The pomegranate is traditionally hung outside Greek homes around New Year's Day as a symbol of fertility and renewal.
In Greek New Year customs, a pomegranate may be hung above or near the entrance, then broken at the threshold. Its many seeds are associated with abundance, prosperity, and the hope of a fruitful year. In some traditions, the fruit is smashed on the doorstep on New Year's Day rather than simply displayed.
Pomegranates have deep roots in Greek mythology and Mediterranean culture. The fruit is connected with Persephone and the underworld in ancient myth, but its many seeds also made it a longstanding symbol of life and abundance.
The practice is not identical in every Greek household or region. It is also separate from the vasilopita cake, another important Greek New Year tradition in which a hidden coin is used to identify a lucky person.