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[TRCourage]

TOPIC: Macedonian Customs You Should Be Aware Of


When you go to visit a friend, you should take a gift, like flowers, chocolates or fruit, AND a special toy or candy for each of the children of the house.

When you give flowers, they should be in bouquets with ODD numbers, not even. Bouquets of flowers with even numbers of flowers are only taken to funerals.

Macedonians generally do not plan too far ahead or confirm their plans until right before the event. So, almost every conversation regarding possible plans ends with, "OK, so we'll hear each other", meaning you NEED to call and talk to each other again before the event.

Macedonians most often drink Turkish coffee, and ethnic Albanians usually drink Russian Tea. When you have had enough tea be sure and turn your spoon upside down on top of your glass, or they will just keep pouring!

Bread is a major part of the diet here, and it's said that the average household eats one loaf of bread per person per day.

Macedonia is a late night culture. You can go visiting at 10 PM. But don't show up between 3 - 6 PM as that's nap time.

The "Promaja" or drafts are generally blamed as the most common cause of illnesses in Macedonia.

Macedonia is a very social culture where people are much more important than time. The favorite activity for young people is just hanging out and talking.

If guests show up at your house, you must stay home and entertain them, even if you already had plans to go out.

The 1st and 18th birthdays are the most significant. When it's your birthday you are expected to treat everyone else to a party, including buying or making the cake yourself.

It is polite to take off your shoes as you enter someone's home. In the winter, they keep extra house slippers available to wear, so your feet don't get cold.

Every fall people will set up their portable aluminum wood stoves in the streets, yards and sidewalks and gather friends and relatives to make the traditional red pepper relishes called "ivar" and "lutenitsa". These will be eaten on bread throughout the winter when fresh vegetables are less available and more expensive.

It is acceptable, and sometimes even necessary to push and shove in the lines at the post office, bank, and especially getting on and off of public transportation.

In Macedonia New Years is the bigger holiday, and the time when they will give gifts to one another and have parties.

[Chasgul]

Depending on the guests it is also acceptable to include them in your plans.

And be aware that some people do not take to calling it Turkish coffee - most people don't mind, but there are some who object.

I'm not sure about Macedonia specifically, but here in Bulgaria most food is served warm, not hot, and drinks tend to be cool as opposed to ice-cold. Hence there's a joke in the international community here: How do you kill a Bulgarian? Sit him in a draft with a cold diet cola.