The most complete informaton guide about Athens, Greece
Greek Name Days January
In Greece, name days are celebrated much more than birthdays are.
Children are typically named after the patron saint of their region
with the eldest son often being named after his paternal grandfather
and the oldest daughter after her paternal grandmother. Because
of this tradition, you will often find cousins with the same name.
The name day is the feast day of the saint after which a child
was named.
It
is traditional in Greece for a party to be thrown on the person’s
name day. A buffet at the house is usually prepared and there
is lots of drinking, often homemade wine! Invites are never given.
Friends and family are just expected to visit, sometimes only
staying for a short while, as they are sure to have other friends
to visit.
During
the name day, friends who are unable to attend often telephone
to wish ‘Chronia Pola’ which literally means ‘many
years’. Foreigners are often unsure if they should go, but
do not worry as you will always be offered a warm welcome and
the person who has the name day will be flattered that you have
visited (and remembered their day.) It is customary to take a
gift and it doesn’t have to be an expensive one.
Few
Greeks tend to celebrate their real birthday but western influences
have taken their toll. Some now do have a birthday party, usually
for the younger family members. They have though in no way replaced
the importance and significance of name days.
