Greek Saturday School students bake Christmas sweets and sing carols in Greek

Students at the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Saturday Schools swapped textbooks for aprons this week, turning their classrooms into makeshift bakeries as they learned to make two classic Greek Christmas sweets — kourabiedes and melomakarona.

The hands-on lesson was delivered in collaboration with pastry chef Fay from Cake on the Road in Clemton Park, who guided Preschool to Year 4 students through rolling dough, shaping trays of biscuits and understanding the cultural stories behind the festive treats.

Flour-covered tables and bursts of laughter filled the room as the children, dressed in Christmas outfits, embraced the messy work of baking.

Between batches, students broke into a Greek rendition of Jingle Bells.

Parents watched on as their children learned about Greek Christmas traditions through practical cooking.

For many, it was a chance to see heritage language and culture come alive.

“This was the best day ever! I had no idea making kourabiedes could be so much fun — and so messy!” said young student Konstantinos, grinning beneath a dusting of icing sugar.

Nikos Skordas described the initiative as an important link between language learning and cultural identity.

“It is truly wonderful that the Greek Orthodox Community continues to maintain and sustain our Greek culture and language,” he said.

“Bringing real-life cultural traditions into the classroom helps our children understand, feel and live their heritage.”

Chef Fay said she was delighted to be part of the program.

“Keeping our cultural traditions alive — especially at Christmas — is so important,” she said.

“Teaching children how to make these sweets is more than a recipe; it’s a connection to family, memory and identity.”

Once the baking was complete, students sampled their creations, enjoying fresh, still-warm sweets— a moment that drew envious glances from teachers and older students across the Saturday Schools.

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Education School Committee, School Principal and teachers extended warm Christmas wishes to families and thanked them for their support throughout the year.