Cyprus Mail 23 December 2024 - by Alix Norman
‘Let’s hop on a flight to Paphos just to see the Christmas illuminations!’ said no visitor ever
We have snow. We have fir trees. And we have Christmas markets – which are so overwhelmingly popular that Fikardou often ends up gridlocked every weekend in December!
But is that enough? Is Cyprus actually a Christmassy sort of place?
Well no, not according to the FESTYX index. Developed and published by microeconomics consultancy Frontier Economics, this (slightly tongue-in-cheek) measure ranks 28 European nations according to their Christmas factor. And, though we only see the total score for each country, we are told which criteria are evaluated to discover who has the most festive spirit…
First up is the Number of Public Holidays Over the Festive Period factor – and there, we probably soar! Cyprus has the most public holidays of any country on the continent, and certainly keeps this up through the winter months.
It’s likely the same for Flight Increase. Though we would certainly do better in summer, we do see a fair number of family returning to the island in December, and that probably stands us in good stead.
And you could probably bet on the fact that we’re doing well in the Generosity category: Cyprus has long been known for its kindness towards others, and charitable works abound at this time of year.
On the other hand we’re probably falling down on Chance of Snow at Christmas (Troodos is not the Alps!); on ‘Percentage Forestation’ (Cyprus scores fourth from lowest in Europe, ahead of Denmark but well behind Finland which top the ranks with 66 per cent forested); and on Locally Produced Christmas Films on Netflix (name one!).
There’s also a chance we’re not doing brilliantly on Production of Christmas Goods (we’re more of a services island) or Happiness Index (having fallen four places to 50th globally in 2024).
Meanwhile, our Proportional Energy Use (basically the increase in electricity between December 20 and 30 compared with the rest of the year) is probably fairly low – mostly because this is a warmer country, though cost may play a large part.
So who does top the festive FESTYX index? And is Cyprus the least Christmassy country on the continent?
Well, as you’d expect, the northern European countries do the best, Central Europe comes in the middle, and the southerly nations fill up the lower ranks.
Finland, the UK and Sweden rank first through third, followed by Austria, Denmark and Ireland. Germany (despite being the home of both the Tannenbaum and the original Christmas markets) doesn’t appear until seventh place. And the top 10 rounds out with Luxembourg, Estonia and finally France.
The first southern nation doesn’t appear until 16th (Italy), and the bottom five nations are almost exclusively Mediterranean – Greece falls 27th out of 28, only just beating out Croatia in last place.
It’s hardly a surprise: down here in the Med, we can’t compete with the frosty winters and cosy traditions of northern Europe. (Though just you wait till summer!) We have traditions associated with barbeques by the beach, not mulled wine by the fire. Our holiday season may well be filled with family and feasts – but skating on frozen rivers while knocking back Glühwein? That’s not us! Come December 25, you’ll find us roasting souvla in our tshirts!
It’s also worth noting that a generous dose of disposable income fuels the northern European festive shopping sprees and elaborate decorations cited in the Christmassy index. In Southern Europe, meanwhile, despite the more usual 13th salary (perhaps at attempt to make up for lower year-round wages!), we have to do more with less.
And then, of course, there’s religion.
In Southern Europe, Christmas traditions are often more solemn and grounded in religious observance rather than the festive consumerism that features on the FESTYX index. Strongly Catholic or Orthodox countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal, place a stronger emphasis on religious rituals and gatherings: Midnight Mass rather than market madness; Epiphany over economic excess.
And always, Easter over Christmas. In the south, Easter is the big one: a celebration of rebirth and renewal; a cornerstone of community.
In Cyprus, the entire island comes alive each spring: this is our time for feasting, family and faith, with traditions passed down through generations. Here, mince pies are far less important than flaounas; candles are more meaningful than tinsel. Hymns replace carols; midnight mass replaces mass consumerism. And our red eggs of Easter are more precious to us than any festive bauble!
All of which means that Cyprus, the most southerly place in Europe, ranks 23rd in terms of Christmasiness!
Honestly, that’s pretty good. Though better known for our beach bars than sleigh bells, Cyprus is certainly holding its own in the festive stakes. We come just below Bulgaria (a land of snow-dusted mountains and icy rivers), and only a couple of points behind the Netherlands (a place that prides itself on twinkling canal parades and glowing holiday markets).
And while no tourist is particularly likely to associate Cyprus with Christmas (‘Let’s hop a flight to Paphos just to see the Christmas illuminations!’ said no visitor ever), we do have one huge advantage over every other European nation…
It’s not listed in the FESTYX index, and – despite what we see in nativity scenes – it doesn’t involve Christmas trees, reindeer or snow. But, out of all the countries in Europe, Cyprus does lie closer to the true heart of Christmas than anywhere else.
Finland may be the most Christmassy place on the continent. But it’s still 3,400km from Bethlehem – the town where it all began. Meanwhile, Cyprus is a mere 300km distant – by far the closest place in Europe to the real reason for the season.
That’s worth celebrating, right?
