Happy New Year with St Basil’s Cake!

St Basil’s Cake is prepared for the dinner of New Year’s Eve. Some families in the villages cut the cake after lunch on January 1st, but most families cut it right after the coming of the New Year at midnight. 

 

This cake, called vasilopita in Greek, is dedicated to Saint Basil, who is the Santa Claus in the Greek tradition and brings the gifts to children that first night of the year.

 

 Traditionally St Basil’s Cake has a golden coin inside. The person who finds this coin in his piece is considered lucky for all the coming year. 

After midnight on New Year’s Eve, the family and friends gather around the table and the householder or housewife starts cutting the pieces. 

The first piece is for Christ, the second for the Virgin Mary, the third for the house and then the householder cuts pieces for the members of the table by order of age. 

 

In the villages of mainland Greece, the householder cuts a piece for the livestock and the fields of the family, if they have any. 

In the islands, they cut a piece for the boat or the mill, if they own one. 

 https://blog.greeka.com