YOU KNOW YOU'RE GREEK WHEN..... (part 1)

       The following list has been compiled from an online student group and on a Facebook group called "Greeks Invented Everything", and even though some of it is written from the perspective of Greek-Americans, it's still highly amusing and relevant:

You know you're Greek when.......

•  You make frappe before leaving home, when getting to the office, after lunch, when having guests, before the guests leave, after the guests leave and before going to bed.

• You still have clothes that you used to wear when you were five stored in suitcases.     

• You hide everything from your parents, but they still think they know everything about you, and make you believe that they actually do.

• When you arrive home you find 20 people waiting for you at the airport.

• When you come back from college you still have to live with your parents, and fight over curfew all over again, as if you never left them before. 

 

• Your relatives alone could populate a small city.

• Everyone is a family friend.

• You fight over who pays the dinner bill.

 

When you go on a date you start thinking of places that you never thought of before to avoid family or family friends. You end up in a lousy place and still bump into the relative with the biggest mouth.

• You tell your friends how to rebel against their parents when you can't stay out past midnight.

• You ask your dad a simple question and he tells you a story of how he had to walk miles just to get to school with no shoes. 

• You're 6'2", can bench press 325 pounds, shave twice a day, but you still cry when your mother yells at you.

• Your uncle owns a restaurant, has $300,000 in the bank, but still drives a '76 Monte Carlo.

• You are a card-carrying V.I.P at more than 3 dance clubs.

• At least 5 of your cousins live on your street.

• All 5 of those cousins are named after your grandfather.

• There are more than 28 people in your bridal party.

• You have at least one relative who wore a black dress every day for an entire year after a funeral... or their entire life!


• Every Sunday afternoon of your childhood was spent visiting papou (Grandpa) and yiayia (Grandma) or extended family.

You've experienced the phenomena of 150 people fitting into 50 square feet of yard during a family cookout.

• You thought killing the lamb each year and having feta, tzatziki and olives on your dinner table was absolutely normal.

• You learned to play tavli(backgammon) before you went to school.

• You thought that talking loud was normal.

• You thought everyone got pinched on the cheeks and money stuffed in their pockets by their relatives. 

 

• Your mother is overly protective of the males in the family no matter what their age.

to be continued.....

                                                                                          All photos are courtesy of Google images.



Greek Trivial Pursuit

RANDOM GREEK FACT #4

WEDDING RINGS IN GREECE

These are samples of what Greek wedding rings look like! No, unfortunately, we don't have the custom of the engagement ring with the 'rock' (even though we do get these, too, they're just not signifying betrothal or wedding proposal -  just love.)

 


The most common are the plain gold ones, (almost always 18K) even though the last few years couples chose more elaborate rings that have at least some design (yes, they pick them out together!)...








    .... such as these...

 ...of course the couple wears matching wedding bands!


 

 
 

Many couples, instead of gold, chose platinum and white gold wedding rings that have also become very popular. There are so many beautiful designs! It's simply what you can afford. Traditionally, it's a cost that the groom picks up but lately young couples share all the expenses.





 


 Now, how about many little 'rocks' on the wedding ring? (I'm okay with that!!!!!)





 

In the USA, and in other countries as well, the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. In Greece though it is worn on the right hand. 

When a Greek couple becomes engaged they do so in the presence of family and friends by exchanging rings. The priest blesses the rings and the couple will wear the rings on their left hand until the wedding.  (Of course after the engagement there is always a big feast.)

These same engagement rings will serve as the wedding rings! The engaged couple will not buy another pair. These rings have been blessed and are binding them. At the wedding ceremony, the priest once again blesses the rings at which time the bride and groom switch the rings to the right hand.

Right before the wedding the couple gives the rings to the goldsmith to have them polished and inscribed on the inside with their names and date of the wedding. After the ceremony, the man will be wearing his ring that has the name of his wife engraved and vice versa. 

"Wedding rings are symbols of eternal love and devotion just as the circle of these gold wedding rings has no beginning or end."

"

All photos are courtesy of Google images.

THEOFANIA (EPIPHANY)

This is a 're-post'  from last year (since I hardly had any readers back then!)  

                 THEOFANIA (EPIPHANY)

      On the 5th, 6th and 7th of January we celebrate the "Lights" (Fota) since God is Light and has appeared to illuminate those who sit in darkness. Theofania (Epiphany) on the 6th of January is the last of the 12 days of Christmas and it's the day of purification of the people's souls.

      On the 5th we go to church where the great blessing/purification takes place in the temple. We all receive the Holy Water in tiny bottles and take it home where we spray it all over the house in order to become "purified" and blessed. Then, we also drink some, too. In some small villages the priest himself visits all the houses to bless them with the Holy Water. This also is the time when the Kalikantzaroi (Trolls) leave.


      After church the children go caroling (as they did on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) to the neighboring houses receiving sweets and money.
 
                  

         On the 6th of January we celebrate the Theofania (or Epiphany or The Blessing of the Waters). It is a very important holiday as it celebrates the Holy Trinity through the Baptism of the Lord, God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son and the Son was baptized by St. John the Baptist as the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove. At some point during the sermon at church a long procession is formed following the priest at whatever road leads to a body of water - a lake, a river, the ocean or if that is not possible to a special tank outside the church. There the priest while chanting hymns throws the cross into the water. thus blessing the waters. The church bells ring and white doves are freed into the sky as daring young men dive into the chilly waters and compete in retrieving the cross. The one who brings the cross up to the surface is said to be blessed and to have good luck throughout the coming year.

                   

      The most spectacular ceremonies happen at ports where little boats and ships gather in a semicircular fashion blowing their horns accompanying the hymns sung by the church choir

      On the 7th of January we celebrate St. John the Baptist' s day. This day of course everybody named John (Yannis) or Johanna (Yanna) celebrate as well (Name Days).

      The next day, Christmas vacation is officially over and school starts again.


Please watch a related video :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFTxlvH_-pY&noredirect=1

              

 

POTHARIKO (FIRST FOOT OR FIRST STEP)

                     Pothariko (first foot or first step)

      One of the many customs Greece has on New Year's Day is the Pothariko, which in Great Britain (correct me if I'm wrong!) is called "the first foot". It has to do with the very first person entering the house in the new year. This person must be a good-natured, lucky person in order to bring good luck to the house. Therefore this person is usually carefully picked by the homeowners to do so. They often choose their kids as they are considered innocent, good souls.

      The person entering the house must do so with their right foot first so that everything will go "right" for the household the whole year. Upon entering the house he or she throws with force a pomegranate to the floor and as it splatters all over the place s/he wishes that the house will have such an abundance of health, joy and goods all year long!
      Of course such customs are considered by many as superstitions, still, we like keeping them alive! Traditions/customs are something we all ought to keep and continue honoring, because they're part of our identity and culture and also because they make the holidays unique and more enjoyable!


      What are your country's New Year's Day traditions?

Photos are courtesy of Google images.

VASILOPITA (ST. BASIL'S PIE)

 

      New Year's Day is quickly approaching and Greeks are still in a festivity frenzy! 

 

      The holidays aren't over just yet (we have another big holiday after the New Year's, coming on the 6th of January the Theofania (Epiphany). There's no work on that day and all the stores are closed as well. I will be making a post about it).

      The pie you see in the photo is called Vasilopita which means St. Basil's pie. It's a traditional New Year's pie that every household bakes for this day and it's the first thing we eat when the year changes at midnight, so that everything will be sweet in the new year. Inside the pie there's a coin hidden. At midnight when the year changes the father or grandfather using a knife symbolically carves a cross over the pie 3 times before slicing it. Every slice is dedicated or called for a specific person.

The first slice belongs to Christ, the second slice to
the Virgin Mary, the third slice to St. Vasilios, the fourth slice goes to the poor and thereafter every slice goes from the oldest to the youngest in the family and guests present. The last piece just belongs to the house. Whoever finds the coin in his/her slice is considered to be the lucky one of the year. If the coin is in one of the first four slices then it is offered to the church or someone who is poor.

     It is said that St. Vasilios (St. Basil) was a well-educated and wealthy man who gave all his fortune to help the poor and needy people. One story says that in order to help out the poor without insulting them or embarrassing them he devised this trick of making little pies and hiding a coin in them before offering them the pies. In time this little pie was named after him and was an offering of joy and blessings.

     Also, we celebrate St.Vasilios on the 1st of January and everybody named Vasilios or Vasiliki (the female version) celebrate as well, receiving gifts and wishes just like a birthday! (read post about Name Days)

Check out my Vasilopita recipe!

 

VASILOPITA RECIPE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk (room temperature)
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
500 gr (appr. 6 cups) all- purpose flour
4-5 tsp baking powder
5 eggs
orange juice from 2 oranges (appr. 1/2 glass)
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 finely chopped apple
1/2 cup Cognac (Metaxa) or Brandy
1 1/2 tbs orange zest
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

      Marinate from the night before in a bowl the cognac, the orange zest, the orange juice, the walnuts, the apple and 1 cinnamon stick.

     The next day, in a large bowl blend (beat) the sugar with butter until it becomes fluffy white. Then add the eggs one by one. Add slowly the marinated mixture (after removing the cinnamon stick) and the flour sifted together with the baking powder, the vanilla extract and gradually the milk. Beat for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the batter into a greased and flour sprinkled round pan. Bake in pre-heated oven (325 degrees F or 165 degrees C) for about 70 minutes or until done. After it's baked place the coin (that you have previously wrapped in foil) anywhere you choose in a vertical position and a little deep. Then flip the pie/cake upside down on a platter (do that with the help of the platter) and after it has cooled down sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Your vasilopita is ready!

P.S. Placing the coin in the batter before it's baked will result in the coin sinking to the bottom (which will be later the top) and showing!

 

 

 

Photos are courtesy of Google images.

GREEK CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

How do we celebrate Christmas in Greece? Well, the customs are many and they vary depending on the region so I'm just going to tell you the ones that are mostly common all over the country. First, the Greek Orthodox Church is celebrating Christmas on December 25th, on the same date as the Catholic and Protestant Churches. In Greece when we talk about the "holidays" we are referring to the holiday period of Christmas, New Year and Epiphany on January 6th.

The Greek name for Christmas is Christougena which literally means Christ's birth. When Greeks say Merry Christmas, they say Kala Christougena. Also, we say Kales Yiortes=Happy Holidays. 

Even though the decorations have become more lavish and extravagant and the foreign influences are evident,

Christmas remains a quiet, solemn season that is still close to the true spirit of the holiday. It is not very commercialised, yet!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL / Agiasmos

 
 
       First day of school! What a day today has been! One that started soooo early! You'd think after the 3 careless, schedule-free, 'wake up whenever' months they had,  I would be on my toes, rushing and bustling this morning and trying to wake them up... "Mommy, can I have 10 more minutes, please?" Then ask for ten more, then it'd be 5 more and then I'd have to become the dictator they think I am anyway and start yelling cause we would be already late! Well,...Nope! None of that happened!
 
      At 5:30 this morning incoherent noises woke me up. Following the sound, in my pyjamas and with eye gum deterred vision, I reached my son's bedroom only to see him all dressed up and ready for school!!! No! I'm dreaming, I thought. "Good morning, mom!" Is this MY 11 year old boy?... OK,OK! He's up, I'm not dreaming. Needless to say I was UP, too. Can't go to bed now, can I? As he is having breakfast and I'm going (wearily) through my morning routine, my 9 year old girl enters my bedroom all dressed up and ready to go to school!!! "Good morning. mom!" No way! I couldn't believe it. Such unprecedented anticipation and anxiety!!! (I just had to wake my DH up. He had to experience this, too. Meanie me!)
 

KLITHONAS - AN OLD CUSTOM

      On the 24th of June it was St.John's the Baptist birthday, a religious holiday accompanied by many local customs, some of which are ancient old. Since it is also the day of the Summer Solstice, some of the ancient habits/rituals related to it have remained till today.  

   Klithonas (in Greek Κληδονας) is an ancient custom that comes to life on this day. It is a folk fortune telling ritual where  unmarried girls will learn the name of the man they will marry!  The night before young, single girls (usually dressed in traditional clothes) bring the "speechless water"
from a well (possible now, only in villages where a well may still exist) and pour it in a clay pot. In this pot they also throw a personal item. They seal it with a red cloth and leave it under the clear sky. They do this in absolute silence, they must not talk. 



      Then the celebration continues by lighting a huge bonfire in the town's square where people burn their Protomaya (first of May) wreaths. There's singing and dancing involved and everybody takes turns jumping over the fire for good luck.

      The next day the clay pot is opened while everybody is singing particular folk songs. As each girl takes back her personal item, a woman (designated the day before) recites or comes up with a couplet that foretells that girl's future. In some places these couplets could make you blush!!! (...especially when they're told by ...grandmothers!)  








      When the fortune telling is over, a great feast follows!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOLY WATER

                               AYIASMOS --- SANCTIFICATION

 

      As I have mentioned before, religion for Greek people is intrinsically tied to their every day life, habits and customs,
i.e. .....

      Every first of the month the priest of every parish has a special liturgy where he blesses the water(Sanctification). This holy water is then given to the congregation who have come prepared with their little special bottles (vials) to fill them.          
It is then taken home, where everybody has a small sip especially if there's somebody who is sick and needs this blessing the most, and then they sprinkle the holy water in every room so the whole house gets blessed. (the right way to do this is by using twigs of basil and dipping them in the 'holy water' and sprinkle, but it's okay if it's not done that way).

      Also, every first of the month we greet each other saying "Kalo Mena" which means 'Have a good month'.

                                                       "KALO MENA"

MAY 1ST (PROTOMAYIA)

MAY 1ST - PROTOMAYIA

 

     On the first of May we celebrate our Labor Day. It is observed as a holiday and all businesses and services are closed, as are the schools, too.

     It is the day to remember the struggles of the workers to obtain better working conditions. "Eight hours of work, eight hours of rest and eight hours of sleep" was the slogan back in 1886 when workers in Chicago started protesting for their rights. Similar protests started in 1892 in Greece when workers also requested to have Sundays off and insurance for accidents at work. Over the years there has been great struggle, often with casualties, in order for us today to enjoy the 'privileges' of working.

    Protomayia (May 1st) is also the celebration of Spring and this tradition goes as far back as ancient times when they had the celebration of flowers and life as the earth was 'ressurrected' after the long winter.

     Protomayia (May1st) is one of the few holidays we have that has no religious content or meaning. Nevertheless, there are plenty of customs and events associated with this day and they vary depending on local tradition.

      The one custom that is common throughout Greece is the making of the wreath, the wreath of May and hanging it on the main entrance door. This is a very fun activity especially for the kids when we are out in the country in touch with nature and picking the flowers for the wreath.  This wreath will stay on the door until June 24th when tradition (Klithonas) has it it will be burnt.

     The main thing that characterises today is the massive exodus of people out of the city and into the countryside. Great pic-nics are organised and there's lots of dancing and singing about Spring, as well.  It is a chance to take a walk out in nature, pick some flowers, come in touch with mother nature and create your own wreath. 

 

 

EASTER SUNDAY

CHRISTOS ANESTI - CHRIST IS RISEN

ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΣΕ ΟΛΟΥΣ -- ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!

HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYBODY -- CHRIST IS RISEN!

      Today is Easter! Christ has Risen and the decorated Epitaphios is less prominent now: it is empty, except for a sign which says 'He is Risen; He is not here'.
     
      In the Greek Orthodox faith, Easter is the most significant religious observation of the year. There is a widespread over joyous feeling and combined with the "resurrection" of the nature, hence it's spring, makes this day a really glorious one.

     Even the computerized signs on the front of the city buses have a message. On Saturday it was 'Kali Anastasi' (Literally: 'Good Resurrection'); on Sunday it is 'Kalo Pascha' – 'Happy Easter'.
      As Greeks always do, today celebrations overflow with traditional entertainment and foods!



lamb and kokoretsi

       There are many interesting and different customs related to the feast of Easter, taking place all over Greece but the most important