The Greek New Year’s Eve custom of placing an onion outside the home is called kremmida.
In this tradition, an onion is hung or placed outside the front door as a symbol of growth, renewal, and the ability to sprout. On New Year’s Day, parents may wake children by tapping them with the onion, connecting the object’s vitality with wishes for a healthy new year.
The practice belongs to a wider group of Greek New Year customs that combine household rituals, religious observance, food, and ideas of luck. It is less universally practiced today than some better-known customs, so descriptions can vary by region and family.
Kremmida is often confused with vasilopita, the New Year’s cake containing a hidden coin. They are different traditions: kremmida concerns an onion and renewal, while vasilopita is a cake associated with Saint Basil and good fortune.