Christmas Eve on December 24 and 23 housewives make the Christmas cake with a cross in the middle and avgokouloures which are subsequently offered to the elderly and children. Children singing carols from house to house either before or on Christmas Day. People go to church early the morning of Christmas on December 25. Christmas morning after church there is the practice to become the "pork batches," served with wine to open the appetite, and "thick," done by Eve, which is boiled pork with plenty of lemon that is left to clot overnight. The pork-food is in the hallmark of Greek Christmas. In many Greek cities and ports like Thessaloniki, Volos, Patra, the Greek Islands etc., it is decorated the traditional Christmas boat. And in many central squares of the country a big Christmas tree, where many of the Christmas festivals take place.