It goes without saying that people united by national consciousness and culture try to leave their lives reverently worshiping the ways and customs of their ancestors. Armenia has managed to save its true spiritual riches - religion, culture and national centuries-old traditions which they strictly observe both in times of joy and in grief. Today such traditions as marriage stability, honoring of elders, strong ties among relatives, mutual readiness and help and of course hospitality have been preserved.​

 

 

 

 

 

    Armenian Wedding

 

 

 

 

Armenian wedding is a very big holiday. The ceremony includes betrothal, engagement and wedding itself. The tradition of “seven days seven nights” celebration has become obsolete. The abundance of guests at Armenian wedding is a must. The so-called “God family” act as witnesses.

 

As a rule, they are the closest married couple known by the groom and the bride. The God family must be an exemplary couple. The Godfather is to bring the most expensive wedding gift. By the way, giving presents is a separate ceremony. The relatives of the groom and the bride and the guests give the newly-married couple jewelry, fabrics, household goods, and money.

 

Wedding is accompanied by a number of various cheerful ceremonies. During the redemption of the bride any amount of money can be asked, and it's a matter of Godfather's honor to find this money; the sums are symbolical, though. The bride is taken to the altar by her sponsor and God family bear responsibility for the new family from the very beginning to end. At the wedding the bride is given a boy to cuddle – it is desirable that first-born is a boy. Next morning after the wedding women related to the groom bring a red apple symbolizing the virginity to the bride's home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Birth of Child

 

 

 

Traditionally (especially in rural areas) Armenian families have a lot of children. A birth of a child, especially a boy, is a happy event which has always been welcome. On church holidays in front of the house where a baby was born music played and the house was decorated with green branches – the symbol of family continuation. The child is not shown to anybody but the relatives for 40 days after birth.

 

It is accepted that a person having any happy life occasion puts his hand on a head of his friend or relative saying “tarose kes” (“I pass it to you” )- wishing them the same good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Armenian Hospitality

 

 

 

The hospitality of Armenian people is known all over the world. Each time a happy event occurs people throw a party for relatives, friends, colleagues etc. Drinking and eating is a must; if you refuse you are not among the ones who share the joy. The more often you throw a feast (on any occasion) the more you will get in return, Armenians sincerely believe.

 

 

 

    Holidays in Armenia

 

 

 

The holiday of “Trndez” is celebrated at the end of winter.  This holiday came from the pagan times of fire-worship.  This day a big fire is built right in the church yard and newly wedded couples jump over it to defecate themselves from everything bad: the evil, arrogance and misfortune. With this day spring comes to the land of Armenia... 

 

 

 

“Tsakhkazard” or “Tsarzardar” holiday as also dedicated to spring coming. This day people come to church bringing  feathered branches of willow, and upon their consecration in church, put them on the heads of the young and children.   

 

 

 

In summer at the beginning of August, when it is especially hot and the fields suffer from drought, a heaven-sent “Vardavar” water holiday arrives. The traditional swilling of each other in the city’s streets also confirms the ancient roots of profane rites. From times immemorial the betrothed girls three weeks before the wedding day should throw wheat and oats in a cuvette with water and when the grains germinate, the newly wedded couples swill each other with this water. Vardavar is celebrated rather cheerfully.  

 

 

 

St Sarkis Day is observed on 13 February, on the eve of European St. Valentine Day - Day of all enamored. This day the girls bake special  salty pastry – “arkhablit”. The pastry is to be eaten before a night sleep and he, who appears in a girl’s dream and brings water to her, will be her betrothed.

 

 

 

    Armenian clothes

 

 

 

The traditional Armenian clothes are very colorful and various. The traditional man's suit consisted of silk or cotton color shirt with low collar and side fastener and wide trousers from dark wool or cotton. Over the shirt Armenians put on cotton or silk arkhaluk – outerwear with low collar fastened waist down with hooks or small buttons. A heavier item was called chukha; it was made of wool and worn with a narrow big buckled belt.

 

Western Armenians wore a waistcoat over shirt and waist length jacket with full sleeves without fasteners in front. The belt was replaced with long wide woven scarf wrapped around the waist several times.

 

Women's traditional clothes of both eastern and western Armenians were homogeneous. The outerwear included a long dress of arkhaluk type with a cut on chest and cuts below hips. The waist was wrapped in long folded silk or woolen scarf. The embroidered apron and decorations were indispensable elements for western Armenian women. On their heads men wore caps of different styles: the fur ones were worn in the east; knitted and woven – in the west. Women's headdresses, especially in the east, looked like a "turret" made from cotton fabric with ornaments tied with several scarves covering a part of face. Western Armenian women used to wear ornate head bands with capes.