COMMON FOLK PRACTICES AND TRADITIONS
OF THE DODECAHEMERON IN GREECE
NEW YEAR’S TRADITIONS
The “Podarikon” (Το Ποδαρικό): Like many cultures rooted in old civilizations, Greeks are particularly superstitious, especially during the holiday periods. It is important who crosses the threshold of their homes. Thus, it is customary during New Year’s Day that the first visitor to the home is of good repute, clean, and particularly fortunate in their lives. Young children are often very welcome as the first visitors given the cleanliness of their person, heart, innocence and absence of the human destructive passions.
The Smashing of the Pomegranate: Pomegranates are symbols of eternal life and fertility in ancient Greek mythology and this symbolism carried through via rituals to modern tradition. Pomegranates are endowed with many richly-coloured and textured seeds. Following the church service on New Year’s Day, the head of the household throws a pomegranate on the side of the main doorway, or in front of the door, smashing the pomegranate open, in that the seeds spread widely, in the hope of fertility and good health.
The Vasilopita (Βασιλόπιτα): Similar in concept to the Christopsomon, this sweet bread is offered on New Year’s Day in commemoration of St. Basil (see specific exhibit in the room). In addition, there is a coin placed inside the bread and the slice that contains it, after being offered to the members of the household and possible guests, is said to bring good luck and health for the entire New Year.
The New Year Kalanta: Just like for the Christmas Kalanta, singers and musicians would offer songs for good health for the New Year with lyrics relevant to the New Year and St. Basil.
- Christmas in modern Greece and the Greek Diaspora
- The Christmas Traditions of Modern Greece
- Christmas as a Christian Feast
- The Origins of Greek Christmas Traditions
- Traditions of the Dodecahemeron in Byzantium
- Common Folk Practices and Traditions-Christmas
- Greek New Year's Tradititions
- Common Folk Practices and Traditions-New Year's Day
- The Traditional Greek Dodecahemeron Kalanta
- Traditional Regional Kalanta of the Dodecahemeron
- Traditional Christmas and New Year's Day Recipes