Helen, one of our receptionists, surprised everyone in the office by bringing in her homemade Greek New Year’s cake known as Vasilopita (“Βασιλόπιτα” in Greek).
The video captures the cutting of the Vasilopita and some of the stories we shared about cherished traditions.
Each one of us hoped to choose the piece with the ‘golden’ coin hidden in it that would bring us luck all year!
By sharing Helen’s Vasilopita, we not only celebrated the New Year.
We were also reminded of the importance of sharing our heritage to foster a sense of community.
Thank you, Helen, for bringing the team at InHome Care SA together to celebrate the beginning of 2025 through a special Greek New Year’s tradition.
The Story of Vasilopita
The origin of Vasilopita dates to St. Basil the Great, who hailed from Cappadocia, now part of modern Turkey.
As a bishop from a privileged background, he witnessed the poverty and hunger that plagued his community, especially during the Christmas season.
On New Year’s Eve, he took it upon himself to visit homes, distributing loaves of bread and bags of money to those in need, embodying the spirit of generosity, similar to a Santa Claus figure.
This act of kindness symbolised hope and prosperity for the coming year, a tradition that has endured in Greek culture.
Over time, this practice evolved into the custom of baking Vasilopita, a cake that contains a hidden coin, traditionally a Gold Sovereign.
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