Is this content of this post true?(Things I shouldn’t do in Lithuania)

16 comments

1. 1,3,5,6,7 are true
   2, 4 i think more like superstitions that older generations have
   8 – partly
   9 – whaaat 😀

2. Most of this list is based on bullshit, foolish superstitions.

   However.

   1 is a local custom. (included after editing comment)

   ~~1 – 3~~ 2 – 3 is the peak of bullshit. I mean, yeah, people believe in this nonsense, but it doesn’t make it non-bullshit.

   4 is neither true nor false. Some people make eye contact, some don’t. It’s not a big deal.

   5 is basic etiquette here.

   6 is kind of as well, but it’s based on superstitions.

   7 is true.

   8 is neither true nor false. Not everybody is crazy about basketball, plenty of people don’t give a shit about it. You can meet someone overly religious about it, though.

   9 is what? You mean spray against mosquitos or something like that? If so, then it’s true in the first half of summer. Later it becomes less of an issue.

   edit: 1 should have been a separate point

3. Everything here is true. Not gen z here

4. 1 superstition, but quite common.

   2,3 are superstitions, not so common, I would say.

   4 there are couple main ways to drink vodka and other strong drinks: 1) someone gives a signal and everybody drinks at the same time, 2) everybody drinks one by one; before you drink, you should say “į sveikatą” directed to the next person who should drink after you; usually when you finish your shot, you have to fill it for next person (it is not uncommon to use the same glass for all). If You respond to “į sveikatą” positively, it would be polite to drink, but usually you can skip by informing the person who toasts. In rare cases skipping drink might be considered disrespect.

   5 usually, yes. Even if host tells “no, please keep your shoes on” – it is polite to take them off. Unless You see that hosts themselves are with shoes.

   6 yes, there is such rule.

   7 yes, some people are sensitive to being compared to russians, referred as former soviet republic.

   8 Basketball has some higher meaning than just sport in Lithuania (You could watch “The Other Dream Team” documentary to get more understanding. But telling that You don’t like basketball or are not interested in it should not get You into trouble.

   9 ticks, mosquitoes are pain in the ass. If You go to nature, yes, bring some anti-mosquito sprays. But they are available to buy in Lithuania as well, You don’t have to bring them from other side of the world.

5. 1. never heard of that one before lol
   2. true
   3. true
   4. kind of outdated
   5. obviously
   6. true
   7. I mean, you can’t deny the fact that we were under the influence in our past by USSR. Not sure what this means.
   8. pretty much true
   9. quoting u/sinmelia “whaaat”. Unless you go to a lake then be prepared for an attack from mosquitos.

6. The only things I’d say are true are 5, 7, and 8. Even then, not all of them are universal.

7. It’s wonky but true.
   You can pass a knife without a table, just point the blade towards yourself instead.
   Also if you’re in Kaunas don’t say how much you liked Vilnius better and vice versa.

8. Yeah all of that exists, but not a must as its mostly superstitiins/old customs (flower thingie is vivid to this day tho), except- pesticides, made me laugh, its not THAT bad that you would need to bring them from your country. Just get a bug spray once you are here if you plan to travel arround

9. #4 was invented by degenerate alcoholics in USSR

10. Most of these are superstitions or customs that should not get you in trouble if you don’t follow them. Lithuanians are not that cut-throat about customs as, say, the Japanese are.

    ​

    However, some customs are more popular than others. For example:

    1. Yes, you should take off your shoes when you enter the house. It’s not unusual to be barefoot/wear socks at someone’s place, most of the time people would offer slippers to their guests. It’s an unspoken rule to remove your shoes, unless the host insists that you shouldn’t.
    2. The one with flowers – true. If you want to give flowers as gift, use an odd number (1,3,5 etc.).
    3. If someone lifted their glass to say “į sveikatą”, it’s rude to not lift your glass as well, even if you only have a glass of juice or water. As for pouring alcohol drinks – overall, it’s best to wait until someone fills your glass, but if you want to fill your own glass, don’t pour a drink for yourself until you see that someone else has finished their drink. Fill up their glass, and only then can you fill your own. Otherwise, it’s rude.
    4. Don’t be weirded out if someone throws a handful of salt over their shoulder after spilling the salt on the table. Same superstition with spitting over your shoulder 3 times if a black cat crosses the road in front of you. As for the knife or scissors – point the handle towards the person you’re giving the tool to. There are many superstitions like that, but it’s not that popular anymore.
    5. Basketball is highly popular in Lithuania but it isn’t the kind of thing that will get you lynched if you say that you don’t enjoy the sport. Still, don’t comment on Bball team preferences – there are ultras out there, same as these English football hooligans that can knock your teeth in.
    6. As for insecticides – yep, bring some bug spray because mosquitos are rampant. Also, I’d suggest getting a vaccine for tick-borne encephalitis, Lithuania is in the red zone when it comes to diseases carried by ticks. Always check yourself after a stroll somewhere in the park or in the forest.
    7. Yeah, don’t say anything about Lithuania and Russia or USSR. The hostility for the neighbour in the East has always been there but the current geopolitical climate turned that hostility into outright hatred, animosity and loathing. I’ve seen people keying cars because there were russian flags around the rear view mirrors.

11. Nonsense.

12. 5. Yes.

    The other: either no or not everywhere.

13. Can confirm the last one. I’m normally not bothered by mosquitoes but I spent two days in nature in Lithuania and I was eaten alive!

14. 1,2,3 are just playful superstitions so it’s not rude if you forget about them.

    4. I personally rarely make toasts but I guess this is true

    5. True. Sometimes the house owner will tell you not to take your shoes off out of politeness, but you should take them off anyways.

    6. I personally never heard anything about this. Probably just another superstition.

    7. Definitely true. Unless the lithuanian you are talking to is a vatnik.

    8. Not everyone is obsessed with basketball during this day. I would say that used to be the case in 90s and 00s. But now everyone’s interests in sports are varied.

    9. Definitely true. Especially if you are planning to camp or visit the countryside.

15. 2nd one you can hold sharp end yourself and give handle to other person, that’s how I do it
    8th is nonsense, we curse our team when they play bad

16. After reading the title I was ready.for a list of bullshit, but the list is actually true.

    There are things that I consider common knowledge, like the knife only has one handle and two people cannot hold one handle safely so you take it by the handle and put it down for another person to use. Imagine accidentally cutting someone because your movements weren’t coordinated. It is rude to give a knife in such a way that another person is at risk (like.never point a gun at people you don’t intend to shoot – it is not a local superstition but common decency). I would personaly be insulted if someone pointed a gun or a knife at me in an unsafe manner.

    Same with toasts. Yes, we look people in the eyes when toasting, but it’s more etiquette than weird local habit. You look person in the face when they toast you or congratulete you on smth or adress you. It is rude to be busy with smth else or look somewhere else, have the decency to give the person your attention and look them in the eyes/face for that short period of time. People can get pushy if you refuse to eat or drink. It’s not against the etiquette to refuse but some people just won’t take no for an answer.

    Same kommon knowledge with Vilnius/Kaunas. You wouldn’t walk around the west coast of USA telling everyone how east coast is better.

    Talking trash about Canada’s hockey team while in Canada will guve you the same result if you talk trash about our basketball team. Just common decency.

    So those 4 things are common knowledge/ decency.

    We do take our shoes at home and we’re weirded out by cultures where people don’t.

    As not passing an obstacle from different sides – it’s a superstition, not etiquette, so feel free to ignore it, but I personally have been corrected by at least 4 different people not to do it. I still do it, because it’s superstition.

    Shaking hands while in the same room and not the doorway is etiquette so please try to remember it.

    Flowers- very true, it’s mega rude to gift 2 or 4 flowers to a living person.

    Pesticides – this one is weird. We do have a moderate amount of mosquitoes and deep into nature you can encounter horseflies. But we’re not crawling with cockroaches or anything, and no insects, spiders, frogs, snakes or lizards have deadly venom here.

    TL;DR: born and raised in Vilnius, I personally strictly follow all of those except #3 (but have been requested times to do it) and #9, because our nature is super chill (minus the annoying bloodsucking insects)