Greeks Creating Gifts RSS

Did you know that Kantyli-Custom Greek Gifts Founder, President, and Creative Panos Fiorentinos is also an author? The book, called ECCLESIA, changed his life. Just like the seeds that nurture and protect a young sapling, so did the seeds of faith planted during his upbringing in the Greek Orthodox Church. These seeds not only sprouted, but led him on a life-changing journey, melding his professional interests with his passion for photography, to meeting his wife, and creating the keepsake volume, ECCLESIA, a pictorial and historical reference that chronicles the history of the churches of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago....

If you’re like most Greeks of the Diaspora, you love anything that reminds you of the homeland. Greek road signs from Kantyli-Custom Greek Gifts are a great way to bring a little bit of Greece to your home or business. Among the most popular products at Kantyli-Custom Greek Gifts are Greek Road Signs. Founder, President, & Artisan Panos Fiorentinos shared that the idea for these signs came on one of his family’s trips to the island of Kerkyra. “About seven years ago, we were on Kerkyra. We went for a walk in my wife’s village, and I noticed a sign...

ConGRADulations!Graduation season is here. How will you celebrate your grad? Keep reading for some great gift ideas.--Graduation timeGraduation is a special time. A milestone. It marks the end of a period of time, a recognition of hard work and achievement. With great anticipation, our grads will walk across a stage and proudly except a diploma or degree, then move on to new horizons. Whether it’s a kid moving on to a new school and new stage in life, a young adult graduating university and beginning their career, or an adult who finished their degree or obtained an advanced degree, we’ll...

Celebrate Dad, Baba, Patera, Pappou, Nono, Thio Fathers give more than they’re often given credit for. As we approach Father’s Day, let’s take a look at just what is a father, and his important role. Let’s get ready to celebrate him! --- Father: dictionary definition What is a father? Oxford Languages gives us several definitions of the word “father”. Noun: (1) a man in relation to his child or children; (2) an important figure in the origin and early history of something; (3) a man who gives care and protection to someone or something; (4) the oldest or most respected...

Whenever you have an older Greek Grandmother (Yiayia) in the kitchen, you’ll find a koutala or the wooden spoon. She was tasked with watching her grand children while the husband and wife worked outside the home. In addition to being the child watcher, she was often cooked meals and doing both duties can sometimes be hazardous if you are the child or children misbehaving. Anger Yiayia and you often saw her wave the spoon along with loud verbal assaults. Over the years the koutala has become the symbol of discipline and punishment. We got this idea while reading a Greek-American...