Can you believe it? It's the last day of the year 2008. It's just before 8 a.m. here and the house is quiet. C is delivering a bed and he left early. He'll be back to hear the children sing the New Year's carols. Then they will go around the neighborhood and sing. Many children do so in groups of three or more, thus earning some pocket money. My children got 60 euros between them on Christmas eve. Today it's rather chilly at -6C, so if they don't want to go around a lot, they'll stay at home an help me make New Year's pie, or St. Basil's pie as it is called.
On New Year's Day every family bakes a Vasilopita to bless the house and bring good luck for the new year. A coin is hidden in the bread by slipping it into the dough before baking. A piece of cake is sliced for each member of the family. The first goes to Christ, second to Virgin Mary, third to St. Basil, fourth to the house, next to the dead, and then to the living starting from the male leader of the house. You may read more about the origins of this tradition in this short article.
On New Year's Day every family bakes a Vasilopita to bless the house and bring good luck for the new year. A coin is hidden in the bread by slipping it into the dough before baking. A piece of cake is sliced for each member of the family. The first goes to Christ, second to Virgin Mary, third to St. Basil, fourth to the house, next to the dead, and then to the living starting from the male leader of the house. You may read more about the origins of this tradition in this short article.
Santa will visit our home on New Year's eve. He is not actually St. Niclaus, but St. Basil whose feast is celebrated on January 1st. He is the one bringing the gifts under the Christmas tree and New Year's treat pie takes its name from him.
The pies above were photographed at a city patisserie. Mine will probably be simpler looking, but I love its taste. Here is a recipe for you to try at home.
In other news, I had an impromptu tooth canal job on Monday evening. It began as a routine check, but I now have an aching tooth and gum. As I am not for antibiotics I am taking echinacea and Hepar Sulphur that my homeopath prescribed. I tell you, it's not very jolly having to bake one of the most important cakes of the year, vacuum and tidy up with an aching tooth.
The end of the year saw a very dear friend joining her husband in heaven. Our dear friend Margarita was one of the first people I met when I came to live with my husband's family in Athens. She always spoke the best of me to everyone, including C's mother. She knew I appreciated it and prayed for me and later for our kids every day. She was a mother and grandma in her 70s, but she wasn't ill. As her daughter told us, she just took a breath and passed away. May God rest her close to Him with her dear husband.
Finally, we didn't manage to get a bride for our Taki the cat, and as he was getting restless and even managed to escape once to F's great grief, we had to send him to the doctor. He had an operation yesterday and is now recovering at the vet's. He is expected home later in the afternoon.
It's 11.30 now. I have been on and off the computer, opening the door to kids and listening to new year's carols, refuelling my kids with candy and apples, then a moment ago sent them to sing the carols to the shop and C. I don't know if I shall have the time to blog tonight. Oh, did I mention? No, I did not. I subconsciously kept a festive announcement for the end of my post: We have a phone line at home! And as we are not working on January 1st, C said he will install our old computer and a new scanner/printer in the office nook. I am quite happy with my laptop, right now,though. I am getting to know it. My kids know how to use it better than me and its my present from last year!
Happy New Year everyone. May 2009 have for us in store good health, loving family and friends, enough prosperity to run our houses and help those in need, and Christ's ample blessings for our heart's, bodies and minds.
See you next year!
In other news, I had an impromptu tooth canal job on Monday evening. It began as a routine check, but I now have an aching tooth and gum. As I am not for antibiotics I am taking echinacea and Hepar Sulphur that my homeopath prescribed. I tell you, it's not very jolly having to bake one of the most important cakes of the year, vacuum and tidy up with an aching tooth.
The end of the year saw a very dear friend joining her husband in heaven. Our dear friend Margarita was one of the first people I met when I came to live with my husband's family in Athens. She always spoke the best of me to everyone, including C's mother. She knew I appreciated it and prayed for me and later for our kids every day. She was a mother and grandma in her 70s, but she wasn't ill. As her daughter told us, she just took a breath and passed away. May God rest her close to Him with her dear husband.
Finally, we didn't manage to get a bride for our Taki the cat, and as he was getting restless and even managed to escape once to F's great grief, we had to send him to the doctor. He had an operation yesterday and is now recovering at the vet's. He is expected home later in the afternoon.
It's 11.30 now. I have been on and off the computer, opening the door to kids and listening to new year's carols, refuelling my kids with candy and apples, then a moment ago sent them to sing the carols to the shop and C. I don't know if I shall have the time to blog tonight. Oh, did I mention? No, I did not. I subconsciously kept a festive announcement for the end of my post: We have a phone line at home! And as we are not working on January 1st, C said he will install our old computer and a new scanner/printer in the office nook. I am quite happy with my laptop, right now,though. I am getting to know it. My kids know how to use it better than me and its my present from last year!
Happy New Year everyone. May 2009 have for us in store good health, loving family and friends, enough prosperity to run our houses and help those in need, and Christ's ample blessings for our heart's, bodies and minds.
See you next year!
4 comments:
Very Happy New Year for you and your family.
Praying for your family to be very blessed in 2009. I love you.
Happy New Year to you!!!
Hope 2009 brings you many blessings.
I wish you and your loved ones a Happy and prosperous New Year!
Carrie
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