Come and Celebrate With Us
Athens invites you to ring in the New Year with live music and an all-night DJ party at the Varvakeios Municipal Market. Festivities kick off at Syntagma Square at 10:30 pm, with Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyiannis leading the countdown to midnight. The evening's events, hosted by TV personalities Fotis Sergoulopoulos and Jenny Melita, feature a ten-member orchestra, soloists, tenor Marios Frangoulis, and singer Giorgos Perris performing festive music alongside a stunning audiovisual show. Organized by the City of Athens Cultural Center, Technopolis of Athens Municipality, ‘Athens Culture Net’, ‘This is Athens,’ and municipal radio station ‘Athina 9.84,’ this celebration promises a night to remember.
Firework Shows for the New Year
Fireworks are a central part of New Year's celebrations globally, and Greece, with its natural wonders and archaeological sites, offers spectacular displays of light and color. On New Year's Eve, cities and villages across the nation illuminate the night sky with unique and breathtaking fireworks shows, each providing a stunning spectacle to welcome the new year.
Vasilopita
On January 1st, Greeks celebrate New Year’s Day and the feast day of Saint Basil with a special cake called “Vasilopita,” baked with a coin inside. The first slice is reserved for Jesus, and the rest is shared among family members, including a piece for the house. The person who finds the coin in their slice is believed to have good luck for the coming year.
Carolers Bring Good Luck to Your Home
In Greece, caroling extends beyond Christmas into the New Year, with carolers visiting homes to sing “Kalanda” and play the triangle. It is customary to give money to these children, as their songs are believed to bring blessings and good luck to the household for the new year. This ancient tradition continues to be practiced throughout the country.
Playing Cards
Greeks welcome the New Year with games to attract good fortune, a tradition enjoyed by many. Bets are modest and symbolic, embodying the essence of luck. Enthusiastic games of board games, dice, and lotteries often last all night, even in local cafés and taverns. It is customary to give scratch-off lottery tickets as gifts on New Year’s Eve.
One More Place at the Table
A traditional Greek New Year’s Eve includes a festive feast with friends and family. In a gesture of hospitality, many households set an extra empty place at the table to symbolize a welcome for any newcomer. This ritual reflects the legendary Greek hospitality and ensures that there’s always a place for a guest.
Smashing Pomegranates
A unique Greek tradition involves hanging a ripe pomegranate over the front door on New Year’s Eve. Just before midnight, the family leaves the house, and the “First Footer,” usually a lucky child, enters with their right foot first to bring good luck. Another family member then smashes the pomegranate against the door, scattering seeds inside. The more seeds that spread, the more good fortune is believed to come to the household in the new year.
