Tradition of Vasilopita

In order to celebrate the New Year and as an opportunity to bring family and friends together, Greeks are following the tradition of Vasilopita (Βασιλόπιτα, compound word: Vasilis/St Nicholas/Santa Claus and pie).

The process is as follows:

1. We hold the knife and pass it three times over the cake, making the symbol of the cross (first vertical then horizontal) wishing ‘Happy New Year’.

2. We cut the pieces in the following order:
a. for the house
b. for Jesus Christ and Hail Mary  
c. for poor people
d. for the landlord
e. for the landlady
f. for every child of the family starting with the oldest
g. for any pets in the family

Whoever finds the coin it is considered to have a lucky year!

If you cut the cake with more people (friends and relatives) rather than just your family members, you can decide whether you would like to cut the pieces first for the adults and then for the kids or starting with one family at a time.

The person who cuts the cake is usually the landlord and we wish him to live long and be healthy in order to repeat the process the following year.

Καλή χρονιά σε όλους!