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Joni T.

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Traditionally Greeks dye their red eggs on the Thursday of Holy Week. Greeks are really into tradition. I'm wondering what other people have come up with as being easiest. It has taken years of analyzing the way that works best for me, so I thought I'd share.... So, when I was a kid my mother used Ritz red dye, and we used to EAT the eggs. It's a miracle we didn't get poisoned. Then I decided to use red food coloring and eggs came out pink, not the rich red symbolic of the blood of Christ. Then I discovered that the Greek store (I go to Sophia's in Lowell, MA) sells dye specific for dying eggs with directions in both English and Greek on the back. So I followed the directions on the back and dumped the whole packet into a huge pan which ended up hard to clean. As time went on, I discovered I could use only ½ of the packet and use a small container, doing 4 eggs at a time. This year I only used ⅓ of the contents of the packet. So what do you do?
 

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Traditionally you can use red and white onion leaves to color red eggs and tumeric to color yellow eggs.They result in pretty good.(ofcourse not as bright as chemical coloring)
 
Traditionally you can use red and white onion leaves to color red eggs and tumeric to color yellow eggs.They result in pretty good.(ofcourse not as bright as chemical coloring)
Oh wow. Bet that's what Greeks in Greece do. They figured out how to do everything from what they have in nature. Our ancestors were unbelievable!
 
My mother used the same red dye. I don't think you can get that deep red color with anything else. Sometimes the dye would seep into the egg, but we just cut it off. I'm smiling because I remember one Easter when my brother realized what she used. He had a hissy fit! I said to him, "You've been eating these eggs for over 50 years and you're still fine." His response "Who says I'm fine?!" After the eggs were cooled, she would take a soft clean cloth with a little olive oil on it and "polish" the eggs. They looked so beatiful - so red and shiny.
Happy Easter to all from the Boston area! (Though I have been vaccinated, I'm still pretty much in lockdown.
 
My mother used the same red dye. I don't think you can get that deep red color with anything else. Sometimes the dye would seep into the egg, but we just cut it off. I'm smiling because I remember one Easter when my brother realized what she used. He had a hissy fit! I said to him, "You've been eating these eggs for over 50 years and you're still fine." His response "Who says I'm fine?!" After the eggs were cooled, she would take a soft clean cloth with a little olive oil on it and "polish" the eggs. They looked so beatiful - so red and shiny.
Happy Easter to all from the Boston area! (Though I have been vaccinated, I'm still pretty much in lockdown.
What do you use now to dye your eggs?
 
My dying red eggs for Easter is over. When my sister and I retired we de-cluttered our house. The saucepan i made the red eggs in was given away. Ii only used that saucepan for red eggs.i now go to our local Greek cake shop and order them. I still make sort of koulourakia - I just cannot roll them, melamoukarona without syropi, kouranbries without additional icing sugar. Please do not think other Australian-Greeks do that. I have a blended family and I would rather they eat what they enjoy.
 
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My dying red eggs for Easter is over. When my sister and I retired we de-cluttered our house. The saucepan i made the red eggs in was given away. Ii only used that saucepan for red eggs.i now go to our local Greek cake shop and order them. I still make sort of koulourakia - I just cannot roll them, melamoukarona without syropi, kouranbries without additional icing sugar. Please do not think other Australian-Greeks do that. I have a blended family and I would rather they eat what they enjoy.
I didn't know you could order eggs! That's a cool idea i'll have to try it out
 

Greek Easter Celebrations in Greece?

I’ve been thinking a lot about Greek Easter lately and realized I don’t actually know what it’s like to experience it in Greece itself.

I grew up with the traditions here, like church services, red eggs, the midnight “Christos Anesti,” and of course the big Sunday feast, but I’m curious how it all feels in Greece. Is the atmosphere different? More intense? More communal?

What are the days leading up to Easter like there, especially Holy Week? Are there specific customs, processions, or local traditions that stand out depending on the region?

I’ve also heard things about candles at midnight, fireworks, and entire towns participating, how true is that?

Would love to hear from anyone who has experienced it in Greece or grew up there. What are the moments that really define Greek Easter for you?

What are your favorite name day traditions?

I’ve always loved the tradition of celebrating name days. In my family, they’re just as meaningful as birthdays, and sometimes even more fun because they bring everyone together in a different way.

When a big name day comes around, especially one that several family members share, we often turn it into a full family gathering. For example, on a name day like Nick/Nikolas, where there might be multiple people celebrating, it becomes almost like a mini family holiday. Someone hosts, there’s plenty of food, and everyone comes by to wish the celebrants “chronia polla.”

I also like the simplicity of the tradition. Even if there isn’t a big gathering, people still call or send messages to acknowledge the day.

Do you celebrate name days in your family? And are there certain ones that turn into larger celebrations because several people share the name?

Greek Traditions from Childhood?

I’d love to hear everyone’s memories of Greek traditions from childhood, especially the small everyday things that may not even seem unusual until you look back on them later.

For me, some of the strongest memories are tied to food, church, family gatherings, name days, holiday preparations, and the feeling of constantly having people around. Even certain sounds and smells immediately bring everything back.

I’m also curious how traditions differed depending on region or family background. Did your family keep strong village customs? Were there things your grandparents insisted on doing a certain way? Any traditions connected to Easter, Christmas, weddings, coffee, hospitality, music, or food?

For me, we ate a family-oriented Sunday meal where everyone go together after church. That was a big part of things for me.

Why do Greeks celebrate name days?

I grew up with name days being a big deal, and I’ve always wondered why they feel more important than birthdays for so many of us. I know they’re tied to the Greek Orthodox Church feast days and the saints we’re named after, but it feels like there’s something deeper going on culturally.

In my family, name days were always open-house style, people calling, stopping by, bringing sweets, and it felt very communal. Birthdays, on the other hand, were more low-key.

Do you feel like name days still carry that same weight today? Or has it changed depending on the generation or where you live?

How was your experience using a virtual concierge at a luxury resort?

Booked a fancy resort for a once-in-a-blue-moon getaway, and they keep hyping up this “virtual concierge” thing like it’s the next big miracle. I’m kinda torn. Part of me loves the idea of ditching phone calls, but part of me worries it’ll feel cold or glitchy, like talking to a chat bot instead of a real human who actually cares if my room smells weird or if I need extra towels. If you’ve used one before, was it helpful or just marketing fluff? I’m trying to figure out if I should trust it or just stick to the front desk.
Share and discuss Greek traditions related to Greek weddings, christenings, dance & holidays!

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