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12/30/06, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York
Posts: 915
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New Year's Good Luck Traditions
I don't know for sure that this is the place to post this - if not the Mods can put it somewhere else and let me know where it went.
My family has certain New Year's good luck traditions that they observe, though not strictly (with a few exceptions) and I know there are certain regional customs that folks observe, as well. I thought it might be fun to see what customs everyone has.
One of ours is to hold all your paper money in your hand very tight at midnight on New Year's Eve for good luck with money during the year.
Another (I believe this is Scottish in origin) is that it is good luck for a man (preferably dark-haired) to be the first to cross the threshold of the house.
Another is to eat pea (or lentil) soup first thing after you sip champagne at midnight on New Year's Eve (think this is a French custom). I believe in some areas eating "hoppin' john" is supposed to be lucky.
And if there are ever any bayberry candles leftover from Christmas Eve, we burn those on New Year's Eve as well -- this doesn't happen often.
Then there are things you do and don't do on New Year's Day [
One is to eat "as high off the hog" as you can afford. In other words, eat well on New Year's Day and you will eat well all year long.
Another is "whatever you do on New Year's Day is what you will do all year long". So you don't want to quarrel or cry -- cyring is a big no-no on New Year's Day. (Too bad this doesn't seem to have any effect on working!! hehehe Generally have Jan. 1 off, but seem to have to work most of the rest of the days during the year)! LOL
So what "good luck" customs do you observe?
Happy New Year to everyone!
MaryNY
__________________
"...creating & living an independent, self-reliant, building constructing, garden-/animal-raising, food-preserving, ecologically sound, solar/off-the-grid, self-made, individualistic lifestyle..."
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12/30/06, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: near Abilene,TX
Posts: 5,323
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Around here, you have to have your black-eyed peas, and I intend to eat a very big bowl this year. LOL
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12/30/06, 06:38 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 1,607
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not sure if it was because i have black hair or because i was a virgin but i was woken up on newyears eve buy family and sent outside to carry a lump of coal and a penny into the house... a Brit thing.
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12/30/06, 10:11 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
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I am from the south, so the black eyed peas are served here.... My hubby is a yankee, so we shoot guns at the stroke of midnight, After I get a great big kiss first of course.
We used to have champagne, but now we just use wine. Too expensive!!
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12/30/06, 10:43 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cozahome, AR
Posts: 1,168
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We eat black eyes peas and hog jowl. A custom I have known since babyhood, and still continues to this day.
And, in my family, we call each other right after the the clock strikes midnight to wish a Happy New Year and peace, love and joy!
Don
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12/30/06, 11:33 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,187
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New Year's day should bring a bit of coal, so that the household enjoys good luck throughout the New Year.
The first person to enter your home after the stroke of midnight will influence the year you're about to have. Ideally, he should be dark-haired, tall, and good-looking, and it would be even better if he came bearing certain small gifts such as a lump of coal, a silver coin, a bit of bread, a sprig of evergreen, and some salt. Blonde and redhead first footers bring bad luck, and female first footers should be shooed away before they bring disaster down on the household. The first footer (sometimes called the "Lucky Bird") should knock and be let in rather than unceremoniously use a key, even if he is one of the householders. After greeting those in the house and dropping off whatever small tokens of luck he has brought with him, he should make his way through the house and leave by a different door than the one through which he entered. No one should leave the premises before the first footer arrives — the first traffic across the threshold must be headed in rather than striking out. First footers must not be cross-eyed or have flat feet or eyebrows that meet in the middle.
Clocks should be wound up immediately the New Year begins in order to endow the house with good fortune, while all daily cleaning and dusting should be completed early in the day of December 31 in order to avoid the danger of sweeping good luck from the house.
You'll 'cut off' fortune if you use scissors on New Year's Day.
You should kiss those dearest to you at midnight not only to share a moment of celebration with our favourite people, but also to ensure those affections and ties will continue throughout the next twelve months. To fail to do so at the stroke of twelve would be to set the stage for a year of coldness.
The New Year must not be seen in with bare cupboards, lest that be the way of things for the year. Larders must be topped up and plenty of money must be placed in every wallet in the home to guarantee prosperity.
Never start the New Year in debt. So - pay off all bills and debts before January 1st.
Nothing — absolutely nothing, not even garbage — is to leave the house on the first day of the year. If you've presents to deliver on New Year's Day, leave them in the car overnight. Don't so much as shake out a rug or take the empties to the recycle bin.
Do not do the laundry on New Year's Day, lest a member of the family be 'washed away' (die) in the upcoming months. The more cautious eschew even washing dishes.
Wear something new on January 1 to increase the likelihood of your receiving more new garments during the year to follow.
Do not pay back loans or lend money or other precious items on New Year's Day. To do so is to guarantee you'll be paying out all year.
Avoid breaking things on that first day lest wreckage be part of your year. Also, avoid crying on the first day of the year lest that activity set the tone for the next twelve months.
At midnight, all the doors of a house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded. He must leave before the New Year can come in, so doors are flung open to assist him in finding his way out.
At midnight, make as much noise as possible to scare off evil spirits.
Arrange your family so that all your babies are born on New Year's Day. That way, they'll always have luck on their side.
Don't take ashes out of the fireplace or wood stove between Christmas and New Year's Day. Don't make new clothes during that time, either.
Eat pork on New Year's Day - a pig cannot look backwards.
Do not sweep the floor on New Year's Day, or you'll be sweeping away all your good luck.
If you eat anything that once grew feathers on New Year's Day, all your luck will fly away.
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12/31/06, 05:11 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York
Posts: 915
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by culpeper
New Year's day should bring a bit of coal, so that the household enjoys good luck throughout the New Year.
The first person to enter your home after the stroke of midnight will influence the year you're about to have. Ideally, he should be dark-haired, tall, and good-looking, and it would be even better if he came bearing certain small gifts such as a lump of coal, a silver coin, a bit of bread, a sprig of evergreen, and some salt. Blonde and redhead first footers bring bad luck, and female first footers should be shooed away before they bring disaster down on the household. The first footer (sometimes called the "Lucky Bird") should knock and be let in rather than unceremoniously use a key, even if he is one of the householders. After greeting those in the house and dropping off whatever small tokens of luck he has brought with him, he should make his way through the house and leave by a different door than the one through which he entered. No one should leave the premises before the first footer arrives — the first traffic across the threshold must be headed in rather than striking out. First footers must not be cross-eyed or have flat feet or eyebrows that meet in the middle.
Clocks should be wound up immediately the New Year begins in order to endow the house with good fortune, while all daily cleaning and dusting should be completed early in the day of December 31 in order to avoid the danger of sweeping good luck from the house.
You'll 'cut off' fortune if you use scissors on New Year's Day.
You should kiss those dearest to you at midnight not only to share a moment of celebration with our favourite people, but also to ensure those affections and ties will continue throughout the next twelve months. To fail to do so at the stroke of twelve would be to set the stage for a year of coldness.
The New Year must not be seen in with bare cupboards, lest that be the way of things for the year. Larders must be topped up and plenty of money must be placed in every wallet in the home to guarantee prosperity.
Never start the New Year in debt. So - pay off all bills and debts before January 1st.
Nothing — absolutely nothing, not even garbage — is to leave the house on the first day of the year. If you've presents to deliver on New Year's Day, leave them in the car overnight. Don't so much as shake out a rug or take the empties to the recycle bin.
Do not do the laundry on New Year's Day, lest a member of the family be 'washed away' (die) in the upcoming months. The more cautious eschew even washing dishes.
Wear something new on January 1 to increase the likelihood of your receiving more new garments during the year to follow.
Do not pay back loans or lend money or other precious items on New Year's Day. To do so is to guarantee you'll be paying out all year.
Avoid breaking things on that first day lest wreckage be part of your year. Also, avoid crying on the first day of the year lest that activity set the tone for the next twelve months.
At midnight, all the doors of a house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded. He must leave before the New Year can come in, so doors are flung open to assist him in finding his way out.
At midnight, make as much noise as possible to scare off evil spirits.
Arrange your family so that all your babies are born on New Year's Day. That way, they'll always have luck on their side.
Don't take ashes out of the fireplace or wood stove between Christmas and New Year's Day. Don't make new clothes during that time, either.
Eat pork on New Year's Day - a pig cannot look backwards.
Do not sweep the floor on New Year's Day, or you'll be sweeping away all your good luck.
If you eat anything that once grew feathers on New Year's Day, all your luck will fly away.
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I love all of these Culpeper -- especially the one about the pigs and the chickens!! hehehe
Happy New Year to you -- since from your location it appears you'll be among the first of us to celebrate it! And Good Luck!!
MaryNY
__________________
"...creating & living an independent, self-reliant, building constructing, garden-/animal-raising, food-preserving, ecologically sound, solar/off-the-grid, self-made, individualistic lifestyle..."
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12/31/06, 06:28 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Your Attic
Posts: 1,289
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Back home in Germany, on New Year's Eve, called Sylvester, it's fireworks and a Berliner at midnight. A Berliner is a delicious jelly donut.
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12/31/06, 08:24 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Central S. C.
Posts: 7,981
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I'm from South Carolina. We always eat hopp'njohn and collard greens. The HJ's bring you luck and the collard greens are for money. Also the Hopp'njohn is more powerful if cooked with coon. DW isn't from the south but she enjoys it too.
Today we are having grilled leg of lamb. Tomorrow I am grilling a pork butt and making the hj and collard greens (no coon this year  )
Happy new year all and good luck in it. 
__________________
Vicker
If you're born to hang, you'll never drown.
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12/31/06, 09:27 AM
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AKA Southernbelle32
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 153
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We eat greens, black eye peas and pork.
Also don't wash, sweep or do any house work.
Also before we cook black eyes we will take 12 uncooked ones put in a samll piece of tin foil and put in our wallets so we are sure to have money throughout the new year. This one does seem to work because since starting it we usually always have money in our pockets, may not be much but some! Before I could go days without having a penny!! 
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12/31/06, 03:04 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,187
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Thank you for the kind wishes, Mary, and yes, the New Year comes in earlier here! So today is a 'no work' day for me. Yippee!
So - to everybody here at HT,
Happy New Year!
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12/31/06, 04:01 PM
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Try Me
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: somewhere, and No where
Posts: 1,083
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A family tradition for New Years day is to have a meal of pork (usually spare ribs) and sour Krout. The sour krout is always cooked with an apple. My mom once told me what the significance of it all was, but currently I can't recall exactly.
I believe the pork is good luck, the sour krout for fortune, and the apple to bring sweetness in bitter times.
Other than that We really never had any other traditions.
Happy New Year All
__________________
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
Last edited by vegascowgirl; 12/31/06 at 04:04 PM.
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