Traditions
Save Sofia NGO: Bulgaria's Capital Again Gloomy and Drab for Christmas and New Year
For yet another year, Sofia's Christmas decorations are more than miserable. The municipality relies on private companies to take out the old and unappealing garlands for advertising purposes, so that there is at least some feeling of the brightest holidays ahead. In recent years, nothing has changed - the decoration is banal, tasteless, inconspicuous and the same for years.
Press 6 for holiday gatherings, says government spokesman
Citizens who will choose to share their Christmas day or New Year's lunch with family or friends should send an SMS with the number 6 to leave their home, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Tuesday, but warned against widening the social bubble during the festive season.
Turkey’s traditional strategy game added to UNESCO list
Mangala, a Turkish intelligence and strategy board game that is usually played by two persons or in groups, has been added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
With this inscription, the number of Turkey's cultural elements inscribed on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage has reached 20.
Art of miniature added to UNESCO list
Turkish Foreign Ministry praised UNESCO for adding "art of miniature" to their Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Dec. 16.
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Cultural heritage inventory records in Turkey rose to 294
Some 180 cultural and artistic values in a wide range from Turkish culinary culture to traditional arts have been added to Turkey's national inventory of the intangible cultural heritage, raising the count to 294.
Government publishes rules for holiday gatherings, churches
The rules based on which citizens will celebrate the holiday season and churches will operate were published in the government gazette on Tuesday.
Based on the law, which will be in effect from December 13 to January 7, 2021, gatherings at homes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day will be limited to a maximum of nine people from two families.
Consumers to spend 34% less this Xmas
Consumers are set to spend an average of 34% less this festive season, which practically means that a third of Christmas turnover will be lost this year, according to a survey conducted by the Association of Business and Retail Sales of Greece (SELPE).
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Government announces limited reopening measures for Christmas holidays
The government on Friday announced limited reopening measures for the Christmas holidays amid pressure from the country's high epidemiological burden.
Retailers will operate in the form of online ordering and collections from the store, without customers entering the stores (known as curbside pick-up or click-and-collect service) from December 13 - January 7.
Seasonal stores open for business
A woman browses Christmas decoration products in a shop in central Athens on Monday. Seasonal shops selling festive decorations were allowed to open 18 days ahead of Christmas, and have been excluded from the lockdown on retail stores that has been in place since November 7. The seasonal stores are open from 7 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. Also as of Monday, supermarkets are also selling Christmas items.
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Christmas trees await a home while growers fret
At the time of year when most families usually start decorating their homes for the holiday season, Christmas trees are lined up at the Pedion tou Areos park in central Athens by growers hoping citizens will rise to the occasion.
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