Polish Name Day celebration

Quoting: Honeybee

with all that said, How do you say "Happy Name Day" in Polish. The more I think about it, I think we'll have our usual Sunday dinner, with the family, BBQ, beers , etc, and I'll just say Happy Name Day to him. We'll make a bigger deal of his birthday, when the time comes.

I heard that people receive gifts on their names days. Please give an example. This would be for a man.

HoneybeeThreads: 7 Posts: 33 Joined: Feb 12, 07	Edited by: Honeybee May 21, 07, 14:43 / #
A friend of mine from Poland has now moved to America. His name day is coming up very soon. I know name days are more important than birthdays to Europeans, but how do you celebrate? I'm planning on having a barbeque for him with some friends, lots of beer, vodka, and cake of course, but what else? Are there special things I've left out? Since it's his name day and not birthday do we say 'happy 40th name day' even though he wont be 40 until mid July? I can put happy 30th name day, since he doesnt look a day over 30. He doesn't want to be 40.

WroclawThreads: 74 Posts: 7,276 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	May 21, 07, 14:52 / #
Just write his name on the cake.

HoneybeeThreads: 7 Posts: 33 Joined: Feb 12, 07	May 21, 07, 14:54 / #
That's it, just his name? Here we put >HAPPY BIRTHDAY (NAME) < on a cake and add candles. You're saying just put his name? Do we add candles?

WroclawThreads: 74 Posts: 7,276 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	Edited by: Wroclaw May 21, 07, 15:09 / #
It's not his birthday. No candles. You can write Happy Name Day and his name. That will be enough. You could also give him a small gift, if you wish.

HoneybeeThreads: 7 Posts: 33 Joined: Feb 12, 07	May 21, 07, 15:12 / #
Name day doesn't sound so great. Maybe I should just wait and throw a party for his 40th birthday, a few months from now. Do Poles do anything for birthdays?

WroclawThreads: 74 Posts: 7,276 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	May 21, 07, 15:13 / #
Wait for more advice from Polish posters.

AmathystThreads: 30 Posts: 3,898 Joined: Nov 10, 06	May 21, 07, 15:55 / #
Honeybee just a correction, most people in Europe do celebrate their birthdays but there are places like Poland & Greece that celebrate name days in addition to their birthdays

FISZThreads: 31 Posts: 2,607 Joined: Jun 14, 06	Edited by: FISZ May 21, 07, 15:59 / #
Quoting: Honeybee Name day doesn't sound so great To them it does :) A nameday celebration has nothing to do with his age. Just celebrating the significance of his name. You can take him ot for a few cold ones or a BBQ as you've suggested. But, I don't think a cake is necessary. Save that for the B-day. ....maybe a nice gift would be to learn how tell him happy name day :)

389Threads: 4 Posts: 35 Joined: May 20, 07	May 21, 07, 21:49 / #
I'm kinda new...but what exactly is a name day.If its not a birthday,than what is it?I'm just confused as to what it could possibly mean. :) I have never heard of such thing.

glowaThreads: 1 Posts: 305 Joined: Apr 6, 06	May 22, 07, 02:53 / #
polandpoland.com/name_day_tradition.html

karturnThreads: 11 Posts: 21 Joined: Mar 7, 07	Edited by: karturn Jul 26, 07, 15:22 / #
So I looked at the link, from the other topic that gives you the days & names & found my husband's name 3 times. So which day would it be? KT

slwkkThreads: 3 Posts: 249 Joined: Mar 31, 07	Jul 27, 07, 04:02 / #
Quoting: karturn So I looked at the link, from the other topic that gives you the days & names & found my husband's name 3 times. So which day would it be? You should choose the closest date to the birthday.

dtaylorThreads: 15 Posts: 992 Joined: Sep 15, 07	Nov 13, 07, 14:58 / #
would david be davidek??? trying to figure out my name into polish. sofi, have you tried the deep fried mars bar yet??:D:D

_Sofi_	Nov 13, 07, 15:08 / #
<div class="quoting">Quoting: dtaylor would david be davidek??? trying to figure out my name into polish. </div> polishforums.com/name_david_polish-10_8244_0.html <div class="quoting">Quoting: daffy nazywam sie Dawid (my name is David) jestem Dawid (I am David) </div>

slwkkThreads: 3 Posts: 249 Joined: Mar 31, 07	Edited by: slwkk May 22, 07, 03:44 / #
Quoting: Honeybee I know name days are more important than birthdays to Europeans, but how do you celebrate? Not for everyone... maybe this depends on age, I mean when you are older and older you don't want to celebrate your b-day :D but for many of us b-day is more important than name day. For example, I don't even celebrate my name day.... it just isn't important for me.

HoneybeeThreads: 7 Posts: 33 Joined: Feb 12, 07	May 22, 07, 12:51 / #
with all that said, How do you say "Happy Name Day" in Polish. The more I think about it, I think we'll have our usual Sunday dinner, with the family, BBQ, beers , etc, and I'll just say Happy Name Day to him. We'll make a bigger deal of his birthday, when the time comes. I heard that people receive gifts on their names days. Please give an example. This would be for a man.

slwkkThreads: 3 Posts: 249 Joined: Mar 31, 07	May 22, 07, 13:33 / #
Quoting: Honeybee How do you say "Happy Name Day" in Polish. It is common to say 'Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji imienin'. Quoting: Honeybee The more I think about it, I think we'll have our usual Sunday dinner, with the family, BBQ, beers , etc, and I'll just say Happy Name Day to him. In my opinion it is a good idea. Quoting: Honeybee I heard that people receive gifts on their names days. Please give an example. This would be for a man. Once I got a radio clock, another time bike t-shirt :D ... rather small gifts.

ellaThreads: - Posts: 56 Joined: Mar 10, 07	May 25, 07, 01:10 / #
Quoting: Honeybee with all that said, How do you say "Happy Name Day" in Polish. The more I think about it, I think we'll have our usual Sunday dinner, with the family, BBQ, beers , etc, and I'll just say Happy Name Day to him. We'll make a bigger deal of his birthday, when the time comes. I heard that people receive gifts on their names days. Please give an example. This would be for a man. "Name Day" Polish are celebrating same as Birthday. Any gift is welcome. Name Day in polish = Imieniny known greetings: Najlepsze zyczenia z okazji Imienin or ......Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji Imienin

HoneybeeThreads: 7 Posts: 33 Joined: Feb 12, 07	Jul 24, 07, 01:19 / #
I'm glad I saved the party for his actual birthday, he was very happy and everyone had a good time.

RakkyThreads: 10 Posts: 284 Joined: May 23, 07	Nov 13, 07, 15:24 / #
Today is my grandfather's Name Day - Mikolaj Rak, son of Konstantinius of Wola Cieklinska. This is all new to me - what is the significance of Name Day? How is it celebrated? How does it compare to your birthday?

polishgirltx	Nov 13, 07, 15:27 / #
Quoting: dtaylor david David - Polish Dawid, Dawidek

Guest	Apr 11, 09, 00:37 / #
How do I find out someone's Name Day (if there is more than 1 for their name in the calendar)?

pgtxThreads: 48 Posts: 6,269 Joined: Feb 14, 09 [Moderator]	Edited by: pgtx Apr 11, 09, 00:38 / #
Guest: How do I find out someone's Name Day (if there is more than 1 for their name in the calendar)? it's usually the first name day after the person's birthday...

Guest	Apr 11, 09, 00:45 / #
Ah...my girlfriend's name is Iwona but she couldn't remember which day was her Name Day. There are 2 days that I can see for Iwona...May 23 and Oct 27. Assuming I haven't missed any out days with Iwona searching the calendar, her Name Day should therefore be May 23 as her Birthday is in November. How do I check to make sure? She told me I should buy her flowers on her Name Day but she couldn't remember which day it was!!!!

pgtxThreads: 48 Posts: 6,269 Joined: Feb 14, 09 [Moderator]	Apr 11, 09, 00:48 / #
Guest: She told me I should buy her flowers on her Name Day but she couldn't remember which day it was!!!! if you aren't sure, why don't you bring her the flowers on both days? it might be your romantic tradition... :)

Guest	Apr 11, 09, 00:56 / #
I bought her flowers the other week (what girl doesn't like getting flowers as a surprise, right?)...and she said she only wants flowers 4/5 times a year (!!) ...birthday, name day, and two others (can't remember what they were now), and the 1st day of Spring was optional...so much for romance and being spontanous!!

pgtxThreads: 48 Posts: 6,269 Joined: Feb 14, 09 [Moderator]	Apr 11, 09, 00:58 / #
Guest: what girl doesn't like getting flowers as a surprise, right? right... specially with no occasion... Guest: so much for romance and being spontanous!! that's sucks... sorry to hear that... so why do you even bother? ;)

Guest	Apr 11, 09, 01:00 / #
Exactly! I'll stick to the 4/5 days she wants only and no others! The other two were our anniversary and Valentines Day!! Thanks for your help :)

Polonius3Threads: 963 Posts: 4,551 Joined: Apr 11, 08	Apr 26, 09, 15:22 / #
A sine qua non element of name celebrations is serenading the guest of honour with "Sto Lat"!

erdemathThreads: 3 Posts: 28 Joined: Aug 23, 09	Sep 5, 09, 20:56 / #
Sep 5, 09, 22:54 - Thread attached on merging: Name day celebration I'd like learn what to do traditionally in the name of greetings one's name day. What kind of gift am I supposed to bring? Am I supposed to be one of the invited people if that person is having a party? I'd like learn each details.