Saturday, December 31, 2022

The Holidays: Top 10 New Year Traditions & Superstitions

Butterflies, for the last couple of years I’ve been celebrating the new year really low key. On New Year’s Eve I usually put up a few decorations, make some tacos, pickup cupcakes, and lots of champagne and bring in the new year from the comfort of my home. On New Year’s Day I prepare a traditional meal and spend most of the day setting my intentions for the year. How do you bring in the new year? Do you customarily participate in any New Year traditions or superstitions? Check out my list of the top most popular New Years traditions:

1. What You Do at New Years, You Will Do All Year - This might be one of my most favorite New Year superstitions because it kind of makes a good point. What you do on New Year’s Day could be unintentionally setting the mood for how you’ll live in the coming year.

2. Eat Good Luck Foods!

• Grapes – 12 of them, one for every month of the year
• Pork – because pigs root forward when they eat while chickens scratch backward
• Black eyed peas - to bring prosperity
• Lentils – which resemble coins
• Collard Greens or Cabbage – the folds of the greens resemble money
• Champagne- to celebrate the start of something new

3. Relax! Don’t to do laundry or dishes (since you “wash away” luck and these can cause a death in the family in the coming year), don’t take anything out of the house (including trash) and don’t wash your hair.

4. Nothing Should Leave the House! - Nothing should be taken out of the house on New Year’s Day. Some people allow items to leave the house after something has been brought in. The idea here is that something should be added to your house before anything is taken away.

5. First Footer - The first person to visit your home on New Year’s Day has significance. It is considered good luck for a man to be the first person to cross your threshold (you have to let him in; he shouldn’t use a key to let himself in). It’s even better luck if he’s tall and good looking with dark hair. Best of all, the first footer should bring along gifts like bread, fresh fruit, salt, and wine.

6. Singing “Auld Lang Syne” - A Scottish poem from the 1700′s; it literally means “old long since” or, in American, terms “days of long ago” or “the good old days.” The song goes:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

7. Kissing at Midnight - The New Year’s Eve kiss is a symbol that your affection and closeness will last all year.

8. Paying Off Your Debt - It sounds like a resolution but you’re supposed to do this before January 1. This way you’re even when the new year arrives and you start with a fresh slate. On New Year’s Day you shouldn’t pay out anything or make loans because this signals money leaving you.

9. Making Resolutions - Many believe the first day of the New Year should be spent thinking about the past year and resolving to improve oneself in the coming year. Not all resolutions have to be a life-altering, resolve small in the New Year and you’ll feel good that you got something accomplished.

10. Fireworks - Fireworks, cheering, music, singing and noisemakers on New Year’s Eve are believed to scare away evil spirits.

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