Aghios Vassilis St. Basil
The Greeks celebrate the midwinter holidays on January 1, St. Basil’s Day.
As home of the Eastern Orthodox Church rather than the Catholic Church, Greece was not subject to the forces that formed the Christmas holidays under Catholicism, including the role of St. Nicholas as a Christian gift-giver. The Greeks celebrate the midwinter holidays on January 1, St. Basil’s Day, when Aghios Vassilis, the Greek name for St. Basil, plays the role of Santa Claus.