Which Greek New Year's Eve custom involves smashing a pomegranate for good luck?

The Greek New Year's Eve custom involving a pomegranate smashed for good luck is called pomegranate smashing.

In Greece, the pomegranate is associated with fertility, abundance and prosperity because its tough shell contains many seeds. In a New Year's custom, a pomegranate may be smashed against the entrance of a home at midnight or on New Year's Day, with the scattered seeds interpreted as a sign of future good fortune.

Some households hang a pomegranate near the front door before the New Year and smash it after the year changes. Practices vary by region and family, so there is no single nationwide script governing who throws it or exactly when.

The ritual is sometimes confused with the Greek vasilopita tradition. Vasilopita is a New Year's cake containing a hidden coin; finding the coin is considered lucky. Both customs belong to Greek New Year observances, but they are distinct practices.