Greek Traditions Community

What are your Greek birthday traditions? Here are mine!

1 - 5 of 5 Posts
nadellii

nadellii

Active member
For my birthday every year growing up, all of Greek family and friends would gather and we would have a dinner party. I’m Greek culture, it’s customary for adults and kids to be invited to birthday parties (not like in America where kids have their own kids parties). My moms friends would come to my birthday parties for years, and still do to this day. Family and support is super important, so we all take part in celebrating. The same goes for name days too ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hash
nadellii said:
For my birthday every year growing up, all of Greek family and friends would gather and we would have a dinner party. I’m Greek culture, it’s customary for adults and kids to be invited to birthday parties (not like in America where kids have their own kids parties). My moms friends would come to my birthday parties for years, and still do to this day. Family and support is super important, so we all take part in celebrating. The same goes for name days too ?
Click to expand...
How lovely!I have been to many birthday celebrations than I can remember... from christenings, baptisms, children's birthdays, adults, older adults, funerals... fabulous way of integration and acceptance in a society that is so warm and rich in culture.... Just imagine I was one of the handful outsiders from good ol'London town on a small island...The paneyghiria were unbelievable, some of them jointly celebrating with birthdays... never came home before 6/7 am!??.... Kalley Mera from Thailand!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: tomipark
Hash said:
How lovely!I have been to many birthday celebrations than I can remember... from christenings, baptisms, children's birthdays, adults, older adults, funerals... fabulous way of integration and acceptance in a society that is so warm and rich in culture.... Just imagine I was one of the handful outsiders from good ol'London town on a small island...The paneyghiria were unbelievable, some of them jointly celebrating with birthdays... never came home before 6/7 am!??.... Kalley Mera from Thailand!
Click to expand...
Beautiful!! Greeks are so welcoming, I’ve been to so many birthday parties just because I was hanging out with some friends and I was invited, not because I was related to the person.
 
Greek Birthdays are no different in Greece than they are in America, except for one thing - you pay for people instead of others paying for you. I think the Greeks who grew up outside of Greece have started their own traditions for celebrating their birthday. Name days are bigger celebrations in Greece than birthdays are anyway
 
Growing up as a Greek American I used to have a schoolmate birthday party and a relative birthday party, but at the relative one, all of my good friends were also invited. I had an interesting blend of Greek and American traditions while growing up haha.
 
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Information About Apokries?

I’ve been curious about how people experience Apokries and what it looks like in different parts of Greece. For some, it seems centered on big public celebrations and costumes, while for others it’s more about smaller gatherings, food, and local customs.

I’m especially interested in the traditions people grew up with. Was Apokries something your family actively celebrated, or did it feel more like a community event? Did you attend costume parties, parades, or specific local festivities? And how did days like Tsiknopempti fit into it for you?

I’d also love to hear whether your experience changed over time, for example, celebrating differently as a child versus as an adult, or noticing differences between village and city celebrations.

For those who no longer live in Greece, do you still mark Apokries in some way, or has it faded with distance?

I’m looking forward to hearing how this tradition shows up for others.

How did your family spend summers in Greece?

I’m curious how many of you spent summers in Greece growing up.

My experience was a little different. My parents both worked full time, so we never packed up and spent entire summers in Greece the way some Greek families did. But I had friends and cousins who seemed to disappear every June and come back just before school started, full of stories about village life, island beaches, family gatherings, and adventures with cousins.

I always found those stories fascinating and sometimes wished I had experienced that myself.

For those of you who did spend summers in Greece, what was it like? Did you stay in a village, a city, or on an island? What did your typical days look like? Are there any traditions, memories, or experiences that still stand out to you today? I'd love to hear your stories!

Does your family make fanouropita for Saint Phanourios Day?

I recently saw a news article about Saint Fanourios Day, and it showed people bringing fanouropita cakes to a church to be blessed. I knew about fanouropita and the tradition of making it when you’re hoping to find something that has been lost, but I didn’t realize how much of a church tradition it could be on the saint’s feast day itself.

Does your family make fanouropita for Saint Fanourios Day? If so, do you bring the cake to church to be blessed, or do you usually make it at home and share it with family and friends?

I’m also curious whether this is something that is still widely done in Greece or if it depends on the region, parish, or family. Are there any other traditions your family follows for Saint Fanourios Day?

I’d love to hear how people observe the day and whether fanouropita is part of your family’s tradition.

Greek Tsiknopempti Traditions?

I realized Tsiknopempti is coming up soon, and it made me curious how everyone celebrates it, especially outside of Greece. Growing up, I always associated it with grilled meat, lots of smoke in the air, and a general feeling of celebration before Lent started, but we never had a really structured tradition at home. Now I’m wondering if I should start one.

Do you usually grill at home, go out to a Greek restaurant, or gather with friends and family? Are there certain foods you always make, or is it more about the atmosphere and being together? I’ve seen photos from Greece where entire neighborhoods are grilling outside, which looks amazing.

I’d love to hear what Tsiknopempti looks like for you, whether it’s something big and festive or just a simple meal that still feels meaningful.

Do younger generations still follow traditional Greek customs?

Lately I’ve been wondering how much traditional Greek culture is still being carried forward by younger generations, both in Greece and in the diaspora.

I’m not talking only about the big holidays or major family events, but the smaller everyday things too — name days, church traditions, hospitality, family meals, fasting periods, village festivals, coffee rituals, respect for elders, even certain sayings and customs. Do younger Greeks still actively participate in these traditions, or do they mostly happen because parents and grandparents keep them going?

I imagine the answer probably depends a lot on location, family, and lifestyle. Someone growing up in a village might have a different experience than someone in Athens or abroad. I’d love to hear from people of different ages, which traditions have stayed strong, which ones are fading, and are there any that younger generations are bringing back in new ways?
Share and discuss Greek traditions related to Greek weddings, christenings, dance & holidays!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top