It's a Greek tradition that on the first day of the new year, the family eats vasilopita. Essentially, it's a sweet bread, kind of like brioche. Hidden within the bread is a coin wrapped in foil which symbolizes good fortune for the year. After blessing the house, my FIL cuts and doles the bread out. Not do the 8 of us receive a piece of vasilopita, but Jesus and the house receive a piece of bread as well. In the 15 years that I've been part of this tradition, I think I've received the coin once. In that same time, my husband has never received the coin. We have a feeling that the baker, my beloved and eccentric MIL, rigs it so that our niece or nephew get the coin, and then ultimately, the good fortune for the year.
More than ever before, I want this coin. I need this coin. We need all the luck and good fortune we can get this year.
UPDATE: Neither my husband nor I got the lucky coin this year. It went to Mary, so back to the church. Is it wrong of me to be jealous of the Virgin Mary?
