Yet another thing that will always be a distinguishing factor of all Armenians- is the love and admiration toward traditions! Whether you decide to visit this beautiful land or not, there are some interesting traditions commonly exercised in this nation that would motivate you to try and find out even more information about these ancient people!

They love kissing and handshakes while greeting!

It is always helpful to know some of the greeting habits of people living in the country you are about to visit. In Armenia, you might see people kissing on the cheek and shaking hands when they meet- one of the most common ways of saying hello to a friend or a family member. However, if you are not up to such a thing, do not worry! Armenians have an exceptional habit of doing the best they can to make their guest or a foreigner feel comfortable on their land. Thus, even if you would prefer to avoid that kind of greeting, this friendly nation would love to know what are some of your habits of greeting others!

Make sure you are hungry before visiting an Armenian family!

If you hope to leave an Armenian house without trying out a variety of dishes that the family cooked specially for you-you are quite wrong! Ask anyone who came along an Armenian family-they would immediately tell about the exceptional hospitality of this nation and its willingness to share even their final meal with others. Quick notice-you might even be “forced” to try all the dishes. But we assure you that all of them are extremely delicious! Not trying anything at all would be considered as an insult toward the host of the family, so make sure to starve before visiting an Armenian family!

Special celebration for love couples!

As you may already know, Armenians have strong ties with their religious traditions, even those coming from pagan times. To this day, some pagan beliefs and traditions are widely common in Armenian families. An example of such a tradition is the celebration called Trndez. Every year on February 13, couples, newlyweds, and everyone who express willingness, jump over a fire in order to “come forward and closer to the Creator,” one more time indicating that the bond between the couple is pure, and is confirmed by God.

A salty cookie that would predict your future husband!

This tradition might seem a little bit weird for some foreigners, but it surely is a fun and exciting experience. On the St. Sarkis Day (the Armenian version of the Valentine’s Day), women in the family bake an extra-salty cookie for single girls in the family to eat it. According to the tradition, those who try out the cookie and immediately go to sleep without drinking water, have a vision of their future husband who brings a glass of water in order for them to fill their thirst. Whenever they see someone rescuing them by bringing the desired water-they surely know he is the one! 

Get ready to be drenched, it’s Vardavar day!

Another pagan tradition is on its way! Every year in July there is yet another special day for all Armenians-as delicious as their water might be, it is also a very cold one! And what would be better in hot July, if not getting dashed by both friends, family, and total strangers? On this day, all Armenians have a lot of fun, as people of different ages, backgrounds, and preferences, even most serious individuals, come together to pour some cold water on each other. If you hope to stay dry on this day-good luck with that! Armenians won’t let you go home without feeling the coldness of their natural water!