This object or tradition is a widely known recipe for a New Years Eve cake in Greek culture, but the more specific name for it is vasilopita. It’s typically very sweet, and can be decorated with icing and sprinkles, but can also be left plain! The story of the tradition of this cake is that every New Years Eve, whoever is baking the cake cuts it into slices for everyone, but the twist here is that it’s only after a coin is hidden inside of it before it goes into the oven. Then, if you get the slice with a coin, they say you will have good luck for that year to come! This tradition connects to my family because my dad is Greek, and his parents immigrated to America from Greece after WWII. The fact that they brought this over helps to keep the tradition, and culture my grandparents brought to America alive. This cake also helps to say how being American is not having to follow every American tradition, but rather bringing together your own culture, or beliefs to American citizens, which helps create a more diverse country where all is welcome, which is what it means to be American. This story also connects to the broader theme of immigration, because my grandparents immigrated from Greece during a civil war that occured after WWII. This shows how they came to America because they viewed it as a place of freedom for diversity, and all cultures. Now, my grandparents have stayed in America for over half their lives, and though they still visit Greece every summer, they enjoy the feeling of togetherness and crossing of cultures that America supplies them with!

– AH

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant