Chios Island and Its Interesting New Year Tradition

We are all familiar with the various rituals and traditions practiced during the New Year. We researched New Year traditions related to seafaring and decided to share our favorite with you. Did you know that on Chios Island, ship models are decorated instead of Christmas trees during the New Year? It is said that this tradition developed in the neighborhoods where low-income people lived during the Genoese period in 1225, and gained further importance with the immigrants who came to Turkey during World War I and in 1922.
To keep the tradition alive, a ship race is held in the city square of Chios Island on New Year’s Eve. After the award ceremony, the ships are paraded through the streets of the island while New Year’s songs are sung. The ship models are then displayed in specific locations around the city until the next race.