Xristos Anesti!

Xristos Anesti everyone! Christ has risen! Yep, Greek Easter is 'different' this year - we run on our own schedule! Yesterday I informed you of the Epitafio and what that entailed on Friday night, well now I will lead you through Saturday and Sunday's events!


So Saturday morning, most Greeks are up at the crack of dawn for 2 reasons. One is to get to the butchers at stupid o'clock to get the best meat for the feast on Sunday (and there will forever be queues outside until the last scrap of meat is sold)

 

and the second reason is to go to Church again. What we do this time, is get cleansed by the blood and body of Christ. So before even eating or drinking anything that morning, we all queue up, kiss the Epitafio (maybe steal a flower or two from it!)

 

and then meet the Baba (the Priest) who will feed us a spoonful of sweet red wine and give us a blessing. Yep, all of God's (Greek) children share off the same spoon - we make a joke about getting ill haha but of course it's nothing to worry about really! After that, there is a basket of chopped up bits of bread which symbolise Jesus' body, which we are then to eat. Then we are free to go home and eat our breakfast. Many stay for the entire time to hear the service but often Churches cannot accommodate all the people that come by!


There is often some flaouna eating at this point mmm... tasty pastries that only appear this time of the year and all the women of the family will make them by the case load - often running out of oven/storage space in their homes! They then force feed them to family members and demand you tell them whose tastes the best...!

Saturday night - midnight mass. It's time for Church again! Everyone gathers to their church for the moment when Christ rises again. At midnight, all the lights in the church go off and at the stroke of midnight the holy candle is lit. This flame is then passed around until everyone has a candle lit from this holy light.

 

The challenge is to preserve this flame and take it back to your home without it being blown out, for a special blessing! Of course there is danger of hair being set on fire and wax dripping all over your clothes, shoes and carpet again; health and safety eat your heart out! On the drive home, you can spot the Greeks a mile away with their glowing cars! 


After midnight, we are free to eat whatever we want again, and many take this opportunity to go to the nearest place to find meat! Some have a special feast all ready for when they get home too!


All day Sunday is a day of eating, really! In the morning there is the good old 'egg war' whereby there is a competition to have the winning egg to withstand all the others - there's good luck in it for the winner! Typical Greeks always have a trick up their sleeve to make sure they win though...!

Then there is the big Sunday feast of lamb and anything else you can get your hands on, eating so much that you fall into a meat coma! Easter really is such a great day for us, and the Greek restaurants are happy as well as everyone is eating meat again, opa! Hope you all had a great weekend and Xristos Anesti! 

Epitafio Problems!

So last night was the very important "Epitafio" at Church whereby Jesus' "tomb" is decorated with flowers in each Greek Orthodox Church around the world and then carried out into the streets while all the Greeks walk behind it holding candles. This is the night when Jesus died on the cross and is a serious time of mourning and should be respected.

Of course I did take it seriously in my heart, however there are comical moments in our culture that no matter how serious it is, you gotta just laugh and I like to share those moments, so sorry if you got offended! 


On Twitter last night we had an 'epidafio update' while everyone was sharing their funny stories and pictures of their night and 'problems'. I think this is so important, not only for comedy factors but also to help those who couldn't make it to a Church, really feel like they were a part of it.


First of all, good luck finding a parking space within walking distance to your Church. You will likely see cars littered all over the place in places I'm sure they shouldn't be. "Ah, I won't get a ticket, I'm going to Church ene" OK dad...

Second of all, good luck getting a seat in Church. Unless you have been there all day (unlikely unless you are over the age of 80) then you will be standing in every floor space available, (if you're lucky), if not you will be standing outside...


Inside the Church is the beautiful Epitafio, decorated with white flowers. This is then carried outside, really slowly and then all the people follow behind it. The walk is about 15-20mins long depending on your area, but my oh my what an experience it is! First of all, get ready to see lots of people you know. You may leap and hug a few, but then duck and run from some others!

(Image courtesy of a #typicalgreek follower)

You will also get stared at by every non-Greek civilian. I saw people taking pictures of us from the street, people stopping us asking what we are doing etc. We like to cause a commotion. It's also really empowering when we stop traffic. Yes you 3eni, you will respect the PROPER Good Friday whether you want to or not! Cars were stuck as we marched through the middle of the main road and they could do nothing but sit and watch!


As I mentioned before, most people would be carrying candles.. cue drippy wax and flamed hair! It can get very messy... 

Ladies, please control your hair from flying in the wind because no one is accountable for it being set alight, but you! You will just get dirty looks for causing a drama over your hair. Also while I'm at it, don't cause a scene when you slip because of those high heels you have chosen to wear either, this isn't a fashion show! I know you want to find a husband... but I don't think you'll impress anyone while you run around screaming with your hair on fire and trip over your broken heel...? And guys, I don't think that girl you're winking at is really going to appreciate you choking her with your heavy cologne either...


Finally, although there are funny things about what we do, let's remember the real meaning behind this special time of year. I did light a candle for all you @TypicalGreek followers and readers of this blog, and I pray you have a safe and happy Easter! Kali Anastasi!

It's time for Greeks to fight like heroes once again!

Happy Greek Independence Day everyone!


This time last year I wrote a post all about this special day, so if you want to know more then read about it here:


http://typicalgreeklife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/greek-independence-day.html 


Let this remind you that you can conquer anything you put your mind to - because you are GREEK! (even if you're not, you're taking an interest and reading this, so you can be an honorary Greek!) 


I found this moving video which is inspiring and encourages us all to stand together and fight for what we believe in. We're still fighting for our independence but we will not be defeated:

"It's time for Greeks to fight like heroes once again"

The Big Fat Greek Mercedes

What is it with Greeks and their 'Mecendes'? (Yes, that is the Greek way of pronouncing it..!) It's like a cult thing; all Greeks have to own one apparently. I guess it represents their status, wealth and class! Hey, even our taxis are Mercedes!

The Mercedes is the car that escorts the family to special events or anywhere where there are going to be lots of people; you know, so they can show off!


The Mercedes is the car that the father will drive to escort the daughter to the church on her wedding day (no, she doesn't get a say in it). The Greek man's Mercedes is also the car that will take its place clogging up the whole street of other Mercedes Benz who are currently visiting the same Greek family. 

(Yeh, 3eni neighbours hate it when we do that... They forgive us on BBQ Sundays though when they're given free food! Ftines... Anyway back to the point!)


So how can you tell if it a Mercedes is owned by a Greek? Well, to start with Greeks are probably the ones who own about 90% of them to start with so the odds are pretty high haha but more distinctively you can firstly look out for a fancy number plate: "SPYR05", "E1EN1" "CYPRU5" etc.

You will also find the best anti theft device any vehicle can ever have; a cross, evil eye and icona swinging hypnotically from the mirror to frighten off any potential thieves!


Finally, you can spot a Greek Merc by the loud shifteteli blowing up the speakers, the hairy arm hanging out of the window (that goes for any gender....) and clicking fingers to the music. Then there's the puff of cigarette smoke swirling out the tinted windows, accompanied by the wreckless driving (because they're running late) and complete disregard of any rules of the road!


Ahh to be a Greek Mercedes owner... it's the only way to drive!

Twas the night before the big fast!

So, tomorrow is Clean Monday! I wrote about it last year on my blog so you can read more about it here to remind yourselves!: http://typicalgreeklife.blogspot.com/2011/03/clean-monday.html

The Greek Easter is at a different time this year (so sorry to all you guys on Twitter who apparently started their fasting last week; you lost a week of meat!!)


Our 'Καθαρά Δευτέρα' marks the run up to Easter which is the holiest time of the year for Greeks! Being Sunday today (a.k.a. Souvla day), I imagine most of the Greeks will be having a massive feast to stuff in as much meat as they can before the fast starts tomorrow. 

For those of you who are not brave enough to give up meat, give up something else you love for 40 days instead! Get ready for some cranky Greeks for the next few months...! Katishi mas!

How Greek Is Your Love?

So it's Valentine's day... The day of lurrrve! 

Well, it's no news to you by now that Greeks invented everything, so of course they are also the masters of love too. Obviously. Think Aphrodite - Goddess of Love and her son Eros (which is come from the Greek word "Erota" which is mean "love"). There are some that believe it marks the celebration of Zeus and Hera's marriage too! I'm telling you, whatever you believe the origin of something is, the Greeks will say they got there first...


Enough of the history, let's talk real life. For the Greek couples on Valentines day it's probably more like this: The man will walk home from a long day's work at the restaurant and ask his wife when dinner is ready. She will ask him flat out where her flowers are. This will not go down well as the man will think it's enough that he works all day providing for the family and she wants bloody flowers too?! 

Or if the wife is really lucky, her man will have gone hunting and skinned a hare especially for her (to cook). 

As for the singletons, don't think they have it any easier. Oh no. As if there isn't enough pressure from family pushing them to find a spouse every day since they were 5, they now have added pressure from the rest of the world reminding them to do the very same thing on this day. You would think the family would at least take this day off from nagging as it is sensitive enough, but no, Greeks being the crafty people they are will use this as leverage to further pressurise and wear them down into submission to be introduced to that creepy weirdo they keep talking about...


OK, ok, so it's not all doom and gloom... The Greeks are extremely romantic and chivalrous when they want to be - I repeat, when they want to be. Greeks are stubborn people and don't like to be told when to do something, that includes being mushy! They do it when they want to and very well I might add! 

P.S. If you don't have a Valentine, don't sweat it. Get down and dirty with that feta kai psomi...