It's not all Greek to me......

I was talking to my Cypriot colleague, Stavros about his bank holiday weekend.

He told me he had been to a wedding in West London- a Greek wedding to be precise.

What he told me has to raise questions about the near monopoly hold that John Lewis now has over middle class wedding "gifts".

I have lost count over how many times I have been sent a wedding invitation accompanied by mandatory John Lewis card. This is not a criticism of anyone who signs up with John Lewis for their wedding list. Not least as people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Even Mrs. Donatella and I signed up with the dreaded JL !

JL is of course a good quality store but it remains a store and not a rite of the Anglican wedding ceremony or indeed the civil ceremony.

Stavros reminded me that those of Greek descent are not restricted to the John Lewis monopoly. No, they invite huge numbers of guests routinely and expect all there guests to pin money to the bride and groom. As well as cutting out the middle man this is apparently good in terms of presents- no one normally uses £50 notes in real life but at Greek weddings in London they are near mandatory in status. There would have to be a pretty exceptional reason for anyone to appear with a lower denomination at a London Greek wedding.

Stavros was at a wedding recently where the happy couple were rumoured to have cleared £35,000 with the assistance of many guests and a few very generous relatives. Now that has to rival the John Lewis wedding list :-)

Of course, its the thought that counts, but maybe people can start having a few thoughts that don't involve John Lewis :-)
I fear my own generation is lost on this but for any future generations, I would advice giving John Lewis a break and going a little Greek for a change..............