Colors of Sifnos Island - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Once in Greece, it is hard not to notice how much the rhythm of life of the local residents differs from what is familiar to many Europeans. Here, no one is in a hurry, and at the forefront there is always the pleasure of life, not making a profit. The Greeks do not like to save money at all. Local people spend easily – on cars, phones, beautiful things, hikes in taverns. Here it is quite normal when a six-figure sum is spent on a single celebration. But it is for pleasure! In many respects, it is possible that this is why the locals easily relate to their work, without trying to strain themselves. A trip to Sifnos is ideal for a workaholic – it’s just impossible not to fit into the local rhythm of life.

Most often, the day of a Greek looks like this: in the morning an obligatory cup of coffee and the way to work. The work goes from 9-10 to 13-14. After that – siesta, the legal rest time, until 4 or 5 pm, depending on the specific organization. Another couple of hours in the workplace – and you can go have a rest. Closer to 21.00 everybody traditionally gathers in the taverns. For the locals, dinner in a tavern is more a cultural event than a meal. Here, they communicate with friends and relatives, flirt, dance, eat – in short, have a good time. In many taverns, in the evenings traditional music is playing and there is a dance program, in which young men and girls in national costumes participate.

The Greeks like to drink. Alcohol is consumed in fairly large quantities but, nevertheless, you rarely meet drunken rowdies on the street. The point is the mentality: the loss of self-control due to a large amount of alcohol consumed is considered here a disgrace, and this applies equally to the Greeks themselves and to the tourists. The locals are great patriots of their country, and they like to scold the government, laws, and all those in power. If you want to win over a Greek, then start a conversation about the greatness and history of Greece but in no case criticize the country and its inhabitants. Even if your interlocutor blows the officials to pieces. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you met a local resident, and he did not ask you to call him by his first name, then refer to him by his last name. By the way, the Greeks are very emotional. When talking, they actively gesture, raise their voices, interrupt each other. Here it is not considered disrespectful, everyone communicates this way. At the first acquaintance, they usually greet each other by the hands, after that – kisses on the cheeks and hugs are common between the friends, regardless of sex. Local residents are very hospitable but the invitation for a visit does not imply a mandatory meal.

During the feast, the Greeks are quite relaxed, not trying to comply with all the rules of etiquette. It is quite normal to talk during meals, accidentally push a neighbor or sip the sauce while searching for the desired dish. All this is offset by the sincerity and openness to each other. In general, the Greeks believe that you should not deceive your neighbor and try to profit from the others. The concept of honor here has not yet been forgotten. Many local residents treat the travelers openly and sincerely, expecting honesty in return.

There are a huge number of churches in Sifnos but they are usually filled with believers only during the church holidays. Almost the entire population of the island consider themselves Orthodox Christians, and therefore Christmas, Easter, Savior, Epiphany, and other important dates are celebrated here on a grand scale. The island is filled with travelers at the end of September, when Sifnos hosts a landmark event for all gourmets – the Cycladic Gastronomy Festival. Widely celebrated here are Women's Day on January 8th, and the Day of Flowers on May 1st.