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Polish Name Day celebration


Honeybee 7 | 26  
21 May 2007 /  #1
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.
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
21 May 2007 /  #2
Just write his name on the cake.
OP Honeybee 7 | 26  
21 May 2007 /  #3
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?
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
21 May 2007 /  #4
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.
OP Honeybee 7 | 26  
21 May 2007 /  #5
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?
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
21 May 2007 /  #6
Wait for more advice from Polish posters.
Amathyst 19 | 2,702  
21 May 2007 /  #7
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
FISZ 24 | 2,116  
21 May 2007 /  #8
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 :)
389 4 | 31  
21 May 2007 /  #9
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.
glowa 1 | 291  
22 May 2007 /  #10
polandpoland.com/name_day_tradition.html
slwkk 2 | 228  
22 May 2007 /  #11
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.
OP Honeybee 7 | 26  
22 May 2007 /  #12
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.
slwkk 2 | 228  
22 May 2007 /  #13
How do you say "Happy Name Day" in Polish.

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

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.

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.
ella - | 46  
25 May 2007 /  #14
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
OP Honeybee 7 | 26  
24 Jul 2007 /  #15
I'm glad I saved the party for his actual birthday, he was very happy and everyone had a good time.
karturn 9 | 20  
26 Jul 2007 /  #16
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
slwkk 2 | 228  
27 Jul 2007 /  #17
You should choose the closest date to the birthday.
dtaylor 9 | 823  
13 Nov 2007 /  #18
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_  
13 Nov 2007 /  #19
would david be davidek??? trying to figure out my name into polish

polishforums.com/name_david_polish-10_8244_0.html
Rakky 9 | 217  
13 Nov 2007 /  #20
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  
13 Nov 2007 /  #21
david

David - Polish Dawid, Dawidek
Guest  
11 Apr 2009 /  #22
How do I find out someone's Name Day (if there is more than 1 for their name in the calendar)?
pgtx 29 | 3,146  
11 Apr 2009 /  #23
it's usually the first name day after the person's birthday...
Guest  
11 Apr 2009 /  #24
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!!!!
pgtx 29 | 3,146  
11 Apr 2009 /  #25
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  
11 Apr 2009 /  #26
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!!
pgtx 29 | 3,146  
11 Apr 2009 /  #27
what girl doesn't like getting flowers as a surprise, right?

right... specially with no occasion...

so much for romance and being spontanous!!

that's sucks... sorry to hear that...

so why do you even bother?

;)
Guest  
11 Apr 2009 /  #28
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 :)
Polonius3 994 | 12,367  
26 Apr 2009 /  #29
A sine qua non element of name celebrations is serenading the guest of honour with "Sto Lat"!
erdemath 2 | 17  
5 Sep 2009 /  #30
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.

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