Saint Basil's Boats dazzle Chios (video)

As a naval island, Chios in this way honors its sailors and the Greek fleet. This takes place in the central square with groups of children from different districts and their boats. Each group works for months before New Year's Eve to build a navy or commercial boat, which is a scale model of a true ship.

The material of their construction is usually wood and along with the construction of the boat the children of each group prepare the "penemata." These are poems that are like carols and contain wishes for sailors' houses and satire of the times, usually concering political events. Each team, composed of the captain and the crew, presents its boat and begins to sing the songs. The best team is rewarded and then with their ornamented boat make the rounds of the neighborhoods and fill the atmosphere with its festive melodies.