I am from Klaipėda. The is a story with being late here. There is a large minority of ethnic Russians living here (as per census 2021 17% of the the entire population of the city). Russians in general are noticably more relaxed about coming late or being 'fashionably late' than Lithuanians. Lithuanian colleagues or friends absolutely do not tolerate coming late unless you apologize and notify that you will be late because you have some issue that you cannot control. If you want to annoy your friend or piss off colleagues - yeah, go ahead and come late. Several times. Fashionably. And see what happens😀 They will point it out to everyone for the next 10 years and stop inviting you anywhere.
Lol, the "point it out to everyone for the next 10 years" is so relatable, feels like you did a study on my friend group, because we never let one of our friends forget that she's late to everything. 😅
Additional rule in Lithuania - NEVER say to any Lithuanian, especially form the younger generation, that Lithuanians and Russians are the same. We are deeply offended by that.
@@androiddasit’s very simple there were extensive measures taken by (most recently) russians, germans, and even poles to erase lithuanian as a language and a culture over the course of about 700 years, and they failed. Hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians were killed in the process (that’s just the figure from the soviet occupation, because its the one that’s the most certain) and during the LLKS war tens of thousands of young men gave their lives all for the sake of their descendants not being called russians, and yet some people insist on doing so.
1. Seat separately in the bus if it’s possible. 2. Let the elderly people to sit down. 3. Do not buy tickets, until you see “Keleivių kontrolė” (I am joking😅)
My grandma was Lithuanian as well as half of my ancestors. I see so many similarities to how my grandma would act. I would spend time at my grandparents over the summer other than summer camp and my Lithuanian grandma would spoil us to a breakfast that was basically a 5 course meal every time. I would always say I wasn’t hungry/thirsty by the second or third serving of food but she would always insist. At least she would make us go home with the food instead.
She was also I a physical rehab after a fall for a bit and she kept chocolate in the nightstand for the nurses. She got really angry at my dad for trying to take one once, slapped his hand and said “that’s for the nurses!”
As a resident of Klaipėda I have to say that 6 o'clock means 6 o'clock. Also try not to show up early because the host may not have fully prepared everything, as for any other situation, it's ok to show up a tad bit earlier.
About coming on time. If it is business meeting, one needs to be on time, or up to 5 minutes earlier to show deep interest. If a teacher is 15 minutes late - class is off. But if you're invited to a birthday party, it is better to be up to 15 minutes late, not to stress your host. You may be 1-2 hours late, if your'e extra close friend of everybody and they love you anyway. Or you may come 30 minutes earlier, if you're extra close friend and are ready to polish dishes or something like that.
Where i live (Around Klaipedos rajonas) we knew that rule, but weren't actually allowed to leave, since the teacher (if was 15+min late) would either call another teacher to watch over us or could be late because of a meeting.
I recently read a book on Lithuanian pagans and there was a very interesting chapter on the "I sveikata" / "to your health" expression. In (relatively) old Lithuanian, "sveikata" meant "soul", but nowadays it is never used in that context, we always use "siela" for soul. Additionally, Lithuanian pagans believed that a part of the soul might leave the body and get stolen by evil spirits during moments of shock or excitement. Hence, whenever someone sneezed in pagan or early Christian Lithuania, others around them would always say "I sveikata", hoping that it would help the soul get back into the body faster. The expression is very old in origin, but the current iteration, related to health and well-being, makes more sense in modern context, because sneezing and coughing is what sick people do, so not many people know the real backstory of the expression. The book doesn't go into detail whether the "I sveikata" of a toast is the same as the one used after someone sneezes, but given that it's usually used in combination with stronger drinks like vodka (I don't think I ever heard someone say "I sveikata" while drinking beer, but maybe that's a generation thing, not a drink thing), I think it is the same expression that originated from the same belief of soul leaving a body. If you're curious about the book, it's "Lietuviu religija and mitologija" by the late Gintaras Beresnevicius.
Interesting, in Latvia we say "uz veselību"(to health) or just "vesels"(healthy) when someone sneezes and i have also heard the thing about soul leaving body. When drinking we say "priekā!"(to joy)
It's written as 'į sveikatą', those extra marking on i and a just mean that they are elongated. Also, you can say it while drinking beer, but for the first sip of it, you don't event need to say it again if you have another beer, but it's acceptable. For hard drinks, you always do it for every shot :D
I am born and grown in Klaipėda (and I still am in Klaipėda). If you say at 14:00 in worst scenario it means 14:10. Being late is rude and not informing that you will be late is rude also. Be on time or at least inform that you will be late.
One thing that was missed is that during cold times you don't do a handshake wearing gloves. You take it off, shake hands with the person and then put it back on :)
Thank you for your vedio Im a Filipina that has a fiance from Lithuanian so its really big help for me this vedio🤗🤗 hoping soon that i can visit Lithuania ❤
I can assure you that whenever I visit elderly relatives, they will give more food when you arrive since a long time than actual weddings. Crazy banquets!
Something I was told by my bestfriend (he's from Lithuania while I'm from Australia), that Lithuanians generally don't like being stared at unless they're friends or family
1. Never shake hands without crossing the doorway 2. Men handshake with men, women hug women, and a man handshakes women he is not yet comfortable with 3. When giving cheers while drinking you must look into the eyes of the person or people you're cheering. 4. In public transport you should avoid sitting next to someone unless it's someone you know.
Not sure whether it is nationwide or just in our family - when you finish your meal you should say “Ačiū, sotus” and then host should respond with “Į sveikatą!” 😊
I think you got things down pretty much right. I would say that in general, being late when incited over is usually Frowned about and arriving early is rude, even if 10 minutes early because the host may not be ready. It’s typically expected that you will be either on time or maybe 5 minutes late. 15 minutes late May still be ok, but 30 minutes is considered rude.
Additional rule: you can arrive late to a gathering if the host is known for being late themselves and usually they'll even ask you to arrive later 30 minutes before meet up time :D
The "dance" of offering and refusing is so funny to me personally :) It seems to slowly die out among the younger generation, and I'm glad about it - goddamit, just say what you mean THE FIRST TIME
Alcohol. My mother-in-law always insisted, that a woman should never pour herself a drink if there is a man around. I, personally, always commend people who pour drinks for themselves. I heard it's called "sailors method". It generally asserts dominance and says - I know how much I can handle, that is why I pour my drinks myself.
Thanks for the information! My son was born on Tuesday, August 6,2002 in Los Angeles, CA. My mother tells me my father's father was born in August 1902 in Lithuania. Records were not so exact. Once a month a civil servant from the provincial capital would ride to each village and write down who had died the previous month and who was born the previous month. In September 1902 it was noted that my grandfather had been born.
No idea where you got the being late in Klaipėda part, but I myself born and raised was never late, none of my family members or friends have a habit of being late and if such a thing happens they call and announce that they are late.
could have also mentioned stopping at traffic lights and is it much more observed in comparison with some south European countries like Spain or Italy.
I read comments. What do you guys mean "avoid sitting next to someone in the bus"?! There is no such rule. Everybody can sit wherever they want. Lithuanians are not really people avoiders. It's not Finland, where they don't step out of the house if they see or hear a neighbour. What I find rude is to "sit" your purse or bag next to you in a crowded bus so that nobody can sit next to you. That is low. Btw the front part of the city bus has always been for elderly people, disabled people, pregnant women and mothers with babies. If you're sitting there and they board, you should offer them your seat. I think this rule is good. In soviet times it was even stricter, you could have been embarrassed by the passengers if you didn't let the old lady to sit down. I'd say, we don't have any special do's and don'ts in Lithuania. It's rather about the upbringing and manners. Don't talk too loud on the phone. Do not litter. If being late, just call or send a message "I'll be there in 10 minutes", everybody's got phone, right?
We don't like it when someone litters in nature, because it's not nice to see piles of garbage afterwards. We put the garbage in bags (if it's paper, we put it in our pocket), and then we throw it in the trash. Thanks for a video.
I am from Klaipėda, which is the most German influensed city in Lithuania. Lithuania's organisation on work is the most similar to Germany, it is actually scientifically proven, so you can multiply it by 100 when it comes to Klaipėda and Lithuanians living there. But the problem is that there are 20% of russians-speakers living there and thus their influense is visible, so you have this contrast between super strict German time understanding and russian levity.
Pure nonsence. Almost all Lithunians, 99,9%, who live in Klaipėda today have no connections to this German influenced Klaipėda. All Lithuanians and Russians that are in Klaipėda today are Soviet migrants after WW2. Such is the truth.
I am Lithuanian and from Kalipeda :) so, being late in Klaipeda is not nice as well. I know something, as I am always late and everyone is always angry 😅 Neither come earlier is nice in Lithuania. Refuse coffe/tea offering "at the first time" is not a right thing to do. And eventualy you'll be taking it anyways, most probably. Wine/alcohol is poured by a man, if there is one at the table. As a matter of a good education 😉
3:00 and always the RIGHT hand, never give left hand when greeting or with gloves👋 In our Lithuanian culture greeting with left or gloves means disrespect.
Yes - my Lithuanian-born mother would get angry with us when were kids. She said whistling inside summoned the devils. Funny, but I get annoyed with my kids for the same thing. Lithuanianess runs deep :)
Whenever I greet a woman in her 20s that I don't know, I use fist bumps if it's informal or a handshake if it's a business meeting. If it's a female friend in a casual setting, then I just go for a hug. So far, it's working quite well! Don't use fist bumps to greet guys, though, as it will 100% lead to an awkward moment, as the other guy will go for a handshake every time you go for a fist bump. Some people also don't like going for a handshake if they're wearing gloves and prefer ignoring the above rule and going for a fistbump with another guy instead, taking the risk of an awkward moment. There's also another weird habit where relatives give each other hugs and fake kisses (make the motion of a kiss and the kiss sound with your lips while hugging someone, but don't actually kiss) after a family meeting, one of the most awkward things ever.
My mum's straight off the boat & feeding strangers or children's friends is not something we did, but perhaps it depends on the household income. We were never allowed to have friends over for meals but we also had 7 kids, so... no one was putting out a big spread for anyone & we rarely had that, too. Being late's a big deal... it's rude & if it's a sit-down dinner, of course you want guests to show up on time, otherwise you have to hold the food for everyone to arrive. I guess it's more a symbol of respect with the sentiment being, you're lucky you're being invited, so honor your host by showing up when they say. Shoes off is common sense especially in any country with snow/ice/rain. Who wants to drag wet, dirty shoes all over the house, but oddly, it wasn't something my Lithuanian mum requested. My Irish father, however, who was a steel worker, required that all shoes be left at the door & no bare feet cuz you might get steel splinters from his work. What I always remember is that if someone gave you a food gift, like a slice of cake or dessert, you never returned an empty plate. Something to do with you're blessing the household to always have food. And, a custom for us was to leave a small cup with a pill (like an aspirin), a penny & a crumb of bread outside the front door before the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve. It symbolizes that the household will have enough money, food & good health for the upcoming year.
^^ Irishman living in Lithuania for the last number of months. You forgot to mention friends kissing friends on the lips upon greetings - found this so weird at the beginning but now I' used to it haha.
As a person from Klaipėda you can be 15 min late no more becouse it's just inpolite to be late there's that 15 minutes becouse in Klaipėda there is a lot of traffik
I'm not sure about Klaipeda, altho i know quite a few people from there living in my hometown of Vilnius and punctuality is no problem with any them, i also dont mind people coming a little early, i just hate the ones that are really late. Basically if ur late more then 15 minutes i expect you to call in and tell me that you will be late.
Iam from Klaipeda,and i dont know anyone who would intentionaly be late,me and my family prefer to allways come earlyier,so ppl dosent have to wait for us
As a Lugan who was born in Canada the drink song/dance goes something like this would you like a drink? no - thank you ... sorry, are you sure? i insist? yes, sorry, could i have a coffee, black thank you, thank you, oh sorry, no worries, thank you thank YOU no, thank you, sorry no, i'm sorry...
I think the shaking across a threshold may not be a superstitious thing. To me it seems disingenuous to shake over a threshold, and Lithuanians value sincerity. So if someone shook my hand over their threshold they either have not stepped outside or haven't invited me in. You are kind enough to shake hands but you haven't decided whether you will invite me in?
My parents were from the part of Poland closest to Lithuania and thusly, my last name is a Polishificatoin of a Lithuanian last name.. Pops always told me that shaking a hand over the doorstep meant that the person outside was too eager to come in OR that the person inside would prefer the visitor to stay outside. I guess it's case by case in those respects
I don't think that sitting at the corner of the table is bad luck. In fact, in old, traditional lithuanian homes the corner seat is reserved for the owner of the house, and the end to the eldest man of the family.
It's NOT a bad luck to sit at a table corner. It means you will not get married for next 7 years (I could be wrong about the amount of years). So it could mean good luck if you don't want to marry, or if a person is already married it won't mean anything.
I only saw it being normal in USA. And I don't find it normal, but some people don't care and they tell you to leave your shoes on (that's a situation in Croatia where I am from)
thing about shoes is far from universal, let's say czechs in this regard are usually stricter, about insisting to dink or eat something is partly generational and more common in rural areas
One more about the mans hand shake. If you younger you never draw your hand to a elder man, you wait till he do first this is very important and disrespectful. If u young boy you never do that..
The little dance of refusing and accepting and implying that you don't want the thing when you do want it is as annoying as it sounds. That's why younger generations (30 and below) almost never do it in my experience.
Eye contact is only for hard liquor that comes in shots. If you're sipping wine or even something harder like whiskey no one expects eye contact (and if they say they do they are deranged). Definitely not with beer drinking. It's a shot thing.
Funny thing, living all my life in Lithuania and not expecting anyone to bring something to my house when I invite them. Sometimes I also forget that there is an unofficial "rule" to bring something when visiting someone's house :D Never knew that when saying "i sveikata" I need to watch to the eyes before my boyfriend who is at allAsian told me that :D Was really surprised to find out. About pouring drinks first to others and not yourself - at all a surprise for me :D About part of being on time, I agree. Doesn't mean you can't be late for 3 mins (at non-official appointment), but 10 mins late is kinda rude in Lithuania. Though I find myself coming 10 mins earlier to someone's house also not appropriate.
Can someone tell me where is normal to wear shoes inside of the home after coming from outside? Imagine someone walks with dirty shoes in your living room just after you finished vacuuming. How normal is that in other countries?
In England is normal to keep your shoes on in English household. Ant cannot imagine taking my shoes off at Dinner Party, because they are part of the Dress/Costume. The same for any gathering/party. And no exceptions!
tbh i hate the thing that us lithuanians offer stuff a tons of times even if we declined. its so annoying but i cant really say that bc i sometimes do it aswell on accident😅
I believe social gatherings in parts of the South America, Middle East and Africa. Apparently in Spanish culture 30 minutes after the set time is acceptable.
It’s interesting how my family and I always take our shoes off inside even though I was born in the usa. It’s like all these things are in my blood lol
i did that when visiting a flat, landlord greeted me said no don't take your shoes off it's fine, took them off anyway, then landlord proceeded to come in with his shoes lol
@@LithuaniaExplained He is a communication coach, teacher, philanthropist, researcher, and youtuber. This is his channel www.youtube.com/@alexanderlyon
I would not recommend following this lis very strictly, yeah people take of shoes and show on time but it is not really exotic in the rest of the Europe, looking people in the eyes when you say cheers sounds more like a Germany thing to me, this I must say sounds stupidest on this list, I never look people in the eyes when I drink and no one finds it bothersome, never noticed anyone doing it too... However pouring drinks to your guests first is a must, never pour drinks by reversing rotating your wrist lateraly by the way - it is very rude... it is quite obvious that this pose displays negative attitude. Shaking hands above threshold also is a demonstration that your guest is unwelcome inside... By the way we do not "shake" hands, we press them, it is a sign of respect if the peraon who shakes your hand puts some pressure on it. A Lithuanian host will unlikely be mad if you will not bring anything on your visit, in fact it is not as if it is expected of you to bring something, it is more like if you are a Lithuanian guest you will feel very awkward if you will come empty but the host will unlikely mind that, however it is quite an offense if you will refuse the host's hospitality.
shoes off inside 100% , I'd add hats off too. The rest- while very common but not mandatory
Don't know any single person in Lithuania that doesn't follow this policy
@@Afterburn7 some people nowadays keep hats inside, but for me it looks weird
@@jygebIn my grandparent's generation keeping the hat on meant that you are not staying for long, but leave again shortly.
@@Afterburn7 I've always thought it was like that everywhere
I am from Klaipėda. The is a story with being late here. There is a large minority of ethnic Russians living here (as per census 2021 17% of the the entire population of the city). Russians in general are noticably more relaxed about coming late or being 'fashionably late' than Lithuanians. Lithuanian colleagues or friends absolutely do not tolerate coming late unless you apologize and notify that you will be late because you have some issue that you cannot control. If you want to annoy your friend or piss off colleagues - yeah, go ahead and come late. Several times. Fashionably. And see what happens😀 They will point it out to everyone for the next 10 years and stop inviting you anywhere.
Or moreover that person starts to get invited earlier than others 😁
😂 that last part provided a good laugh! Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Lol, the "point it out to everyone for the next 10 years" is so relatable, feels like you did a study on my friend group, because we never let one of our friends forget that she's late to everything. 😅
as a Lithuanian from Klaipeda, this is accurate
are you related to alexander lyon?
Additional rule in Lithuania - NEVER say to any Lithuanian, especially form the younger generation, that Lithuanians and Russians are the same. We are deeply offended by that.
wth?
@@androiddasit’s very simple
there were extensive measures taken by (most recently) russians, germans, and even poles to erase lithuanian as a language and a culture over the course of about 700 years, and they failed. Hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians were killed in the process (that’s just the figure from the soviet occupation, because its the one that’s the most certain) and during the LLKS war tens of thousands of young men gave their lives all for the sake of their descendants not being called russians, and yet some people insist on doing so.
Who cares
reasonable ig
@@androiddaswe got occupied by them mfkas two times already
1. Seat separately in the bus if it’s possible.
2. Let the elderly people to sit down.
3. Do not buy tickets, until you see “Keleivių kontrolė” (I am joking😅)
are you related to alexander lyon?
😂
3 is usable but you never know when they are coming until the last minute
My grandma was Lithuanian as well as half of my ancestors. I see so many similarities to how my grandma would act. I would spend time at my grandparents over the summer other than summer camp and my Lithuanian grandma would spoil us to a breakfast that was basically a 5 course meal every time. I would always say I wasn’t hungry/thirsty by the second or third serving of food but she would always insist. At least she would make us go home with the food instead.
She was also I a physical rehab after a fall for a bit and she kept chocolate in the nightstand for the nurses. She got really angry at my dad for trying to take one once, slapped his hand and said “that’s for the nurses!”
That's not because she's Lithuanian, that's because she's a grandma
are you related to alexander lyon?
@@poiewhfopiewhf
Every human seems to be, genetically related to every other person!
Also this is a pseudo question!
As a resident of Klaipėda I have to say that 6 o'clock means 6 o'clock. Also try not to show up early because the host may not have fully prepared everything, as for any other situation, it's ok to show up a tad bit earlier.
As a rule, if you show up early then you have to help host to prepare everything until other guests arrive.
About coming on time. If it is business meeting, one needs to be on time, or up to 5 minutes earlier to show deep interest. If a teacher is 15 minutes late - class is off. But if you're invited to a birthday party, it is better to be up to 15 minutes late, not to stress your host. You may be 1-2 hours late, if your'e extra close friend of everybody and they love you anyway. Or you may come 30 minutes earlier, if you're extra close friend and are ready to polish dishes or something like that.
Yeah thats what I thought too. If you arrive earlier and see that the host is still preparing, it is very customary to offer to help.
we don't have that 15 minute class off thing
@@karolissad.4270 maybe it’s a regional thing? I had it both for school and university. It was kinda of a common knowledge for us.
@@karolissad.4270 It's an unsaid rule that no one really follows anymore. Everyone knows that rule but we still don't leave
Where i live (Around Klaipedos rajonas) we knew that rule, but weren't actually allowed to leave, since the teacher (if was 15+min late) would either call another teacher to watch over us or could be late because of a meeting.
I recently read a book on Lithuanian pagans and there was a very interesting chapter on the "I sveikata" / "to your health" expression.
In (relatively) old Lithuanian, "sveikata" meant "soul", but nowadays it is never used in that context, we always use "siela" for soul. Additionally, Lithuanian pagans believed that a part of the soul might leave the body and get stolen by evil spirits during moments of shock or excitement. Hence, whenever someone sneezed in pagan or early Christian Lithuania, others around them would always say "I sveikata", hoping that it would help the soul get back into the body faster.
The expression is very old in origin, but the current iteration, related to health and well-being, makes more sense in modern context, because sneezing and coughing is what sick people do, so not many people know the real backstory of the expression. The book doesn't go into detail whether the "I sveikata" of a toast is the same as the one used after someone sneezes, but given that it's usually used in combination with stronger drinks like vodka (I don't think I ever heard someone say "I sveikata" while drinking beer, but maybe that's a generation thing, not a drink thing), I think it is the same expression that originated from the same belief of soul leaving a body.
If you're curious about the book, it's "Lietuviu religija and mitologija" by the late Gintaras Beresnevicius.
damn very cool fun fact!
Interesting, in Latvia we say "uz veselību"(to health) or just "vesels"(healthy) when someone sneezes and i have also heard the thing about soul leaving body. When drinking we say "priekā!"(to joy)
We always say "i sveikata" while raising glass with any alcohol :) It's like norwegian "skal" or english "cheers"
It's written as 'į sveikatą', those extra marking on i and a just mean that they are elongated. Also, you can say it while drinking beer, but for the first sip of it, you don't event need to say it again if you have another beer, but it's acceptable. For hard drinks, you always do it for every shot :D
I have never heard my relatives say I sveikata with weaker drinks
I am born and grown in Klaipėda (and I still am in Klaipėda). If you say at 14:00 in worst scenario it means 14:10. Being late is rude and not informing that you will be late is rude also. Be on time or at least inform that you will be late.
One thing that was missed is that during cold times you don't do a handshake wearing gloves. You take it off, shake hands with the person and then put it back on :)
the ''bring somthing if you're invited over'' is so true, when me and my dad went to his friend's family we always bringed a cake with us
Thank you for your vedio
Im a Filipina that has a fiance from Lithuanian so its really big help for me this vedio🤗🤗 hoping soon that i can visit Lithuania ❤
The first time you have to decline is something older generation does, between young generation (
I can assure you that whenever I visit elderly relatives, they will give more food when you arrive since a long time than actual weddings. Crazy banquets!
Something I was told by my bestfriend (he's from Lithuania while I'm from Australia), that Lithuanians generally don't like being stared at unless they're friends or family
That's odd , I get stared at all the time over here in Lithuania.
is... it normal to stare at people eslewhere?
@@karolissad.4270 short eye contact isn't seen as invasive behaviour in most European countries.
I am lithuanian and I approve this message
I'm form Poland and we have exactly the same social rules
In Mariampolė region you have to arrive about 10 minutes early
They do things different there
The greeting is spot on, also, when a man and a woman get to know each other, develop a friendship, very often you can see them greeting with a hug
facts
Meanwhile, in an alternate universe: Canada Explained by a Lithuanian
I would watch.
🤣
Sometimes, the view from outside can be better, looking at things from a distance, without taking things for granted.
1. Never shake hands without crossing the doorway 2. Men handshake with men, women hug women, and a man handshakes women he is not yet comfortable with 3. When giving cheers while drinking you must look into the eyes of the person or people you're cheering. 4. In public transport you should avoid sitting next to someone unless it's someone you know.
Not sure whether it is nationwide or just in our family - when you finish your meal you should say “Ačiū, sotus” and then host should respond with “Į sveikatą!” 😊
Another great and original research!
Men used to kiss a woman's hand upon greeting or departing. Had that when I was growing up. And it's not sexual but a sign of respect .
I think you got things down pretty much right. I would say that in general, being late when incited over is usually Frowned about and arriving early is rude, even if 10 minutes early because the host may not be ready. It’s typically expected that you will be either on time or maybe 5 minutes late. 15 minutes late May still be ok, but 30 minutes is considered rude.
If you come earlier it is common to offer to help prepare dishes etc
Additional rule: you can arrive late to a gathering if the host is known for being late themselves and usually they'll even ask you to arrive later 30 minutes before meet up time :D
very well made video, i will send it to few of my friends for pointers... Thanks!
Eye contact when toasting, try to keep the agreed time to meet and shoes off at home are our customs too in sweden! Very familiar.
Growing up as a 3rd generation lithuanian im surprised to see how most of this was just normal for me.
The "dance" of offering and refusing is so funny to me personally :) It seems to slowly die out among the younger generation, and I'm glad about it - goddamit, just say what you mean THE FIRST TIME
The Lithuanian "cheers" when drinking is also the same thing you say when somebody else sneezes. The Lithuanian "Bless you", if you will.
Alcohol. My mother-in-law always insisted, that a woman should never pour herself a drink if there is a man around. I, personally, always commend people who pour drinks for themselves. I heard it's called "sailors method". It generally asserts dominance and says - I know how much I can handle, that is why I pour my drinks myself.
Thanks for the information! My son was born on Tuesday, August 6,2002 in Los Angeles, CA. My mother tells me my father's father was born in August 1902 in Lithuania. Records were not so exact. Once a month a civil servant from the provincial capital would ride to each village and write down who had died the previous month and who was born the previous month. In September 1902 it was noted that my grandfather had been born.
I am from Kretinga area, I was always taught to arrive at least 15 minutes early
Thanks for this video.
No idea where you got the being late in Klaipėda part, but I myself born and raised was never late, none of my family members or friends have a habit of being late and if such a thing happens they call and announce that they are late.
Good as always :)
Thank you!
@@LithuaniaExplained No, thank you for the videos you make :)
Most of this norms are the same in my country as well. Greetings from Romania .
Nicely done! :)
could have also mentioned stopping at traffic lights and is it much more observed in comparison with some south European countries like Spain or Italy.
I am lithuanian and I didn't know half of these. Thanks!
Obviously u are not a true Lithuanian
I'm Lithuanian and this is all accurate information.
About being late in Klaipėda, I don't know because I don't live there.
I am told by my friend in Lithuania to always toast with your left hand as it is closer to your heart.
I read comments. What do you guys mean "avoid sitting next to someone in the bus"?! There is no such rule. Everybody can sit wherever they want. Lithuanians are not really people avoiders. It's not Finland, where they don't step out of the house if they see or hear a neighbour. What I find rude is to "sit" your purse or bag next to you in a crowded bus so that nobody can sit next to you. That is low.
Btw the front part of the city bus has always been for elderly people, disabled people, pregnant women and mothers with babies. If you're sitting there and they board, you should offer them your seat. I think this rule is good. In soviet times it was even stricter, you could have been embarrassed by the passengers if you didn't let the old lady to sit down.
I'd say, we don't have any special do's and don'ts in Lithuania. It's rather about the upbringing and manners. Don't talk too loud on the phone. Do not litter. If being late, just call or send a message "I'll be there in 10 minutes", everybody's got phone, right?
As someone who is from Klaipeda I have to say personally if we say 6pm we mean 6pm but that has to be group specific.
Seems the same in Belarus ( well, not surprising since we're neighbours )
Great video!
You don't handshake with gloves on , you either take them off or fist bump thats another one id like to add
We don't like it when someone litters in nature, because it's not nice to see piles of garbage afterwards. We put the garbage in bags (if it's paper, we put it in our pocket), and then we throw it in the trash. Thanks for a video.
I am from Klaipėda, which is the most German influensed city in Lithuania. Lithuania's organisation on work is the most similar to Germany, it is actually scientifically proven, so you can multiply it by 100 when it comes to Klaipėda and Lithuanians living there. But the problem is that there are 20% of russians-speakers living there and thus their influense is visible, so you have this contrast between super strict German time understanding and russian levity.
Pure nonsence. Almost all Lithunians, 99,9%, who live in Klaipėda today have no connections to this German influenced Klaipėda. All Lithuanians and Russians that are in Klaipėda today are Soviet migrants after WW2. Such is the truth.
I am Lithuanian and from Kalipeda :) so, being late in Klaipeda is not nice as well. I know something, as I am always late and everyone is always angry 😅 Neither come earlier is nice in Lithuania. Refuse coffe/tea offering "at the first time" is not a right thing to do. And eventualy you'll be taking it anyways, most probably. Wine/alcohol is poured by a man, if there is one at the table. As a matter of a good education 😉
3:00 and always the RIGHT hand, never give left hand when greeting or with gloves👋 In our Lithuanian culture greeting with left or gloves means disrespect.
This is even worse in Muslim countries.
It is very intereting that giving an number of flowers is not polite🤔 Is it common in other Baltic countries as well.
dont whistle at home, its bad luck
Yes - my Lithuanian-born mother would get angry with us when were kids. She said whistling inside summoned the devils. Funny, but I get annoyed with my kids for the same thing. Lithuanianess runs deep :)
I never knew about any of them except shoes
Whenever I greet a woman in her 20s that I don't know, I use fist bumps if it's informal or a handshake if it's a business meeting. If it's a female friend in a casual setting, then I just go for a hug. So far, it's working quite well!
Don't use fist bumps to greet guys, though, as it will 100% lead to an awkward moment, as the other guy will go for a handshake every time you go for a fist bump.
Some people also don't like going for a handshake if they're wearing gloves and prefer ignoring the above rule and going for a fistbump with another guy instead, taking the risk of an awkward moment.
There's also another weird habit where relatives give each other hugs and fake kisses (make the motion of a kiss and the kiss sound with your lips while hugging someone, but don't actually kiss) after a family meeting, one of the most awkward things ever.
My mum's straight off the boat & feeding strangers or children's friends is not something we did, but perhaps it depends on the household income. We were never allowed to have friends over for meals but we also had 7 kids, so... no one was putting out a big spread for anyone & we rarely had that, too.
Being late's a big deal... it's rude & if it's a sit-down dinner, of course you want guests to show up on time, otherwise you have to hold the food for everyone to arrive. I guess it's more a symbol of respect with the sentiment being, you're lucky you're being invited, so honor your host by showing up when they say.
Shoes off is common sense especially in any country with snow/ice/rain. Who wants to drag wet, dirty shoes all over the house, but oddly, it wasn't something my Lithuanian mum requested. My Irish father, however, who was a steel worker, required that all shoes be left at the door & no bare feet cuz you might get steel splinters from his work.
What I always remember is that if someone gave you a food gift, like a slice of cake or dessert, you never returned an empty plate. Something to do with you're blessing the household to always have food.
And, a custom for us was to leave a small cup with a pill (like an aspirin), a penny & a crumb of bread outside the front door before the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve. It symbolizes that the household will have enough money, food & good health for the upcoming year.
^^ Irishman living in Lithuania for the last number of months. You forgot to mention friends kissing friends on the lips upon greetings - found this so weird at the beginning but now I' used to it haha.
As a person from Klaipėda you can be 15 min late no more becouse it's just inpolite to be late there's that 15 minutes becouse in Klaipėda there is a lot of traffik
I'm not sure about Klaipeda, altho i know quite a few people from there living in my hometown of Vilnius and punctuality is no problem with any them, i also dont mind people coming a little early, i just hate the ones that are really late. Basically if ur late more then 15 minutes i expect you to call in and tell me that you will be late.
the whole "nonono no cookie thank you"
"ok fiine I will eat the cookie"
thing
is cursed
stop
plz
Iam from Klaipeda,and i dont know anyone who would intentionaly be late,me and my family prefer to allways come earlyier,so ppl dosent have to wait for us
As a Lugan who was born in Canada the drink song/dance goes something like this
would you like a drink?
no - thank you
...
sorry, are you sure? i insist?
yes, sorry, could i have a coffee, black thank you,
thank you,
oh sorry,
no worries, thank you
thank YOU
no, thank you,
sorry
no, i'm sorry...
I think the shaking across a threshold may not be a superstitious thing. To me it seems disingenuous to shake over a threshold, and Lithuanians value sincerity. So if someone shook my hand over their threshold they either have not stepped outside or haven't invited me in. You are kind enough to shake hands but you haven't decided whether you will invite me in?
My parents were from the part of Poland closest to Lithuania and thusly, my last name is a Polishificatoin of a Lithuanian last name.. Pops always told me that shaking a hand over the doorstep meant that the person outside was too eager to come in OR that the person inside would prefer the visitor to stay outside. I guess it's case by case in those respects
You cannot be late in Klaipėda :) meeting at 6sharp means meeting at 6sharp it is rude to be late even 5 minutes.
finding this just as interesting despite living here all my life because i dont go outside lol
Sveiki
I don't think that sitting at the corner of the table is bad luck. In fact, in old, traditional lithuanian homes the corner seat is reserved for the owner of the house, and the end to the eldest man of the family.
It's NOT a bad luck to sit at a table corner. It means you will not get married for next 7 years (I could be wrong about the amount of years). So it could mean good luck if you don't want to marry, or if a person is already married it won't mean anything.
I only saw it being normal in USA. And I don't find it normal, but some people don't care and they tell you to leave your shoes on (that's a situation in Croatia where I am from)
thing about shoes is far from universal, let's say czechs in this regard are usually stricter, about insisting to dink or eat something is partly generational and more common in rural areas
Claim your lithuanian ticket here
What?
Not mentioned here but as an Englishman I always get told off for whistling, as it's supposed to be inviting evil spirits or something ?
That is correct. It's a superstition, but you we think that if you whistle inside, you will call evil spirits
Or that you won't have money 😁
One more about the mans hand shake. If you younger you never draw your hand to a elder man, you wait till he do first this is very important and disrespectful. If u young boy you never do that..
The little dance of refusing and accepting and implying that you don't want the thing when you do want it is as annoying as it sounds. That's why younger generations (30 and below) almost never do it in my experience.
Eye contact is only for hard liquor that comes in shots. If you're sipping wine or even something harder like whiskey no one expects eye contact (and if they say they do they are deranged). Definitely not with beer drinking. It's a shot thing.
im from Vilnius
I'm from Mažeikiai. If I will be like hour early it's ok.
Funny thing, living all my life in Lithuania and not expecting anyone to bring something to my house when I invite them. Sometimes I also forget that there is an unofficial "rule" to bring something when visiting someone's house :D Never knew that when saying "i sveikata" I need to watch to the eyes before my boyfriend who is at allAsian told me that :D Was really surprised to find out. About pouring drinks first to others and not yourself - at all a surprise for me :D About part of being on time, I agree. Doesn't mean you can't be late for 3 mins (at non-official appointment), but 10 mins late is kinda rude in Lithuania. Though I find myself coming 10 mins earlier to someone's house also not appropriate.
I (being a samogitian) think that the samogitia stereotype is actually quite funny.
Can someone tell me where is normal to wear shoes inside of the home after coming from outside? Imagine someone walks with dirty shoes in your living room just after you finished vacuuming. How normal is that in other countries?
In England is normal to keep your shoes on in English household. Ant cannot imagine taking my shoes off at Dinner Party, because they are part of the Dress/Costume. The same for any gathering/party. And no exceptions!
tbh i hate the thing that us lithuanians offer stuff a tons of times even if we declined. its so annoying but i cant really say that bc i sometimes do it aswell on accident😅
Wheres the place where im expected to be at 7 while it was said 6? I would fit it like a snug glove😅
I believe social gatherings in parts of the South America, Middle East and Africa. Apparently in Spanish culture 30 minutes after the set time is acceptable.
seems pretty accurate
It is so weird watching an English video, seeing a street for 2 seconds and knowing exactly where it is lol.
Even weirder seeing those streets as an Englishman and knowing where they are.
People feom abroad sometimes dont dig it ;) but we know it
Kiss a hand, you show respect by that :)
It’s interesting how my family and I always take our shoes off inside even though I was born in the usa. It’s like all these things are in my blood lol
I was always curious if ppl in US really stays at home with shoes on or that's juat a movies thing.
@@mantasjanonis1304 I know a pretty large amount of people that keep their shoes on inside but a lot of people remove them also
I know some culture sleep with their shoes
@@danrook5757 that’s strange lol. What cultures?
you forgot mention one thing about shoes of some will say to keep your shoes on but dont listen take them off your gonna be rude if you wont
i did that when visiting a flat, landlord greeted me said no don't take your shoes off it's fine, took them off anyway, then landlord proceeded to come in with his shoes lol
"Shoes off in the house" is the difference between clean and dirty people. Tracking the world into someone's home is just fucking rude.
labas
They do same as us gypsy so no surprise there
Are students friendly in Lithuania ?
depends, but mostly yes :))
Most students are drunk
@@danrook5757 that is why everyone is friendly
Labas
lb
... how about whistling indoors? :) lol - superstition or social faux pas?
Both! :)
The uneven number of flowers is a russian thing, not lithuanian.
im from klaipeda, be on fokin time m8
I am lithuanian
Tai, koks stubukla
are you related to alexander lyon?
No, who is that?
@@LithuaniaExplained He is a communication coach, teacher, philanthropist, researcher, and youtuber. This is his channel www.youtube.com/@alexanderlyon
I would not recommend following this lis very strictly, yeah people take of shoes and show on time but it is not really exotic in the rest of the Europe, looking people in the eyes when you say cheers sounds more like a Germany thing to me, this I must say sounds stupidest on this list, I never look people in the eyes when I drink and no one finds it bothersome, never noticed anyone doing it too...
However pouring drinks to your guests first is a must, never pour drinks by reversing rotating your wrist lateraly by the way - it is very rude... it is quite obvious that this pose displays negative attitude.
Shaking hands above threshold also is a demonstration that your guest is unwelcome inside...
By the way we do not "shake" hands, we press them, it is a sign of respect if the peraon who shakes your hand puts some pressure on it.
A Lithuanian host will unlikely be mad if you will not bring anything on your visit, in fact it is not as if it is expected of you to bring something, it is more like if you are a Lithuanian guest you will feel very awkward if you will come empty but the host will unlikely mind that, however it is quite an offense if you will refuse the host's hospitality.
Hey guys, shot in the dark but do any of y'all know Lithuanian flower giving traditions and would be willing to respond and help me out? lmao
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