Christmas and holiday season

Greek consumers proved active during the festive period, the sector's most important, with a preference for sports as well as more festive items, market insiders note.

Nearly one in five Greek consumers have fallen victim to online shopping scams during holiday seasons, a survey conducted by the Swedish financial services company Klarna showed.

"Consumers have to be especially careful when shopping online, as there is danger of falling victim to online frauds by suspicious outlets," said Ilias Pitsavos, the head of Klarna's Greek division.

Winter sales kicked off this Monday, running through the end of February. Additionally, stores will extend their opening hours on Sundays, specifically on January 14 and January 21, 2024.

This season's winter sales will start on Monday, January 8 and last until the end of February. 

As on the first Sunday of every sales window, stores will be open next Sunday, January 14.

"It appears that the forecast for the turnover of the retail market in December - that it will exceed last year's 3.83 billion euros and peak at above €4 billion - is going to prove accurate, while the consumers' preferences regarding gifts remained the same, with clothing and footwear in first place, followed by gift items, toys and cosmetics," the president of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce

As Bulgarians mark Christmas Eve on December 24, it signifies not just the day before the birth of the Son of God but also a cherished occasion for family gatherings and time-honored customs. Today holds special significance as it marks the culmination of the Christmas fast, a 40-day spiritual journey observed by many.

Istanbul clinched the second position among Europe's most brilliantly illuminated Christmas cities in the month of December, according to research conducted by a U.K.-based company that focussed on the utilization of outdoor artificial lights during nighttime.

In anticipation of the festive season, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced bolstered security measures set to fortify key locations across Sofia. The press center of the Ministry disclosed plans to intensify police presence at pivotal hubs, aiming to ensure public safety during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

With New Year's Eve around the corner, the occupancy rate in hotels in Türkiye's tourism hotspot of Antalya has already exceeded 80 percent.

As of Tuesday, retail opening hours have been extended so that consumers can do their shopping with greater ease ahead of Christmas. 

The Athens Trade Association has proposed the following opening hours for stores in the capital for the 2023 Christmas holidays.