All About Christmas in Egypt

Like in other countries of the world, Christmas is also celebrated in Egypt with great gusto. It is considered to be one of the major festivals of the people living in Egypt. The Egyptians wear new clothes on this auspicious day, pay a visit to the church, prepare mouthwatering Christmas recipes at home, bake their favorite cakes and cookies, and also throw Christmas parties at home in which they invite some of their close friends and relatives. Christmas in Egypt is the time when people express their feelings and emotions for their near and dear ones. So if you are planning to spend your vacation in Egypt this year during Christmas, then have a look at how Christmas is celebrated in Egypt so that you can plan your vacation accordingly and enjoy each and every moment of your stay in this exotic place.

An Overview of Christmas in Egypt

The regional culture that prevails in different parts of the country has great influence on the traditions of Christmas. Unlike in most of the other countries of the world where Christmas is celebrated on 25th of December every year, in Coptic Church which is regarded as an Orthodox Church, it is celebrated on 7th of January. The forty day period prior to Christmas is called as the Advent season in Egypt. These forty days is considered to be an important period for the people in Egypt because during this period, people do not have dairy products, poultry products as well as meat.

On Christmas, it is a tradition among the Egyptians to wear new bright colored clothes and visit the church. The church is beautifully decorated with the help of different types of lamps and candles and looks very beautiful particularly during the night. At midnight, you will hear the sound of night bells which mark the end of Christmas services. Thereafter, people assemble in order to get the ‘Gurban’, which is a special type of bread. There is a Holy Cross in the middle of the bread and twelve dots. These dots symbolize the twelve apostles. After this, people return to their homes and enjoy a luxurious meal with their family members. This meal, called as Fata, comprises meat in boiled form, bread, garlic and rice.

As part of Christmas in Egypt, people visit the houses of their close friends, relatives and neighbors on Christmas day and carry ‘Shorbat’, which is a type of drink, and ‘Kaik’, which is a kind of shortbread.

Overall, it can be said that Christmas in Egypt is celebrated by the people with great fun and enthusiasm every year. So while planning for a trip to Egypt with your family, you must keep in mind to book your tickets as well as hotels well in advance so that you are not left in the lurch at the last moment.