All posts tagged: griwi

The Role of the Koumbara

Published by Grenglish

In a few weeks time, I will be one of the 3 Koumbaras at my sister-in-law’s wedding.  In Greece, being asked to be the Koumbara is held in similar high regard to being the Maid of Honour or Bridesmaid in an English wedding.  Traditionally, the Koumbara is often also the same person who will be Godmother to the couple’s future children. The role has great significance in the Greek Orthodox Church, as the Koumbara plays an active part in the ceremony and is chosen as someone who the newly married couple will look to for religious guidance throughout their lives together.  The duties she has to perform include exchanging the wedding rings and the wedding crowns for the couple during the ceremony, as well as holding the ribbon tying the crowns as they take their first steps around the altar as married people. Traditionally, the Koumbara also covers all of the costs for the religious aspects of the wedding, such as the marriage crowns, the fee for the priest and the silver cup and tray used in the ceremony. However, this wedding will be a …

A Sleepover

Published by Grenglish

For Zachy, the most exciting part of our trip to visit The Godfather and MummyMummy in Bristol last weekend, was his first proper sleepover with their twin 8-year old boys. By first proper sleepover, I mean it was the first time that Zachy had slept in a room with one of the boys, in a proper bed, and not in a travel cot in another room of the house, or in with us.  It was a real grown-up moment for him… and for me.  I can’t quite believe how quickly my little baby has become a little boy. I have blogged before about Zachy’s very special relationship with his Godbrothers.  He thinks of them as his big brothers and they think of him as their little one.  They take turns to read to him, tickle him, chase him and sit next to him.  He LOVES the attention and they love to provide it.  It is a win-win situation. Well it was, until the sleepover. The boys decided between them who got to host Zachy in their room that night …

Shizzle in Brizzle

Published by Grenglish

We took Zachy to Bristol this weekend to visit his Godfather, MummyMummy* and his twin 8-year old Godbrothers. I have written before about Zachy’s love for his Godfamily in the post Farewell Crete. The boys are brilliant with Zachy and in return he hangs on to their every word, copies their every move and follows them relentlessly everywhere they go. At the moment this does not appear to bother them the slightest bit, although I suspect it might become quite tedious if this blatant hero worshipping continues into their teens.   It was all kinds of awesome for all of (but certainly not limited to) the following reasons: – eating jelly babies in the car on the drive down – 8-year old twin boys are very good at entertaining a 2½ year old wannabe-8-year-old boy. – MummyMummy was speed chilling two bottles of Prosecco in the freezer – Roast duck – Full English – Roast chicken – The Greek God(zilla) was on the Sunday morning early parenting shift – Cricket in the park – Zachy pooping his nappy …

A Big Fat Griwi Christening

Published by Grenglish

As a non-Greek/non-church-going/by-marriage-only kind of Greek person, it was an incredible honour to be asked to be one of four Godmothers to the Griwi twins in a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony. I have also quite enjoyed lording it up over the Greek God(zilla) for the past few months. ‘The Griwi GODMOTHERS are going for dinner and karaoke, can you babysit?’ ‘All the other Griwi GODMOTHERS are buying new outfits for the CHRISTENING’ ‘I am off out to get my hair done now FOR THE CHRISTENING’ ‘Can you get up with Zachy in the morning as I am to be GODMOTHER and need to put my face on spiritually prepare myself for the THE CHRISTENING.’ And my personal favourite…  ‘See how much I have embraced your culture and thrown myself into the Greek family way of life and you can’t even make me a cup of tea/let me watch The X-Factor/pass the wine?’ But with great power comes great responsibility and in the Greek Orthodox church, it is not as simple as buying a new frock, rocking up to the church …

Farewell Crete

Published by Grenglish

We are back from our holiday in Crete now and I can honestly say, it has been one of the best we have had.  It has had moments of chaos and moments of crazy but we have relaxed and we have chatted and we have rested and we have laughed to the point where we have had tears rolling down our faces and stitches in our sides.  We have also stuffed our faces with so much meat, that my thighs are now the size of two Cretan mountains and my belly could shade the entire south side of the island. I cannot publish a photo of my thighs, I am too ashamed, so enjoy this pair I found earlier instead… On one particularly gorgeous day in Plakias with the Syrpis-Novitz Griwi family and friends, we hung out on the beach and swam in the sea while the other Griwi twins, Kris & Alex, took turns to read stories to Zachy and take him into the water. A particularly gorgeous long lunch to celebrate Philip & Tonia’s …