A very old custom that is lost in the depths of the years is being revived every Christmas Eve in Zakynthos, from every family on the island. From early in the morning of Christmas Eve, the housewives of each house knead the bun in the traditional way, in wooden vessels and using flour, which they mix with many aromatic herbs, walnuts, raisins, wine and oil.

During the kneading, the housewives who knead the roll place a coin inside it, which they call “calm”.

Red wine, broccoli soup and of course the “Zakynthian Christmas roll”, dominate the festive table that is set up on the evening of the eve, with the whole family on it.

Before the roll is cut, the whole family gathers round the hearth, and the eldest has a glass containing oil with wine.

The eldest man of the family takes the disk with the roll in his hands, then all the members of the family rest their hands on the disk.

The tray with the roll is transferred over the fire to the lit fireplace. There the head of the family crosses her three times and pours olive oil over her, chanting the well-known apolytyk “Your Birth, Christ…”.

Then the younger members of the family with rifles in their hands fire into the air, signaling the joyous news of Christ’s Birth. Then the wishes begin.

The roll returns to the table, and there the head of the family begins to cut the pieces. The first belongs to Christ, the second to the poor, the third to the house and then to the members of the family, to whom it is distributed in order of age.

Next, dinner, where there is always anxiety to see on which member will the “calm” fall while usually the family stays at the table until 12 to celebrate the Nativity of the God-Man.