Countdown to GREEK EASTER SUNDAY!!

This Easter Sunday will be my 5th Greek Easter celebration.  This year, it falls on the same day as UK Easter but most of the time it doesn’t.  This is because of the moon and that’s pretty much all I know about that.

I file Easters in my head like episodes of Friends… The One Where BB got stuck on the roof, The One Where BB got soaking wet, The One Where BB didn’t drink and The One Where BB got completely rat arsed on white wine.

The One Where BB got stuck on the roof

The One Where BB got soaking wet

There are no photos from The One Where BB didn’t drink.  It was that boring.

The One Where BB got rat arsed on white wine

Look at YiaYia’s face!

It always starts the same.  YiaYia will have been marinading meat, baking cakes and pies, preparing salads and re-arranging the garden furniture since 6am.  Papou will be on the sauce.  BB will be lighting the BBQ, until we arrive that is, when my husband will attempt to take over, until he gets bored or his mates arrive, whichever comes first.  He will then declare himself to be the host and have us fetch him cold beers every time one of us makes a trip to the loo.  Fortunately, Eva is always on drinks.

The lamb will be roasting in the ground, or in pieces on the barbie.  YiaYia will grill Zachy his own organic lamb chops in the kitchen, just because he is special.  Eva and I will set up the ipod speakers and eventually BB will start dancing round the garden with Rob to Young Hearts Run Free.  The A-Team will arrive with more wine and then when we are all really drunk, we’ll make Angie give us Hollywood make-overs.   Eva and I will then pretend we are on a photo shoot for America’s Next Top Model.

Although, this was all before the Griwi babies came along.  This year, things might be slightly different.

There are two sets of Griwis (Greek/Kiwis) in the family.  Eva and Keri with their twin boys, Otus & Leo, and Philip & Tonia with their twin boys, Kris & Alex.  Then, this is where it starts to get a bit more confusing.  BB (nickname – another post) and Eva are Pan’s sisters.  Philip is their brother from another mother… a close neighbour they grew up with.  Philip’s father is Uncle George, but he is not related to either YiaYia or Papou.  Philip is Godfather to Zachy.  Pan, Eva & BB are Godparents to Kris & Alex.  This makes Kris & Alex Godbrothers to Zachy. Otus and Leo are our nephews and mine & BB’s godsons to be, they are also Zachy’s cousins and I suppose Godbrothers to Kris and Alex as well on account of Eva being their Godmother and Keri and Tonia both being from Christchurch, NZ.  This is Otus and Leo’s first Greek Easter celebration so it has to be a special one.

Griwi boys

One of the nicest Greek Easter traditions, is the smashing of red & blue painted eggs.  Guests tap their coloured eggs against their opponent’s eggs and the owner of the last uncracked egg is considered lucky.  Zachy is the reigning egg bashing champion so the pressure is really on him this year to defend his title from the Griwis,  the A-Team and his dad.  Grrrrrrrrrr.

Stock shot. YiaYias decorations are far superior to these amateur looking eggs

I am sure Zachy will enjoy the smashing of the eggs more than the winning of the ‘luck’.  Unless luck comes wrapped up as a Little Tikes Climb and Slide House.

So, Otus & Leo, here are my top co-godmother-to-be tips to you for surviving your first Greek Easter:

1. everybody shouts, don’t worry this is normal

2. everybody shouts in Greek, also normal.  They will be saying things to each other like “pass the tzatziki” or “more red wine anyone?” but to your new tiny little eardrums, you will be forgiven for thinking that Auntie BB may have just backed into YiaYia’s car.

3. people will repeat ‘Christos Anesti’ and ‘Alithos Anesti’ to each other all day.  This is basically Grenglish for ‘Christ has Risen’ and ‘He has Truly Risen’… Auntie BB is not the best person to ask about this, go to your mummy darlings… 

4. YiaYia always has more lemon potatoes hidden away in the kitchen.

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter break, Christos Anesti!

Vegetarians cover your eyes!