Happy Birthday Dimitri

Hey Dimitri, hope you had a wonderful birthday!
It is also St. Patrick's day, and my name day. Boy did we use to celebrate it when I was growing up, both my parents were of Irish descent, so it was a big deal.

Dimmitri, how did you celebrate your Birthday???
How do people normally celebrate their birthdays in Greece?

cheers

Pebble thank you very much for your interest, your wishes and your friendship.

I am not what I call the normal average - far from that.

Well, for your info, I went and opearted on two routine cases, left early and went to buy a nice vegetable grater of french origin, called a "mandolin". Returned home for lunch with my wife, then spent 3 hours doing carpentry in my workshop, opened a nice present from my wife and now preparing for dinner with wife and son at home - radichios boiled and served with lemon juice and olive oil, some goat cheese with olives and a rusk - traditional Cretan rusk, I think you will find it in Greek shops in USA.

As you mentioned, it is your nameday today. So, here in Greece very few know it is my birthday, and not much happens usually when one turns 53. But on namedays, everybody knows I am called Dimitri, and on the 26th October my door is open and hundreds roll in to wish, eat drink and go to some other Dimitri, the fun goes on all night.

I hope I satisfied your curiosity.

Till next year, if God gives us health.

Dimitri

Dimitri, thanks, yes, that was a lovely explanation.
Yes, I know of the "mandolin" but haven't really gotten the hang of using it....
Havent had radichio for years and years....But what is rusk?
traditional cretan or otherwise???
sounds like you ha a very pleasent day, enjoyed with yor family...

a rusk is purpose-made dried slice of "bread"; here in Crete they make them with a lot of bran in; they are very tasty, but need soaking. They are a safe substitute for bread in the Summer, because they are dry and do not rot even if they are 6 months old. Perfect with cheese or olives.

D

ahhhh - ok, I can visualize it now....

I hope you enjoyed your birthday Dimitri!

May I ask .. what is a name day?

Very few people know all people's birthdays - so these people, in traditional Greece which is a Christian Orthodox country, bear the name of a saint. There is a day in the year when each saint's name is honored; for St Dimitrios it is 26 October, for St Eleni is 21st May, for St George it is 23rd April if after Easter, or the Tuesday following Easter if Easter is later on that year, and so forth. So, everyone knows it is St Nicolas day on 6 December, and they all go and visit whoever Nicolas they know (no need to be invited), and the feast goes on until all visitors are gone. Pretty convenient - and helps avoid awkward names like fiorulasunshine who will never see a proper nameday party....

Thank you Baa and all for your wishes

Dimitri