Polish Name Day celebration

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.

Just write his name on the cake.

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?

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.

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?

Wait for more advice from Polish posters.

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

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 :)

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.

polandpoland.com/name_day_tradition.html

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.

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.

It is common to say 'Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji imienin'.



In my opinion it is a good idea.



Once I got a radio clock, another time bike t-shirt :D ... rather small gifts.

"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

I'm glad I saved the party for his actual birthday, he was very happy and everyone had a good time.

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

You should choose the closest date to the birthday.

would david be davidek??? trying to figure out my name into polish.

sofi, have you tried the deep fried mars bar yet??:D:D

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?

David - Polish Dawid, Dawidek