The 1st of March is the beginning of Spring in Greece, which brings with it the hope for warm days and lots of sunshine; it also indicates summer is around the corner!
To help celebrate, Greeks have an ancient custom called “Marti,” which dates back to ancient Greece and it is well known all over the country.
The name is derived from the Greek word for the month of March, “Martios.” From March 1st, it is a tradition, especially for children, to wear a bracelet made of twisted white and red thread, with white symbolising purity, and red representing life and love.
Children wear the bracelet for the entire month and remove it on the last day of March. After taking off the bracelet, they hang it in a fruit tree, so the tree will remain healthy and flourish.
In several regions in Greece, at the end of the month, the bracelet is placed on rose bushes. In other regions, the bracelet is wrapped around pitchers in order to protect the water from the sun and to keep it cold. Others tie the bracelet around a tree so that it can fructify.
On the 1st day of each month, people in Greece also wish everyone “Kalo Mina”, which means enjoy the month ahead!
The pomegranate is a symbol of fertility, abundance, good fortune and prosperity. And according to Greek tradition, if you are wishing for some good luck in the new year, you should prepare for some annual pomegranate-smashing!
Traditionally, on the morning of New Year’s Day, Greek families attend church service and the father of the house takes a pomegranate with him and keeps it in his pocket during mass, so that it can be blessed in the Greek Orthodox church.
When arriving home, he rings the front doorbell or knocks (according to tradition he is not allowed to open the door with his key) and be the first to enter the house in the New Year. Holding the pomegranate in his hand and stepping through the front door – always with his right foot first – he must throw the pomegranate on the floor with force, making sure it smashes into pieces and that the seeds would spread all over the floor.
While doing this, it is tradition to say “May the New Year be filled with health, happiness and joy. May our pockets be filled with the same quantity of coins as there are seeds of the pomegranate.” The children of the home then gather to see how many seeds there are on the floor. The stronger, brighter and shinier they are, the more blessed the year ahead will be.
Across the country, you will see front doors of homes decorated with pomegranate during the festive season, as Greeks prepare to welcome in the New Year. And even those who do not attend church service still smash pomegranate for good luck- either when the clock strikes midnight, or the morning of New Year’s day.
So get those pomegranates ready and Happy New Year to all!
Vasilopita is Greece’s traditional New Year’s cake that is cut when the clock strikes midnight. With a lucky coin inside, each family member is given a piece of cake and the person who receives the coin is said to have good luck for the rest of the year!
Ingredients
6 x cups sifted self-raising flour
2 x teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 x cup unsalted butter, softened
2.5 x cups white caster sugar
6 x eggs
1 x orange (grind & juice)
1 x teaspoon vanilla extract
2 x tablespoons cognac or brandy
Icing sugar for dusting
Flaked almonds (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a whisk. Set aside.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs, butter and sugar with electric mixer. Beat until well combined and smooth, approximately 3 – 4 minutes.
Then, add the orange rind and juice, vanilla extract and cognac/brandy. Mix well.
Slowly add one cup of the flour to the bowl of the electric mixer. Mix well. Then, slowly add remaining flour. Mix well, over low speed to prevent too much splattering. When the ingredients have been combined, turn the speed to medium and continue beating for a another minute or two. Your batter should be smooth and without any lumps.
Take a round (30cm) baking pan and grease the bottom and sides with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Take a coin and wash it well. Dry the coin and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Set aside.
Pour the batter into the cake pan. Smooth out the batter so it is spread evenly in the pan. Using a knife, make an indentation in the batter and slip the coin in. Be sure that the coin does not poke out the top or bottom of the vasilopita batter. Smooth the top once again and add flaked almonds (optional).
Bake your vasilopita in the middle rack of your oven for approximately 60 minutes or until baked through and lightly golden on top.
Allow to cool in the cake pan for about 5 minutes and then remove it from the pan and allow it to completely cool on a cake rack. Once it is fully cooled, sprinkle the top with some icing sugar and serve.
As we all wait for 2020 to come to an end and look forward to a more positive 2021, we take a look at some traditional good luck charms for the new year, created by Greece’s leading jewellers.
Known as Gouri in Greek, they are designed to protect and bring good luck to the person wearing it for the year ahead. As next year marks 200 years since the outbreak of the Greek Revolution of 1821 and the War of Independence, most designers have created pieces paying tribute to the special celebration.
Here we share some of our favourites, which can be ordered online!
Hermina Athens has designed a charm inspired by Hygieia, which in Greek mythology, was the goddess of health and cleanliness.
Kessaris, who has flagship stores in Athens and Mykonos, has created a Multicolor Feathers Necklace, which is combined with a gold chain to match.
Designed by Polina Ellis, this gold pendant was inspired by the sacred bird of Zeus, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution for Independence, with the charm symbolising power and freedom.
Popular Greek jewellery brand Lalounis have chosen the Hercules’ knot, best known for its symbolism of strength and love, as their piece for 2021.
Leading lifestyle brand Zeus + Dione have conceived a charm depicting Nike, as a celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of the start of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory, is seen holding an olive branch, the timeless symbol of peace.
The Museum of Cycladic designed a charm inspired by the flag of Filiki Eteria for 2021. The initials at the center of the wreath refer to the motto of the revolution Liberty or Death.
Throughout the festive season, many beautiful Christmas traditions are celebrated all across Greece.
The most popular ones are the decoration of the Christmas boat, the Kalenda (Greek Christmas carols), Vasilopita, and smashing the pomegranate. And of course, all the Greek Christmas treats, which every household prepares during the holiday period.
Greek Santa
While today Greeks have embraced much of the modern traditions, in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the Saint most associated with the giving of gifts around Christmas is not Saint Nicholas, but Saint Basil the Great. His feast day is celebrated on January 1st and on this day children in Greece receive presents.
Decorating a Christmas Boat
Greece is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and traditionally the main symbol of Christmas is the “Karavaki”. This Greek Christmas tradition is mostly found on islands and seaside regions, however, you will also see it displayed in the main centre of Athens at Syntagma Square and in Thessaloniki. The boat is a symbol for the Christmas and New Year period not only because Greece is surrounded by the sea but because it represents travelling into a new direction blessed by the birth of Christ.
Kalanda
Greek Christmas carols are the songs that are sung on the morning of Christmas Eve (24th December), the morning of New Year’s Eve (31st December) and the morning of the Eve of Epiphany (5th of January). The tradition is that these days children in groups go from house to house ringing doorbells and asking ‘Na Ta Poume?’ (Shall We Sing?) They sing the carols accompanied by a metal triangle and sometimes drumsand are given a small amount of money by the residents of each house. The lyrics of Greek Christmas carols wish people prosperity and luck.
Agios Vasilis
Children Singing Carols
Karavi in Syntagma Square
Vasilopita
This is a traditional Greek cake served at midnight on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the life of Saint Basil. A coin is inserted in the cake and when cut the person who finds the coin is said to be granted luck for the rest of the year. According to Greek Christmas traditions every year after midnight on New Year’s Eve the householder cuts the cake in pieces. The first piece cut is for Christ, the second for the Virgin Mary, and the third for the house. Then the rest of the cake is cut into pieces for the family members by order of age.
Smashing a Pomegranate
The pomegranate has been a symbol of fortune, fertility and prosperity in Greece and Greek mythology for thousands of years. During the Christmas holidays, you will see pomegranates displayed as Christmas decorations and hanging on the doors of homes. According to Greek Christmas traditions, on New Year’s Eve just after midnight the householder stands outside the door and breaks a pomegranate by throwing it on the doorstep. The seeds of the fruit spread on the floor mean happiness and health to the family.
Feasting
Pork is the main dish for a Greek Christmas feast because traditionally in the weeks leading up to the holiday, the slaughter of pigs took place. Turkey with stuffing is a Western culinary Christmas tradition that has been implemented by Greeks in only the last 40-50 years at most. Traditional Christmas dishes include Lahanodolmades (cabbage dolmades) made with rice, mince, and avgolemono (egg lemon sauce). Other kinds of meat and handmade pites (pies) are also traditional meals for Christmas day.
Spiced wine or raki with honey is served over the holidays, and every Greek house has two Christmas cookies- Kourabiedes, which are almond biscuits covered in icing sugar; and Melomakarona, a walnut biscuit topped with honey.
Diples are a traditional Greek sweet, served mostly at celebrations including Christmas, engagements, weddings and baptisms.
They are thin sheets of handmade dough- folded and fried into a crispy pastry that’s then dipped in honey and dusted with walnuts and cinnamon!
Ingredients
– 2.5 x cups of all purpose flour
– 3 x eggs
– 4 x tablespoons of Brandy
– 1 x tablespoon baking powder
– 2 x tablespoons sugar
– Vegetable oil for frying
For syrup
– 1 x cup of honey
– 1/4 x cup of sugar
– 1 x cup of water
To garnish
– Finely chopped walnuts
– Ground cinnamon
Method
– Mix the flour with baking powder in a bowl and place a hole in the middle of the mixture.
– Whisk the eggs with sugar and brandy in a separate bowl for a few minutes and then add it into the centre of the flour.
– Knead your dough until it becomes smooth but slightly firm.
– Cover with plastic cling wrap and allow to sit for half an hour.
– Mix the dough slightly again with your hands.
– Divide the dough into small balls (about the size of an apple) and begin rolling them out on a floured surface until it becomes a thin pastry.
– Start cutting the pastry into rectangle pieces (approximately 12cm x 6cm)
– Add oil into a deep fry pan and allow to heat.
– Carefully place your dough sheet (one at a time) completely into the oil and using a set of tongs and a fork (or you can use 2 forks) quickly fold it three times to form a rolled shape (as pictured).
– Repeat this process until all your sheets of dough have been fried.
– To make the syrup, add honey, sugar, and water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
– Dip your Diples in the hot syrup and toss them a few times to coat them entirely with the syrup.
– Repeat until all the Diples have been dipped in the syrup.
– Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and ground cinnamon.
– Diples may be served immediately or you can store them in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to a week.
