Sunday 23 November 2008

GREEK NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS


At New Year’s Eve we cut the Vasilopita,Vasilopita is Santa Claus’s cake.It has a coin inside,every member of the family takes a piece,we also cut a piece for the work,the home, Santa, Christ and virgin Mary.The one who finds the coin in his/her piece will be the lucky person of the year!!!
Santa Claus is called Aghios Vasilis in Greece.Saint Vasileios was a very faithful man who lived in Ceasaria.There was a very cruel King Ioulianos,who was asking all the valuable objects from the
Citizens.Saint Vasileios saw a vision that Ioulianos will be destroyed.And that happened.In order to give back the valuable objects to their owners Saint Vasileios baked pies and put them inside.
And the miracle happened everybody took the pie with his/herobject.That’s why we made this cakes every new Year’s eve!This day Saint Vasileios brings presents to the children


At New Year’s Day people enter their home with their right foot and break a pomegranate. We think that this will bring us luck and we will make a fresh start!
In some places, Greeks place outside their houses a special big onion(Scilla maritima,the formal name)to bring them luck and health in the new year!



No comments: