NEW YEAR’S DAY Customs in Greece

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On New Year’s Eve Children sing the carols .

People give them money and traditional sweets .

Saint Basil’s Day

The 1st of January is also St Basil’s day in Greece . He brings presents to all

the kids at night when everybody is sleeping !

• He comes down the chimney and puts the presents next to the kids’ pillows .• Then he eats some melomacarona and off he goes to the next house !

All the family have a festive meal on New Year’s Day .

We may have stuffed chicken or turkey . Pork with roast potatoes are also served .

We usually have something with rice because it is a symbol of prosperity .

Cheese pies , meat pies and grilled sausages are also on the table !

After the meal we eat a special cake which has a silver coin in it .

It is called Vasilopita ( St Basil’s pie ).There is a coin in it !

The first piece of cake is for St Basil . The second is for the house .Then all the members of the family get a piece .

Everyone wants to find the coin because it will bring them good luck for the New Year !

Firstfooting We also believe

that the first person

who enters our home on New Year’s Day brings us good luck throughout the following year !

People believe that it is lucky to gamble on that day , whether you win or lose ! So ,we gather round the table with friends and relatives to play cards and have fun !

Another symbol of the day is the pomegranate People hang a pommmegranate somewhere in the home in autumn . They believe it symbolizes prosperity , fertility and good luck .

Then , on New Year’s day the father, the mother or the first child of the family throws it at the doorstep so that it breaks into small pieces .We make a wish “ Happy New Year ! ”