Greece is one of the four ancient civilizations with a long history and culture, and a wide variety of festivals. After immigrating to Greece, do not be surprised by the diverse festivals in the country. Below is an introduction to a unique day for Greeks—the Name Day.
Names are very important to Greeks, and celebrating "Name Day" is a significant event in their lives. Most Greeks do not celebrate their birthdays, but rather the day of the saint after whom they are named. For example, a boy born on March 5th named Daniel has his "Name Day" on December 17th, because that day is the religious day of his patron saint, Saint Daniel. A girl named Mina might be born on August 12th, but her "Name Day" is November 11th.
When Greeks first embraced Christianity, they assigned a saint's name to every day of the year. Today, 98% of Greeks are Orthodox, and religious consciousness is integrated into their daily lives. Farmers ask priests to bless their land before planting, and citizens hold special ceremonies before building new houses. All Greek merchant ships hang an icon of Saint Nicholas (the patron saint of sailors).
In the early days of Christianity, Greeks celebrated Saint's Days as Name Days. Later, each person had their own Name Day, which is more important than their actual birth date. Children under 12 still celebrate birthdays, hold birthday parties, and give birthday gifts, but this is largely due to Western customs.
Naming a child in Greece is an important matter, combining tradition and religion. The first boy in a family is named after his paternal grandfather, and the first girl is named after her paternal grandmother; the second boy is named after his maternal grandfather, and the second girl is named after her maternal grandmother. Subsequent children are named after deceased or childless uncles or aunts.
Calendars sold in Greek shops list the saint's name for every day of every month of the year (usually unchanged annually), so parents and friends can quickly look up a child's Name Day. Although people may send humorous cards to celebrate Name Days, Greek greeting cards usually feature beautifully colored icons of saints and inspiring words. It is considered polite to call or send a card to congratulate a friend on their Name Day.
Friends celebrating their Name Day will tell you "Today is my celebration day," and the traditional response is "May you live a long life" or "May you live to be a hundred."