would in the UK. The only difference is we are less likely to get sick of the whole affair by December 2nd because we won't have been inundatated by it for a month on the high streets already. Oh and we don't get carol singers.

But Die Hard and Love Actually are watched, just as they are in the UK.

Good point. It’s so much less frenetic as soon as you land.

WHL wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 8:40 am Same as UK, family are over fom the UK and Holland , so if its sunny they will want sun beds on the beach.

Yep. Last year it rained on Christmas Day, but on lots of other days there was an opportunity to get out on a sunbed for an hour or so.

LouiseCastricum wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 8:59 am …far better temperatures than in The Netherlands.

Lovely for walking and sitting out on a nice day!

Bah! Humbug! The only concession I make to Christmas is that I have duck for dinner and I'll open a good bottle of maratheftiko. Strangely enough, I'll have the same on Boxing Day!

A multicultural dinner at ours with a few friends who would otherwise be on their own. Then feet up with a glass of something. Followed by me nodding off.

Late Christmas dinner for me again this year. Our group of musicians will be entertaining the folks at a local care home in Burbage(Moat House)
& joining us will be a bowling friend & his barbershop quartet. Will miss the nicer weather in Paphos

Christmas for me begins about 12-15th December when the decorations go up in my home.
Every year in the week before Christmas Day I like to drive round Paphos in the evening and see the decorations at the roundabouts and navity scenes in each Municipality centre. During the day I will visit some of the larger hotels and look at their festive decorations - Kings Avenue Mall also on the list.

To make Christmas complete is a festive meal comprising roast turkey, Christmas pudding and sometimes Christmas cake depending on the venue.
I also buy in some reserves just in case Christmas has to be cancelled (as happened during the Covid pandemic) and then have another 'Christmas' in February/March when the weather is particularly bleak and cold.

Just in case nobody has noticed, Christmas has a real meaning; it is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cards, presents, food, drink et cetera. It should not be confused with Saturnalia. By the way, to prevent misinterpretation, I am in no way religious.

WOW! Devil, you are so knowledgeable.

and a true Curmudgeon.

galexinda wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 4:23 pm During the day I will visit some of the larger hotels and look at their festive decorations.

PM if you’re visiting the Aquamare after the 21st - I’ll stand you a coffee if I’m around!

Devil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 5:41 pm Just in case nobody has noticed, Christmas has a real meaning; it is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cards, presents, food, drink et cetera. It should not be confused with Saturnalia. By the way, to prevent misinterpretation, I am in no way religious.

That’s why I go to Mass. And it’s nice to get away from the UK overkill. Not bothered about cards and don’t do presents, but I do enjoy the food and drink!

Devil

My husband and I used to attend St Luke's church in Prodromi. We attended Communion Services and the Carol Service at Christmas. Strangely enough, we lived next door to the then vicar, the Rev Kay Watters.

However, we still enjoyed the more usual Christmas revelries.

Devil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 5:41 pm Just in case nobody has noticed, Christmas has a real meaning; it is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cards, presents, food, drink et cetera. It should not be confused with Saturnalia. By the way, to prevent misinterpretation, I am in no way religious.

The original post was 'Do you celebrate Christmas UK style, with turkey, trimmings and so on? Or do you do it differently? Are there any events in the few days before Christmas (or leading up to New Year) that are worth attending in and around Paphos?'

Not 'What does Christmas mean for you?'

^^^ Not that it matters a great deal, but I was certainly more interested in whether or not expats living in Cyprus still do the traditional UK things at Christmas.

E.g. My Christmas lunch last year was fish soup, garlic prawns and black linguine, and a white chocolate and almond crêpe at Muse. I managed to go through the whole of December without eating turkey, Brussels sprouts, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or mince pies! Can’t stand any of them.

Information here about some of the events taking place in Paphos during December: https://www.facebook.com/pafosmunicipality

Tuppence wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2023 9:04 pm Information here about some of the events taking place in Paphos during December: https://www.facebook.com/pafosmunicipality

Thank you. Looks like quite a few venues are holding carols. The one by the public baths on Christmas Eve could be good.