Christmas shops in Greece to open from Monday December 7

As of Monday December 7, Christmas retail stores will be allowed to operate, Greece's Ministry of Development and Investment announced on Thursday.

Christmas decorations and other items relating to the holiday season, will also be allowed in supermarkets.

According to the announcement, details regarding opening hours and the way these stores will operate will be announced on Friday by the Secretary-General for Trade and Consumer Protection Panagiotis Stampoulidis.

Citizens wanting to shop from these stores from Monday, should send the code 2 to 13033.

SMS 13033 for movement during lockdown

The SMS to 13033 should be formatted as follows: X (one of the digits 1-6 corresponding to the activities below), name, surname and address.

The six reasons (you must SMS) are:

1. Visit to a pharmacy or visit to a doctor if necessary
2. Visit to a supermarket or stores for essential supplies
3. Visit to a bank if e-banking transactions are not possible
4. Visit to people needing assistance or escorting children to and from school
5. Attending a funeral, as per the conditions provided by the law, or visiting children in case of divorced parents
6. Physical exercise outdoors or up to two persons taking their pet for a walk while always observing a 1.5-metre distance.

Second lockdown extended until December 14

At the same time, Greece's second lockdown has been extended until 6:00 on Monday, December 14.

According to government spokesperson Stelios Petsas, the number of cases was stabilising but at a slower rate than expected.

He said that extending the general restrictions was deemed necessary as the epidemiological load continues to be high.

"Protecting public health and human life remains a priority," he added.

Christmas shines bright at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

The Christmas World at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) came alive on Tuesday December 1.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop the Christmas decorations from shining bright, spreading cheer, hope, joy and love.

Spectators from all over Greece and abroad watched the event online. It was a spectacular celebration for all!