In keeping with Highland tradition at Hogmnay, I have the oatcake, liqueur and
candle at the ready for our guest to bring in after the bells. In turn they symbolise the wish that the household will
enjoy food, drink and warmth during the coming year. We send him out just
before then allow him in after the bells. Could that be deemed pushing your
luck?
In addition, in accordance with local customs, our
first-foot will smash a pomegranate to bring good luck – and make a bit of a mess
on the balcony tiles! He will also bring us a smooth stone – a custom carried
out in his home area, Serres. It echoes a line in the Greek carol where the
carolers express the wish that ‘in this house may no stone crack’. So, in this
sense, it’s the actual building that is being blessed.
I have my freshly decanted, home-made liqueurs
of mint and pomegranate on the bar, ready to serve our guests at the end of the
meal, along with the vasilopita which
will be cut and shared round the table. The excitement will be to see who wins the
lucky coin inside, thereby ensuring good luck for the entire year. Just like
our own Scottish dumpling. Oh,
that life were so simple!
In Greece tonight children impatiently await
the arrival of Saint Basil or Aghios
Vasilis. He is the gift-bringer and delivers on New Year’s Eve, prior to
his name-day on the following day. In
this house we also somehow refrain from opening our presents until January 1st,
so there is our stash, still miraculously untouched!
So, let’s look at the man behind the
myth. Aghios Vasilis (329-379) was the Bishop of Caesarea - now in Central Turkey
– and played an important role both spiritually and socially.
Spiritually he took strong stands in
ecumenical councils, arguing against what would become the heretical doctrine
of Arianism – the belief that Christ was not co-substantial with God. A great
believer in monasticism, he opposed the hermitical role, in favour of offering
to society. He founded charitable institutions to assist the poor, the sick and
the underprivileged. Well-educated and from a wealthy family, he gave his
fortune to the poor.
The story I like best, is that he was
extremely upset when the authorities imposed such heavy taxes that people were
obliged to hand over their jewellery as
forms of payment. He interceded and demanded that the valuables be
returned to the people. Since it was impossible to ascertain what belonged to
whom, Vasilis came up with the solution that cakes be baked and jewellery be
placed inside them. (Vide the vasilopita-cutting tradition.) Thus the unjust tax was redistributed
to the people.
Now we see the role of Santa Claus ‘explained’.
I particularly like that the act of unjustly
imposed taxation was redressed. It would be wondrous were our current governors
to see the errors of their ways and thus compensate for their wrongdoing to us
taxpayers. Sadly, I don’t see the
canonization of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on the cards for 2019!
However, Z and I wish you all health,
prosperity and happiness for the coming year.
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