Christmas in Georgia: The Country That Celebrates on January 7

Christmas in Georgia falls on 7 January, not 25 December. The Georgian Orthodox Church keeps the old Julian calendar, so this season's Christmas Day is Thursday, 7 January 2027, and the night before is when Tbilisi's churches fill for the midnight liturgy.

That single date shapes the whole trip. In Georgia, 25 December is an ordinary working day, New Year's Eve is the night the country really celebrates, and Christmas morning brings the Alilo procession through the capital. Between those dates, Tbilisi stays lit for close to a month and the slopes at Gudauri open for the ski season.

This guide is written for travellers flying in from India. It covers what happens on which date, where the fairs set up, what shuts and when, and how to fit Tbilisi, the Caucasus mountains and Kakheti's wine country into one week.

We plan our Georgia tour packages around these same dates, and the route in this guide follows the one our December groups take from Tbilisi into the mountains and the wine country.

The best window is 20 December to 8 January. A one-week trip should choose between the New Year week, which has the fairs, the fireworks, and the best snow odds, and the Orthodox Christmas week, which has the church services and the Alilo procession. Travellers with two weeks can see both.

If you are still choosing where to spend the holidays, our Christmas & New Year tour packages bring every festive departure from India into one list.

Georgians call them New Year fairs, and that name tells you what to expect. The Georgia Christmas markets are smaller and more local than the timber-hut markets of Vienna or Prague, and they are at their busiest in the last week of December rather than before 25 December.

• Rustaveli Avenue: The main tree goes up outside the Parliament building, and the avenue between Freedom Square and Rose Revolution Square carries most of the Tbilisi Christmas lights. Walk it after 6 pm, when the light installations switch on and families come out.
• Orbeliani Square and Deda Ena Park: In recent seasons, the city's fair stalls have been set up in these two spots, selling hot wine, churchkhela, gozinaki, and handmade decorations. The 2026 venue list is published by Tbilisi City Hall, so confirm it before you plan an evening around one.
• Dry Bridge Market: This open-air flea market by Deda Ena Park runs all year, but in December it becomes the best place for gifts that cannot be found at home. Look for Svanetian felt hats, cloisonné enamel jewelry, and Soviet-era badges, and bargain politely.
• Old Tbilisi after dark: Take the cable car from Rike Park up to Narikala Fortress around sunset. From the ramparts, the lit Peace Bridge, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the sulphur-bath domes of Abanotubani sit in one frame, and this is the view that photographs best on a clear December evening.

The Georgian Orthodox Church never moved to the Gregorian calendar, and the Julian calendar now runs 13 days behind it. That is why Orthodox Christmas in Georgia is on January 7, and why Georgians also mark an "Old New Year" on the night of 13 January. It is one of the more unusual entries among New Year traditions around the world, and visitors who stay into mid-January get a second, quieter round of celebrations.

Christmas Eve and the Alilo Procession Tbilisi

On the night of 6 January, families place a lit candle in the window to welcome the Holy Family, and the midnight liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) draws thousands. Georgian services are mostly held standing, so arrive by 10 pm if you want a place inside. Women should carry a headscarf and wear a skirt or long coat, and men should avoid shorts.

The next morning brings the Alilo procession Tbilisi. People in traditional chokha coats walk the streets carrying icons and flags and singing the Alilo carol, while collecting sweets and donations for families in need. Visitors are welcome to walk alongside, and it is the most memorable part of the season.

The Food on the Georgian Festive Table

The New Year table matters more than the Christmas one. Expect satsivi (poultry in walnut sauce), gozinaki (caramelised walnuts in honey), churchkhela and plenty of khachapuri. You will also see the chichilaki, a small white tree made from shaved hazelnut branches, which is burned on 19 January.

Indian vegetarians often find this the easiest time to eat in Georgia. Many Georgians keep the Nativity fast from 28 November to 6 January, and restaurants add lenten menus without meat or dairy. Ask for lobio (bean stew in a clay pot), pkhali (vegetable and walnut pâtés) and badrijani (aubergine rolls with walnut paste).

What Is Open and What Is Closed?

Most tourists expect 25 and 26 December to be quiet, but in Georgia they are regular working days. The days that catch visitors out are 1 and 2 January, and to a lesser degree 7 January, when many shops, cafés, and museums close or shorten their hours. Book your New Year's Day lunch in advance and keep sightseeing outside Tbilisi for other dates.

Georgia in December rewards early planning, because the visa, the flights, and the mountain hotels all tighten from mid-November.

• Visa: Indian passport holders apply for the Georgia e-Visa at evisa.gov.ge. The total comes to about USD 35 (a USD 20 consular fee, a USD 15 DuVerify identity check and a small service charge), and the DuVerify step must be completed within 24 hours of applying. Processing takes 5 to 7 working days, and travel insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover has been mandatory since 1 January 2026. Apply three to four weeks before you fly. If you already hold a valid US, UK, or Schengen visa, you can enter Georgia without the Georgia visa fee for up to 90 days.
• Flights: Most routes from Delhi and Mumbai connect through Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, or Istanbul, with total journey times of 8 to 12 hours. Return fares for the Christmas and New Year weeks usually sit between ₹40,000 and ₹70,000 when booked by October and rise sharply after that (estimate as of October 2026).
• Money: Georgia uses the lari (GEL). Cards work almost everywhere in Tbilisi, but carry cash for fairs, village guesthouses, and marshrutka minibuses.

A 7-Day Christmas and New Year Itinerary

1. Day 1, Tbilisi: Arrive, check in to Old Tbilisi, and walk Rustaveli Avenue under the lights.
2. Day 2, Tbilisi: Take the cable car to Narikala, soak in an Abanotubani sulphur bath, and spend the evening at the fairs.
3. Day 3, Mtskheta to Gudauri: Visit Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, then drive the Georgian Military Road past Ananuri Fortress.
4. Day 4, Gudauri: Ski, snowboard, or try tandem paragliding over the snow. Gudauri December is usually freshly open, with lighter crowds than January.
5. Day 5, Kazbegi: Ride a 4x4 up to Gergeti Trinity Church below Mount Kazbek, then return to Tbilisi.
6. Day 6, Kakheti: Spend the day in Sighnaghi and at a family wine cellar to taste qvevri wine.
7. Day 7, Tbilisi: Celebrate New Year's Eve, or fly home if your dates fall earlier.

The Jvari Pass on the Military Road can close for a day or two after heavy snow, so keep a buffer day in the plan. If the e-Visa timeline does not work for your dates, our guide to the best snow destinations in India for Christmas and New Year covers options that need no paperwork.

• Old Tbilisi (Sololaki and Abanotubani): This is the best base for a festive trip, because the lights, the fairs, and the cable car are all within walking distance. Guesthouses here book out first for New Year's Eve, so reserve by October.
• Vera and Vake: These neighbourhoods are quieter and more residential, with good cafés and easy taxi access to Rustaveli Avenue. They suit couples and families who want to sleep through the midnight fireworks.
• Gudauri and Stepantsminda: Stay in Gudauri for ski-in access to the gondola, or in Stepantsminda for the view of Mount Kazbek from your window. Both have limited rooms over the holidays.
• Getting around Tbilisi: The metro has two lines, and a single ride costs about 1 GEL with a contactless bank card. Bolt is the reliable taxi app, and rides across the center rarely cost more than 10 to 15 GEL.
• Getting to the mountains: Marshrutkas to Stepantsminda leave from Didube station, but in winter we recommend a private transfer or an organized group. Drivers on the Military Road need snow chains, and local drivers know when to wait out a closure.

The week between 25 December and 1 January is the strongest stretch for a first visit. The fairs are at full strength, the mountain roads are usually open, and every day is a working day, so museums, wineries, and restaurants run normal hours right up to 31 December.

How New Year in Georgia Is Celebrated

New Year in Georgia begins with a long family dinner at home, with toasts that run late into the evening. At midnight, fireworks go up from balconies and courtyards across the whole city. For the best view, be on the Narikala ramparts or the Mtatsminda hillside by 11:30 pm. Many families also wait for the first guest to step through the door after midnight, who is believed to set the household's luck for the coming year.

A Christmas in Georgia trip timed this way gives you the lights, the mountains, and the country's biggest night in one week. Our December departures follow this route, with Tbilisi, Gudauri, Kazbegi, and Kakheti covered, and New Year's Eve spent in the capital. If this is your first visit to the Caucasus, our guide to Georgia tourismcovers the regions, seasons, and travel basics beyond the festive weeks.