The kalikantzari are malevolent goblins that are believed to dwell underground but come to the surface during the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 through to January 6 (from the winter solstice). Most Greeks imagine them as tall, black and hairy with burning red eyes, donkeys’ ears, monkeys’ arms and tongues that hang out.

These little black devils come out at night to wreak havoc in people’s homes. They are afraid of daylight. People can protect themselves by leaving a colander on their doorstep to trick the visiting kalikantzaroi. The kalikantzaroi originated in antiquity out of an ancient belief that the souls in Hades found the door open and came up to the world during the winter solstice.

Later, the Byzantines celebrated with music, song and masquerading. They bothered people on the street and would go into homes uninvited, pestering people. They leave the earth with the blessing of the waters during Epiphany. As they depart they say: “Leave we shall, because the crazy priest has arrived with his incense burner andh is holy water sprinkler.”

They scamper back to the depths of the underworld to chop up the tree that holds up the earth…