If you have spent your childhood in Athens in the past decades, then you certainly have some characteristic memories. One of them would be traffic wardens in their canopies.
There, under their “barrels” in Kifissia and in Syntagma Square one could see a multitude of gifts on Christmas days. A special custom, very characteristic of the Old Athens. Identified with the Christmas and New Year holidays. The offer of gifts is maintained to this day. The most well-known traffic warden was definitely that of Kifissia Square.
The traffic wardens in Athens at that time were very dear persons to the people. They regulated traffic while giving information to anyone who needed it. As mentioned in the album “Greece of Toil 1900-1960” (Nikos Politis Collection, Rizarios Foundation – Stavros Niarchos Foundation) the custom was started by the pre-war mayor Costas Kotzias. It was On New Year’s Day of 1936 when he first put his gift at the feet of a traffic warden. It was two turkeys.
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Where did all these gifts end up?
And if you think those gifts were taken by the lucky guy on shift, you’re wrong. All gifts were transferred to the traffic police. After the end of the holidays, there was a draw and they were distributed to all the staff. Some years there was so much that no one was complaining. And the gifts had to be transported by van every few hours. The quantities were so large that often the traffic warden could hardly see.
The custom concerning the gifts to the traffic wardens began to decline slowly. After the establishment of the first traffic lights in Athens, the role of the traffic wardens began to be limited. Today we only meet them where there is a traffic jam…
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Frequently Asked Questions
The custom of giving gifts to traffic wardens in old Athens was a beloved holiday tradition, particularly during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Gifts were placed at the feet of traffic wardens who worked in their distinctive canopies across the city, especially in Kifissia and Syntagma Square. This practice began on New Year's Day of 1936 when Athens Mayor Costas Kotzias initiated the tradition by gifting two turkeys to a traffic warden.
The tradition of giving gifts to traffic wardens in Athens started on New Year's Day of 1936. Pre-war mayor Costas Kotzias initiated this custom by presenting two turkeys to a traffic warden. The practice quickly became established and was maintained for many decades, becoming a characteristic custom of old Athens during the holiday season.
Traffic wardens in old Athens received a wide variety of gifts including drinks, food, fabrics, electrical appliances, and even sacks with mosaic pebbles. Companies also participated in the tradition as a way to advertise their products. The quantities of gifts were often so large that they had to be transported by van every few hours, and traffic wardens could sometimes hardly see from their canopies due to the abundance of presents.
The gifts given to traffic wardens in old Athens were not kept by the individual on duty. Instead, all gifts were collected and transferred to the traffic police. After the holidays ended, a draw was held to distribute the gifts among all staff members fairly. Due to the large quantities of gifts some years, everyone received substantial presents and no one complained about the distribution.
The custom of giving gifts to traffic wardens in Athens began to decline slowly after traffic lights were introduced in the city. As traffic lights became more prevalent, the role and importance of traffic wardens diminished significantly. Today, traffic wardens are primarily seen only in areas experiencing traffic congestion, and the once-popular gift-giving tradition has largely faded away as their presence has become less central to Athens' traffic management.
