A Ukrainian content creator has caught the internet's attention after highlighting the difference between Indian and European housewarming parties.
Taking to Instagram, Sandra On, who often posts about cultural differences between India and Europe, shared a video titled "Housewarming in India vs Europe." In the post, she explained how she expected housewarming parties to be similar everywhere - until she attended one in India.
"I thought housewarming parties were basically the same everywhere. You buy a new apartment, invite your family and friends, eat, celebrate, show everyone around," she wrote in the caption of the Instagram post.
However, the Indian ceremony turned out to be very different from what she was used to in Europe.
Sandra shared that the biggest surprise was that the celebration began at 6 am, instead of 6 pm. "Before anyone even thinks about breakfast, everyone gathers for prayers. The entire focus is on blessing the home first. The family invites Hindu priests to perform a puja and pray for protection, prosperity, peace, and happiness in their new home," she wrote, adding that the breakfast was served only after the prayers.
{{/usCountry}}Sandra shared that the biggest surprise was that the celebration began at 6 am, instead of 6 pm. "Before anyone even thinks about breakfast, everyone gathers for prayers. The entire focus is on blessing the home first. The family invites Hindu priests to perform a puja and pray for protection, prosperity, peace, and happiness in their new home," she wrote, adding that the breakfast was served only after the prayers.
{{/usCountry}}She said that the celebrations then continued with more religious rituals, devotional music and chanting before everyone sat down for lunch. It was only after the religious ceremonies had ended that the event gradually transformed into what she would call a typical housewarming party.
Comparing it with celebrations in Europe, Sandra said that housewarming parties there are generally more casual. Guests usually arrive in the evening, share a meal, chat, look around the new home and sometimes open a bottle of wine.
"What surprised me the most wasn't the rituals. It was the priorities," she wrote.
"In India, the celebration starts with gratitude. The house isn't just a new apartment. It's a place where a family is about to build their life. And honestly... even though I grew up in Europe, I found that really beautiful," she added.
(Also Read: Italian woman shares 3 things that surprised her after marrying into Indian family: 'I learned so much')
Social media reactions
The video resonated with many social media users, who shared their own experiences of Indian housewarming ceremonies in the comments.
"This is because we Indians (Hindus) believe that it is the blessings of God that we were able to get our house," one user wrote.
Another commented, "It smells divine after the housewarming pujas. The agarbattis, melting ghee in havan."
A third user highlighted regional traditions, writing, "It is a very big ritual in South India and more religious and a lot of rituals are performed, like milk boiling in a new brass pot, Homa, Vastu puja followed by Satyanarayana vratham... It usually starts around 4 am, and those who perform puja would not touch food till all the rituals are performed."