In a light industrial unit in Sykies, on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, more than 80,000 kites have been produced this year ahead of Clean Monday, the Orthodox Christian holiday that marks the start of Lent and is traditionally celebrated across Greece by flying kites. Every year on that day, families gather outdoors for picnics, known as "koulouma", and send kites into the sky as a symbolic gesture of hope, reflection and a fresh start.
For 44 years, the family-run workshop "Hartaetos" has supplied its "flying creations" to every corner of the country. Today, the Thessaloniki-based company is led by Nikos Karanikolas, who works alongside his father, Kostis, the man who first envisioned the business more than four decades ago.
This year, the firm has introduced an innovation: each package now includes a QR code. By scanning it, customers can watch a video on how to assemble and balance the kite, discover recommended flying spots, and even access a live wind map showing wind speeds at their chosen location. "We combine tradition and technology," Karanikolas says, explaining that the aim is to make the experience easier and more accessible. "It may be a traditional custom, but we try to evolve it every year."
While timeless geometric designs remain popular, market demand, driven largely by children, also shapes production. From Marvel heroes to Frozen and Rapunzel, contemporary characters remain a must. Each year, two to three new designs are added, inspired by trends and the workshop team's imagination.
"The tradition of kite flying remains strong, and demand is so high that we can barely keep up," Karanikolas says. Beyond commerce, he emphasises symbolism. Clean Monday gatherings, known as koulouma, bring friends and families together outdoors. "We do not only make products, but we make groups of friends, memories and traditions," he says, adding a message of cautious optimism: "Let us try to see every day like Clean Monday. We all go through difficulties, but we can look up to the sky."
By Maria Mathiopoulou - adapted from Greek by Vassia Barba
