Five Musical Christmas Traditions from the Mediterranean Basin

The Mediterranean is not usually covered in snow like other parts of the world. However, the arrival of Christmas can also be announced through music. December and January fill squares, streets, and homes with songs that blend folklore and communal celebration, passed down from generation to generation. From bagpipes and zambombas to children’s choirs going from house to house, these traditions reflect a way of understanding Christmas that is deeply tied to the territory. We bring you five Christmas musical traditions from the Mediterranean basin that continue to be heard every winter.

Italy – Zampognari

The zampognari are groups of traditional musicians, mainly from southern and central Italy, named after the zampogna, a traditional Italian bagpipe. Accompanied by this instrument, they sing canti di Natale in public spaces such as squares, churches, and markets.

Although the zampogna was formerly used in various folkloric contexts, today its sound is associated with the festive season. One of the most well-known carols is Tu scendi dalle stelle.

The Levant – Eid il-Burbara

Saint Barbara’s Day is celebrated on December 4 or 17 by Christians in countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, as well as by some Alawite Muslim communities. Adults and children dress up and go around their villages in commemoration of the saint who hid among wheat fields to escape the Romans.

Symbolically, wheat seeds (or other grains) are planted in cotton. Children sing the song Hashli Barbara (هاشلي بربارة), which tells the story of the saint.

Spain – Zambombas

Zambombas (not “zambombás” nor “zambombadas”) are a tradition specific to the Andalusian towns of Jerez de la Frontera and Arcos de la Frontera. Their name comes from the instrument that accompanies all the carols sung during these festivities: the zambomba. Residents of Jerez and Arcos take to the streets—or to their religious brotherhoods, if they belong to one—to sing around the fire.

One of the most famous carols is La virgen gitana, probably the most fun to sing because of its “call and response” element. With the growing popularity of zambombas, similar events have started to appear in other cities of Andalusia and even in other parts of Spain. Still, to experience them in their essence, one must visit the two towns where they originated.

Portugal – As Janeiras

Singing “as janeiras” is a Portuguese tradition celebrated from January 1 to 6. Neighbors go from house to house singing carols, accompanied by guitars and tambourines, announcing the birth of Jesus and wishing a happy new year.

Traditionally, singers were given leftovers from Christmas feasts or other foods like chestnuts, though nowadays chocolate or money is usually given. The songs themselves vary from region to region, from group to group, and even depending on who is singing them, often incorporating improvisation or shared themes of good fortune and prosperity, rather than having fixed lyrics like a other Christmas songs. 

Greece – Kalanta

Like much of Greek musical folklore, the kalanta seems to originate from the Byzantine era, which is why it is sung in the formal variant of the language.

According to tradition, children go out into the streets, knocking on doors to sing carols to their neighbors. They are accompanied by small instruments such as triangles or drums. The best-known song is Kalanta Christougenon, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus.

WE WISH YOU HAPPY HOLIDAYS!