Three generations. Three unique perspectives. One enduring bond. The Tragellis-Alepidis women, each with their own Christmas memories, have woven a beautiful tapestry of tradition, love, and family.
From the old-world charm of Greece to the vibrant spirit of Australia, their stories offer a glimpse into the evolution of Christmas celebrations across generations.
Sotiria’s Christmas journey
Sotiria Tragellis, a spirited soul, brought a piece of Greece to frosty Melbourne when she arrived in 1965. Growing up in Mytilene, Christmas was a magical time filled with family, food, and the cozy glow of a crackling fire. She and her seven siblings, five girls and two boys, would huddle together, listening to tales of the Virgin Mary and the birth of Christ.
Her first Christmas in Australia was a stark contrast to the festive celebrations she was used to.
“I wanted to buy a ticket and go straight back home. I missed my parents so much,” she recalls.
But she adapted to her new surroundings, embracing Australian traditions; like her first Christmas barbecue with her sisters and their firstborn sons and her brother.
Two years later, Sotiria met her husband, Michael Tragellis, and began building a family. As her family grew, so did the Christmas celebrations. Their home would fill with the aroma of Greek cuisine and the laughter of children. Christmas morning was a flurry of excitement as her daughters gleefully unwrapped presents, always practical items like shoes and clothes.
Despite the distance from her homeland, Sotiria kept Greek traditions alive. She prepared traditional Greek dishes, attended mass, and shared stories with her children.
“Later, my parents also came. My brother married a woman from Castoria, and my sisters married two Egyptian Greeks. We all got together at different houses and celebrated while the cousins played outside,” she says. “We were a close family.”
Rally blends traditions
Rally, Sotiria’s daughter, grew up experiencing a unique blend of Greek and Australian Christmas traditions. She remembers Christmases playing cricket with her cousins, a quintessential summer sport.
“One of my earliest memories is our first Christmas in our new home in Preston. We visited my dad’s aunt, and I was amazed by the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. It was magical,” she says.
Growing up in a predominantly Greek Australian neighbourhood and attending a school made up of 95 per cent Greek students, Rally felt a sense of belonging.
“Initially we exchanged gifts on New Year’s Eve, as was the Greek custom, but that slowly moved to Christmas,” she explains.
The Australian Christmases of her childhood are the most vivid, however Rally spent four Christmases in Mytilene where she started primary school.
“I don’t have many memories of those years however, I do remember going door-to-door carol singing and collecting money. I went to the shop and bought things for my sister and myself,” she recalls.
Many years later, aged 19, she returned to Mytilene for the holidays. The island was filled with festive cheer and Rally was swept away by yuletide magic.
“I reconnected with my old classmate and neighbour, Michael, and within 27 days we were betrothed,” she says. Looking back, she says it was whirlwind infatuation that strengthened to love.
Back in Australia, Rally’s mum was overjoyed that her daughter married her best friend’s son and not some ‘xeno’ (foreigner). Together, Rally and Michael built a life together, raising two children.
“We’ve adapted to Australian customs, but we still hold onto our Greek heritage,” Rally says, with Christmas and Easter celebrations switching between her and her sister’s houses.
Church has not been as central but feasting and family time is as strong as ever. Another tweak to Rally’s Christmas was ensuring her children received two sets of gifts, including one from Santa himself.
Marianna adds multiculturalism
Marianna, Rally’s daughter, recalls a not-so-pleasant memory down a supermarket aisle when her mother decided she had had enough of buying Santa presents.
“It was the Hiroshima of killing childhood dreams,” Marianna says of her mother telling her 7-year-old brother there was no tooth fairy, no Easter bunny – and no Santa Claus. “She just dropped it all at once, and laughed as my brother wept in my arms.”
Marianna consoled her brother in the middle of aisle 5, but she can rattle a whole heap of happy bonding moments. There was the time when she found an old box that she turned into a Christmas tree with face cut-outs.
“I was the star and he was the tree,” she laughs.
Another time, she was obsessed with a fairy costume gifted to her during the holidays.
“It was never just about the gifts, but the joy and surprise of unwrapping,” she says.
“By the time I went to school, it was very multicultural, and we learnt about each others’ traditions. Some children opted out of anything related to Christmas and that was okay.”
In Year 6, Marianna went on a family vacation to Greece for a wedding.
“I loved singing door-to-door carols, but I didn’t like the cold, waiting for New Year’s to unwrap presents and my birthday… in winter!” she says.
Her Welsh partner, Ash, finds it strange celebrating in the Aussie heat, but Marianna would have it no other way.
“I try to learn traditions from Wales to incorporate into our Greek Christmas,” she says.
Ash has not only embraced her family’s traditions but lives in yiayia Sotiria’s Malvern home with Marianna while their apartment is under construction. From not wanting a ‘xeno’ in the house, Sotiria has come full circle in her attitude and wells up at the thought of Marianna and Ash moving.
The family is a textbook case of an evolving migrant story. Over the years, they have created a unique and meaningful celebration that honours Greek heritage and Australian lifestyle. And the story continues.
