A coin is traditionally hidden inside Greece's vasilopita cake for a New Year's finder.
Vasilopita is a Greek New Year's cake named after Saint Basil, or Agios Vasileios. After the cake is baked, a coin is placed inside it, and the cake is cut and distributed on or around January 1. The person who finds the coin is traditionally thought to receive good fortune for the coming year.
Families often cut pieces in a customary order, which may include portions for Christ, the household, absent relatives, or guests before individual servings are given out. Regional recipes vary: some vasilopita is a sweet bread, while other versions resemble a citrus-flavored cake.
The coin is wrapped or placed carefully to reduce the risk of injury, but diners still need to eat with caution. Vasilopita is sometimes confused with Christmas cake traditions, yet its central occasion is the Greek New Year and the feast of Saint Basil on January 1.