by Eleni Helmi-Markezini

I love traditions and that’s why I keep them. I love everything old. Old houses, old furniture, old books and every object, even the most insignificant, because it hides a story inside that it wants to tell you. As long as you want to hear it.

I wouldn’t say I’m young, but I’m proud to feel young. I believe that every age has its charms. You just have to know how to find them and live them out properly.

I love Christmas. But every year my mind goes back to the Christmas of my childhood with the huge tree dominating the large living room. We used to set it up every Christmas Eve near the fireplace. My mother, my brother and I took care of the decorations, while at the end my father set up the nativity scene with the Virgin Mary, Joseph and the baby Christ, the donkeys, the wise men and everything else. This collection of clay and in a fairly large size had been sent by a friend of my father from Germany after the war. At the end the candles came in. My father did not like lights but real small candles. So when the lights went out the lit small candles gave their own light along with the wood that rattled in the lit fireplace. Christmas music accompanied the family while Vasilis and I hung up the stockings for Santa Claus before going to bed.

But today I will focus on that Christmas of 1964, when I was 16. A few days before, I had received my first personal invitation as Miss Eleni M….To attend the Christmas reveillon in an old Athenian house in Psychiko. The newlywed Royal couple with the Queen Mother Frederica and Princess Irene would attend this same reveillon. My joy was great. They would sew my first long evening dress. I would acquire a cute white etol for the occasion. As much as I was looking forward to that night, my brother was complaining that he had to accompany me! Always against such events.
The invitation said for soupe, that is, after 11 pm. My heart was beating fast as the car approached the house. Lights, decorations and lots of police. The hosts were standing at the entrance with their children welcoming the guests. In the background, a live orchestra could be heard that had already started playing dance music. The first guests had already arrived. Ladies of the then Athenian society, nicely dressed, elegant gentlemen in tuxedos talking loudly while holding a glass of champagne. I knew most of them, and I had to greet them. In the background, young girls and boys a little older than me were gathering near the buffet. Some were chatting, others had already started dancing. The high-ranking guests arrived last. A small circle was formed around them while we all slowly approached to greet them. My eyes fell on the young and beautiful queen, who was already starting to show her first pregnancy. The evening went beautifully. I drank my first champagne, danced and slowly I started to feel more comfortable.

Since that night, 60 years have passed. I have been to many reveillons, more or less nice, in many parts of the world. But I remember none as vividly as the one of my 16 years!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
With my best regards
E.H.M