Buy GREEK for Christmas Campaign 2013! Φέτος στις Γιορτές, Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! Στηρίζω την Ελλάδα!

Photo Source: © Global Greek World - We  ♥ Greece...and it shows!

Welcome to the 3rd year of our annual Buy GREEK for Christmas Campaign on Facebook!

One of our traditional sayings goes 'If you don't praise your home it will fall on your head...' what else is Greece but our collective home and one of the most beautiful in the world?

By Buying GREEK wherever in the world you are over the holidays...you are actively adding your support and solidarity to the efforts of the people in this beautiful country to start the economic recovery process from the grass roots level, by helping sustain Greek jobs and businesses. Every little bit helps!

Being part of our campaign does not imply that you need to be anywhere on any particular date... all it means is that you too are going to buy or maybe make something Greek - kourambiedes, taramosalata, olives, feta, yoghurt, a piece of chocolate, eat at a Greek restaurant, download a Greek song, buy a book, a theatre ticket, a DVD or CD, buy a bottle of Greek wine, olive oil or ouzo, visit a Museum, or an on-line Museum Shop, book your holiday in Greece, take the Metro to Monastiraki and have a souvlaki or catch a ferryboat to one of Greece's beautiful islands.

If you or your company gives corporate or client gifts, include some of Greece's great wines, cheeses, nuts, olive oil, fragranced soaps or unique handmade silver items.

Even if you cannot buy something GREEK, you can still support our campaign!

Just click on the link, join and share, share, share - tell your friends, tell the world, that you are proud to be one of those who support Greece - proud to be part of the Buy GREEK movement!

Like our Buy Greek page, join and share our event and you go into the draw for one of the great prizes to be drawn on 8 January, 2014, when our event ends! Use the hashtag 
#BuyGREEK4Xmas to make sure we see it.

If you are a business in Greece or abroad with Greek products or services, a writer, a museum etc and would like to offer a prize for the draw, tell us! All donations to our #BuyGREEK4Xmas event will get mentioned on the event wall, on our pages, and on this site in a special wrap-up post. Email, message us or write on the event wall!

Let's go! Let's show our solidarity with Greece!

Support Greece - Buy GREEK for Christmas this year! Στηρίζω την Ελλάδα! Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Στηρίζουμε Ελλάδα! Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Αν δεν παινέψεις το σπίτι σου, θα πέσει να σε πλακώσει... Η Ελλάδα δεν είναι παρά το συλλογικό μας σπίτι και ένα από τα πιο όμορφα του κόσμου!

Φέτος για 3η χρονιά συνεχίζουμε την καθιερωμένη - με την δική σας βοήθεια βεβαίως - εκστρατεία μας, Buy GREEK for Christmas - Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Δεν χρειάζετε να είμαστε κάπου συγκεκριμένα, η συμμετοχή είναι απλή... δίνουμε το παρών και λέμε ΝΑΙ στα Ελληνικά προϊόντα!

Πολλά μπορείτε να κάνετε. Αγοράστε μιά σοκολατίτσα, ένα βιβλίο, ένα CD, ένα σουβλάκι, επίσκεφτείτε κάποιο από τα καταπληκτικά μουσεία της Ελλάδας. Εάν δίνετε επιχειρηματικά δώρα διαλέξτε από τα καλύτερα της Ελλάδας, Ελληνικο κρασί και ελαιόλαδο, χειροποίητα Ελληνικά γούρια σε ασήμι... πολλά μπορείτε να βρείτε.

Μοιραστείτε την εκστρατεία μας με τους φίλους σας.

Στηρίζουμε τα Ελληνικά προΐόντα για να διατηρήθούν θέσεις εργασίας και να στηρίξουμε την οικονομία της Ελλάδας.

Πείτε στους φίλους και γνωστούς ότι αγοράζοντας Ελληνικά, στηρίζουμε όλοι την Ελλάδα μας και τους δικούς μας ανθρώπους - ΣΤΗΝ ΠΡΑΞΗ!

 

Πάμε! Αγαπάμε την Ελλάδα και το δείχνουμε! ΕΣΕIΣ?

Support Greece - Buy GREEK for Christmas this year! Στηρίζω την Ελλάδα! Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved

Photo of the Day: Buy Greek...

Buy Greek... Support Greece!

Wherever in the world we are,
let's put these two little words into our lives today.

You CAN make a difference.
 
Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved

The Greek Yog(h)urt War: Round 1 Goes to FAGE - The REAL Greek!

FAGE Total: Real GREEK Yoghurt with honey and walnuts

In what could be a landmark case last week, US yoghurt producer Chobani lost a court case in the UK over the "misleading" labelling of its Greek yoghurts.

Following a seven-day trial, which was initiated by a complaint from the original Greek producer Fage, Chobani was told by a High Court judge that the labelling on its product was "confusing" for UK consumers.

Mr Justice Briggs granted a permanent injunction and said Fage had succeeded in its claim to "restrain Chobani from passing off its American-made yoghurt in England and Wales under the description Greek yoghurt".

Fage, which produces Total Greek yoghurt, had claimed buyers of "thick and creamy" yoghurt generally believed Greek yoghurt came from Greece and that it mattered to consumers that it was made in Greece. (Full article Just Food )

What is Greek yoghurt? Here are the judge's comments:

Its thick and creamy texture appears predominantly to have been attributable to the methods of straining – and with no additives.

“Whereas most Greek yoghurt is sold in plain or twin-pot form, Greek-style yoghurt is sold in a broad range of varieties in terms of the inclusion of different types of sweetening or flavouring,”the judgment stated. “The only defining features of Greek-style yoghurt sold in the UK which can be identified are that it is thick and creamy and not made in Greece.”

TOTAL Greek Yoghurt, the judge added, had always been made in Greece, in accordance with a straining method resulting in a thick and creamy product,  and with no additives.
On the other hand, he continued, the many Greek Style yoghurts sold in the UK are not made in Greece by a straining method and have thickeners - and sometimes other ingredients - added to them . (Full article: The Lawyer.Com)

Next stop USA for Round 2? 

One of the first things we did during our visit to the USA over Christmas was to checkout the yoghurts being marketed as 'Greek Yogurt' in the USA... 

The 'Greek' Yoghurt section at a Publix store in Tampa Bay

It was interesting to note that they all needed to be baptised Greek in order to sell, sell, sell. The same product labelled as American would  probably still be sitting on the shelves... 

We came to the conclusion that there was lots of room for FAGE Total Greek Yogurt to grow.

The FAGE, the Real Greek Yoghurt, range in the Publix Store

 

Buy GREEK but which is the real GREEK?

A selection of 'Greek Yogurt' available at Publix in the USA

There's only one Real Greek here: FAGE 

In our view Chobani just doesn't compare on any level, and neither do Voskos and Oikos... if we had to rank... it would be in this order
1st  FAGE (by a long shot)
2nd Voskos
3rd Oikos
4th Chobani
 
For those that don't know, both the word Voskos and Chobani means shepherd in English while Oikos means home

Wish 1: that Global Greek John Stamos would pronounce it properly as Eekos rather than Oykos...

Wish 2: That FAGE or Olympos had had the vision to act earlier and had our other Global Greek Maria Menounos advertise the real 'Greek yogurt' rather than the 'Greek Yogurt' bars which aren't Greek at all... Greece has so many famous Global Greeks and would-be ambassadors, willing and able to act for Greece it is a shame not to benefit from their popularity and their willingness to add their voice to support Greece.

Let's get it together!

United we can help Greece move forward.

Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved

A Family with 11 Children Enjoyed Our Heartful of Greek Goodies! Boroume!

This is how it started 

Remember this heartful of Greek goodies?

In November 2012 we decided to hold a competition on our Buy Greek facebook page in time for Christmas and whoever won would get this heartful of Greek goodies as the prize.

Rik Thys of Belgium was the winner of the competition but as he hadn't responded to our message in time we decided to donate the heartful of Greek goodies to this wonderful charity in time for Christmas and provide Rik with a basket of husband's own Cretan products when Rik comes to Crete this year - raki, wine, olive oil and honey - to take home instead!

 ΚΑΛΗ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ!!!

our heartful of Greek goodies is all packed up and ready to go...

 ...to Boroume with our best wishes! 

We picked Μπορούμε because of the great work that Xenia Papastavrou and the team do, making sure spare and left-over food doesn't go to waste and finds a home with people who need it! 

 Xenia Papastavrou of Boroume and our Heartful of Greek goodies

Xenia picked up the basket and found a wonderful family, who, with 11 children to feed and clothe during these difficult times, wouldn't have too much money to spare for little luxuries like this and who would be sure to enjoy these great Greek products!

We won't share the photo of the family's father at the House of Boroume, but the smile on Mr Vassili's face holding the basket was enough for us! It spoke so much louder than words!

A big Thank You to all involved! 

To Rik, to Xenia, to Boroume and to all our friends on Facebook!

Buy GREEK - help sustain Greek jobs, and keep the Greek economy going! 

Yes, we CAN! Boroume!


Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved

Apokries in Greece!

 Buy Greek for Apokries

Thanks to Sofia Georgaki for another great cover photo!

Last Apokries this weekend in Greece and Cyprus and around our Global Greek World! 

Dress up and join the crowds, it will make us all feel better... 

and it will support the Greek economy!  

Don't forget the Carnival in Patras and in many places all around Greece. 

Whatever you do,  don't forget to Buy Greek!

Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved

Making Buy Greek a way of Life: Family Baptism in the Heart of Greek America - Tarpon Springs

All set up for the baptism
at the magnificent St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral at the heart of Greek America
Tarpon Springs, Florida

  Home grown in Crete

Our family's own extra virgin olive oil from Great Pappou's olive trees in the village in Crete for the annointment and the blessing

We were thrilled when daughter's offer to be godmother for her niece in the USA was accepted with joy.
As a matter of choice, because we have made it a way of life and because we believe it is the only way forward for Greece, we decided that we would Buy Greek and support Greece's troubled economy, even though it might have been easier to shop through the internet and/or buy everything in the USA.

It was fun shopping around Athens for such a unique and wonderful event.
Prices and quality varied greatly, but we think we got the best value for our euros
and we learned enough to help out anyone who needs to do the same.

 From the baptismal cross to the shoes, from top to toe 

 everything came from suppliers in Greece,
and, more importantly,
100% Made in Greece

   

A beautiful Byzantine Style cross for the baby from one of Athens' fine family jewellers

Bonbonieres as far as the eye could see...

We made them ourselves with the tulle, the ribbons and the Hadjiyiannakis koufeta which came with us from Greece

 Sweet, simple and traditional 

Tulle, ribbon, koufeta and lots of love

In Greece sweets or cakes are distributed at baptisms

We liked the idea so we decided we would give out the best Greek chocolate
ION Amygdalou minis and ION Sokofretes (wafers)

They were a hit!

Delicate Favours - Martyrika - with a difference,
for family and friends

A bracelet for the ladies and children and a lapel pin for the men

Beautifully made
  Cross, hat, shoes, dress, undergarments, oilcloth and favours

as well as the bow for the main lambada
 Baby's baptismal trousseau - from Greece with love

We were a bit worried about how the lambada itself would travel from Greece 

so we thought we would support the local Greek supplier in Tarpon Springs.

We simply added the bow we brought with us.

Baby is immersed by the priest while the Godmother and Godfather hold their hands ready to annoint the baby with the precious and blessed olive oil

All done...
The two Godparents with the Neofotisti for the blessing
Even the Nona's dress had a decidedly Greek touch...

and then the reception...
just round the corner at the prestigious Innisbrook Golf Resort
(rumour has it that Elvis Presley used to stay there on occasion)

These flowers for the the guest tables at the reception didn't come from Greece but we liked the way the finished product looked after our hard work!

 A bonboniera and a couple of our Buy Greek Chocolates
 for each guest and voila...

...The tables are ready
and
We're all set to party ...
Greek style! 

Na mas zisei!!!

We couldn't take Greece with us to provide the scenery but when you are in Greek America, and especially in Tarpon Springs, you feel quite at home, entirely surrounded by a warm and welcoming sense of Hellenism.

We purchased the Baby's Christening Trousseau from the same place our own daughter's Christening trousseau came from, while the superb Byzantine style cross came from one of Athens' many fine jewellers.

 We highly recommend them!

If you want to know more, please feel free to contact us!

We would love to see more people Buy GREEK
for their special occasion, and for any occasion,
 from all over the world!

 

Make Buy GREEK a way of life! Make it part of YOUR life!

© BuyGREEK 2013 All Rights Reserved