A pomegranate is the red fruit traditionally broken at midnight in some Greek New Year's celebrations to symbolize prosperity.
In this custom, a pomegranate may be taken to church for blessing and then smashed at the entrance of the home after the New Year begins. The many seeds scattered from the fruit represent abundance, fertility, and good fortune for the household.
Pomegranates have a long symbolic history in Greek culture and mythology. In the myth of Persephone, eating pomegranate seeds links her to the underworld, while in later traditions the fruit's rich color and numerous seeds helped support associations with life and prosperity.
Practices differ among Greek families and regions, so the pomegranate ritual is not universal. It should also not be confused with the Greek vasilopita, a New Year's cake containing a hidden coin. Both are New Year's customs, but they involve different objects and meanings.