Some of the most picturesque customs of the New Year are
New Year Carols and the cutting of the New Year cake.
On New Year’s Eve in a small village three friends
waited impatiently for dawn in order to go caroling. Even before
dawn Panos, Maria and Takis were ready to set off. Maria’s mother
grumbled that it was still early, that it was very cold and that she
was afraid that they would be ill. Even the father tries to make
them change their mind. Their refusal was, however, firm.
When they came out of the house the street was full of
children and the entire village echoed with the children’s melodic
voices. So the three friends began to ring the doorbells of the
houses asking “can we say it?”. All answered affirmatively so we
would begin “first of the month….first of the year…”. The lady of
the house satisfied thanked them with smile and gave them something.
The village hummed with New Year Carols.
Each year Pano’s aunt was the one who gave the children
the biggest tip, since she didn’t have her own children. She was
happy to see all the children. So the three friends were impatient
to get there. After they had song carols their aunt treats their
very well!!! Apart from the tip she filled their pockets with
thousand and one good things. Late the afternoon the children
returned home cheerful and ready to share their treasure that they
had gathered. Entering in Taki’s room a big surprise awaited them! A
small puppy on the bed in a beautiful basket trembled from fear! As
soon as the children discovered it they ran downstairs where their
parents were gathered in order to find an answer. When they
announced to them that it is their gift for the three for carols,
they thanked them and they ran upstairs quickly in order to play
with their living gift.
Later the evening came the hour for the cutting of the
New Year cake. The families of all three children were gathered. The
children were in suspense and they began betting on who would get
the coin. The table was set for the celebration. The father cut the
New Year cake and he began to share the pieces first in the elderly
dinner guests. When the pieces were cut and shared they began eating
and congratulating the lady of the house. Suddenly the grandfather
realized that he had bitten the coin. All the dinner guests stood up
and wished to the grandfather a happy New Year.
The grandfather was a retired schoolteacher. He found
the occasion to explain to the three friends the custom of the New
Year’s cake:
In the years of Basil the Great,
the avaricious sub-perfect of Caesarea would go to inspect the
region. He was so much tough that all the citizens were terrified.
Basil the Great in order to propitiate him, collected from all
citizens gold coins or gold jewels to offer them to him. But the
visit was cancelled and then Basil the Great should returned them to
their owners. He ordered to bake small cakes with a small coin or
jewel on it. Then he shared the cakes to the citizens and in this
way he returned the treasure to the people. In this way the custom
of New Year’s cake came.
In our days the one who gains the coin be supposed to be the lucky
of the year.
This was the happiest New Year’s Eve that the children
had ever lived!
Theodora Aggelidou
2nd High School of Komotini, Greece
noni_peers