New Year's Day Customs In Greece, it is considered lucky to gamble on this day, whether you win or lose, and

traditionally, people would gather to play cards on a table covered with green felt. The herb basil is connected to this saint and day, and is believed to have both healing and protective powers. On this day, any vessel of water is emptied and filled with fresh water, an echo of ancient New Year traditions ut the biggest part of the day concerns the special cake, the vasilopita, which is prepared with a small coin concealed in it. !hoever gets the piece with the coin can e"pect especially good luck in the coming year.

The cutting of the vasilopita is one of the few primordial customs still surviving. The Orthodo" tradition combined this custom with the New Year cake. On New Year#s $ve everyone gathers around waiting for the vasilopita to be cut as the new year rolls in. !hen the time comes the father, in a solemn ceremony, starts to cut the cake. The first piece is for %hrist, the second for the house, and then pieces for everyone present. The one who gets the piece with the coin will be the lucky one of the year&

'fter %hristmas, the children impatiently await the New Year(Protohronia ) because that#s when )t. asil ( Ayios Vasilis ) delivers their gifts.

In Greece it is the custom to e"change gifts on the New Year instead of %hristmas. The presents are delivered by )aint asil ('gios *asilis+. Agios Vasilis is the Greek Santa Claus.

CARDPLAYING ON N ! Y AR'S DAY ecause Greeks consider the New Year lucky, it is the custom to participate in games of chance on the first day. In addition to the state lottery which raffles ,- million euros on New Year#s .ay, people play cards and roll dice in coffeehouses, clubhouses and homes throughout the country. In the homes it is also the custom for cards to be played on New Year#s $ve while waiting for the year to change. The betting sums are usually kept low, so as to offer a friendly diversion without upsetting the losers. V NING N" R"AIN# N" ON N ! Y AR'S V

.uring the entire holiday period attendance in bars and clubs is much higher as people go out at night to celebrate. On New Year#s $ve especially, you can#t get a foot in these nightspots after midnight , and the streets are so crowded that the cars move at a snail#s pace. The fun and e"citement continues until sunrise.

"$ PO"$ARI%O /any people pay particular mind to the good0bad omen regarding who will first enter their home in the new year ( pothariko+. On New Year's &e they will ask a close friend or relative, whom they consider lucky, to be the first to come into their house the following day. Often, a child is preferred for this special practice because children are considered innocent and their hearts free of malice and envy. "$ %ALI $ RA It is the custom for money (kali hera) to be given to children visiting on New Year#s day 1 usually grandchildren or nieces and nephews. )everal decades ago, the money was the only gift

the children received on New Year#s .ay. 'nd, in many cases, the gift was 2ust sweets or pastries, as money was scarce and toy shops were almost non1 e"istent. "$ S'(ILL )S A*ONION+ ,OR L(C% The )3uill (scilla maritima+ is a common plant in %rete , which grows wild and looks like a large onion. The animals don#t eat it because it is poisonous, and it can cause a rash if it comes in contact with the skin.

$ven when pulled from the soil, it continues to bloom and produce new leaves. 4eople believe that its long surviving power can be transmitted to humans, as well as inanimate ob2ects, and for this reason a sea onion would hang in the home at the New Year. It is an ancient good luck custom which has been around since the 5 th century .%., but it has more or less been abandoned today.