Anastasia Balezdrova
The ‘angel’ and the ‘devil’ in the face of the brunette Sotiria and the blonde Eleni stood today on the main Kifisias Avenue in Athens, tempting the passing drivers each in her own way. Sotiria and Eleni were holding baskets full of chocolates and handing them to the men impressed with them, advertising in this way a shop for erotic lingerie and items.
"There is great response by men. They are joking but not in a rude manner, they are really kind," said the ‘angel’ Sotiria who will surprise her boy-friend "with a great erotic dinner at home."
The most extreme joke intended to the ‘devil’ Eleni was "to get inside the car." She also celebrates today, but stresses that it is "nice to celebrate every day. Being in love, live every moment and feel good." Eleni also prepares dinner for two, but "not a usual dinner but in the style of the clothes I am in now."
Inside the shop the owner Jenny guided several customers. She said that customers had started buying their gifts since Friday and that there was greater men’s interest.
"Men usually begin to prepare in advance. They might imagine it somehow visually. Women shop almost at the last minute."
According to Jenny, the preferred gift for women and for men is erotic lingerie. Moreover, humorous tricks, eatable lingerie, erotic toys, shoes, costumes, wigs and other accessories are being bought.
Jenny expected the turnover to increase by the end of the day as usually happens on Valentine's Day. Besides, "in comparison with last year, this year is better in terms of customers."
I took advantage of my presence in such a store and asked Jenny if the crisis affects the sexual life of the Greeks. "Yes, it affects it. We need to be in the mood for it."
However, she does not believe that people who are cornered by the bad economic situation in the country would buy some aids to brighten up their sex life. "A man must feel good to start thinking about how to raise the mate’s spirits."
While I was in the shop at least five customers came, all of them men. Stamatis is of those people who buy a gift to his girlfriend almost every year on Valentine's Day. Flowers, chocolates, sweets, lingerie are the staff he usually prefers to give as gift this day and so do most of the Greeks. "I used to give away a couple of all these things in the good times but now I will buy only one because of the crisis."
Stamatis said he did not wait for this special day to buy flowers for his beloved one. He said that most people in Greece did not celebrate this day. "I do not know why, but people see it as a joke. We greet but with a lot of humour. It is simply not perceived like the other holidays."
"It is a great holiday" for him, however. Yes, it was imported and we know this. But it is still a chance for flower shops, cafes and shops like this to work a little more and increase their turnover. And of course, "men are the ones who give everything for our girls."
The jewels are the gifts that warm any female heart. Nikos from the company store of a very famous brand of jewelry crystals confirmed that their turnover increased in such days. "People buy jewelry in days like today. We have a flow of customers while the interest is weak in other days."
And here 90 percent of the customers are men who usually buy jewelry in the shape of heart. The price ceiling of the gift, however, has fallen. "People got the dash to buy before but now the average price of a gift is 60-70 euros." Nikos believed that this year's turnover for the Valentine’s Day is lower than last year but was pleased that there was it, because customers did not enter the jewelry stores even to look around.
Thousands of bouquets and cakes in the shape of hearts are waiting in flower shops and cafes to be bought and made a gift by Athenians in love. The work there started early in the morning as orders were made last Thursday.
Of course, not a few are the Greeks who believe Valentine's Day was an imported nonsense and a day of confectioners and florists. But they all agree that nothing is bad when it is about love and affection.
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