Valentines Day in Greece

Greece is often referred to as the cultural capital of the world! Today’s culture has been greatly influenced by the ancient culture of Greece and various possible ways. Many great heroes of Greece still are part of many Hollywood movies and stories revolve around them, like Troy and Gladiator. It’s also a land of beauty, lust, Aphrodite! The Goddess of love is believed to be a strong part of this land and love and romance is engraved in the air of Greece. The aura of this place in itself makes people fall in love with love! From very ancient times it is believed that the son of Aphrodite, Cupid is something that brings in flow of emotions in people’s hearts and consequently they fall in love with each other. In Greece Valentine’s Day is celebrated with splendour and style and people consider this day an auspicious one to get married or propose their sweethearts.

The way people celebrate it depend Valentine’s Day has changed a lot nowadays and many ancient traditions has been given up by people of Greece! The pure romance, the graceful Greek romance and the gigantic dignity imparts a traditional touch to the celebration of valentine. It is considered to be a time when all the resentments and grudges are forgotten. It’s considered that the celebration of Valentine’s Day started in ancient Greece for commemorating the sacrosanct marriage of Hera and Zeus. In line with the belief people got much into it and started celebrating Valentine’s Day with much gaiety and gloss.

Traditions of Valentine’s Day Celebration in Greece!

Men and women on Valentine’s Day in each other’s company enjoying the taste of love and romance. Like the women of many other places women in Greece are also very emotional and they are just touched in the same way as in other places when somebody gives them rose or a bouquet of roses. Men out there gift to their Sweetie’s chocolates, soft toys, platinum, and diamond to keep the thread of love intact. Perfumes and flower bouquets also form a part of valentine’s gift in Greece as women have a close connection with fragrance irrespective of the country they belong to. Greek men are of the belief that the fragrance of perfumes will help sing the hymns of love and romance to their darling. Over the time and under the influence of American pop culture the concept of Valentine’s celebration has changed very much.

Apart from men’s excitement to pamper their sweethearts they also love receiving gifts from their partners. As common to the nature of men they like useful messages more than the romantic one such as watches, books, electronic gadgets etc. It’s not a representation of materialistic nature of men of Greece because they also get satisfied, if their sweethearts arranges for dinner dates or any other romantic gateways like movie tickets. Whereas women usually like gifts such as jackets, designer shoes, bags and jewelleries on Valentine’s Day.

In Greece, women also gift to their partners bracelets, Goggles and perfumes during the Valentine’s Day celebration. Gifts baskets are something loved by all in Greece be it the men or the women. People also like to make chocolates and cockles at home and arrange them into gift baskets and decorate them with photo collage and gift cards. These baskets are gifted by parents to their kids and by kids to their teachers. Like people of various other countries Greek people also go to watch movie or to a spa saloon or even to candle light dinners on Valentine’s Day celebration.