Traditions to bring good luck for the New Year are as old as the celebrations and come from all corners of the world. Many cultures count a tall, dark and handsome man crossing the threshold as a sign of good luck, but if the first person to enter the house is a red headed woman...the year is sure to be stressful. What single girl would argue with that one!
Others involve housecleaning...brushing the bad luck of the past out with the dust. Holding a piece of silver or gold as the New Year begins is said to increase the chances of prosperity in the coming year...some place a silver coin over the doorway or a penny on the windowsill.
An Irish tradition involves banging on the door and walls with Christmas bread to chase the bad luck out and bring good spirits to the household with the promise of bread enough in the New Year.
The youngest boy in the household lighting a candle at dusk to burn through the night until morning light is another Celtic tradition that may be a citified version of lighting bonfires to keep away the evil spirits.
In the Philippines children jump up and down at midnight to make sure they will grow tall. In Asia, sunrise celebrations and honoring of the ancestors and elders brings luck. German's drop melted lead into cold water and take turns interpreting the results. This tradition has become so popular that kits are sold that include the lead pellets and suggestions for reading the results.
Others involve housecleaning...brushing the bad luck of the past out with the dust. Holding a piece of silver or gold as the New Year begins is said to increase the chances of prosperity in the coming year...some place a silver coin over the doorway or a penny on the windowsill.
An Irish tradition involves banging on the door and walls with Christmas bread to chase the bad luck out and bring good spirits to the household with the promise of bread enough in the New Year.
The youngest boy in the household lighting a candle at dusk to burn through the night until morning light is another Celtic tradition that may be a citified version of lighting bonfires to keep away the evil spirits.
In the Philippines children jump up and down at midnight to make sure they will grow tall. In Asia, sunrise celebrations and honoring of the ancestors and elders brings luck. German's drop melted lead into cold water and take turns interpreting the results. This tradition has become so popular that kits are sold that include the lead pellets and suggestions for reading the results.
I wish everyone of you a very Happy New Year. We are supposed to eat Sauerkraut
and Pork on New Years Day, but George and I are going to his lodge to eat it tonight. Oh well. I will try the penny and silver for my prosperity, instead of the meal.
12 comments:
Well I am sticking to my quilting and stitching as much as possible for today and tomorrow. I am also having our pork and sauerkraut or Aunt Janey might come visit and yell at me. :) I can still hear her voice asking me each year if I did make it for New Year's day.
Remember no laundry! Like you would have to be stopped from doing laundry if you don't need to...lol!
Love and hugs ~
Heidi
Heidi:
I told you I was going to finish my laundry today and I did. I had sheets from the company. All finished, tree is put upstairs, no work tomorrow. I even got some sewing finished today, one gift ready.
Love Mom
PS: Pretty good I have to comment on my own blog, hahaha
Hi Nancy
There sure are a lot of new year traditions that I'd never heard of. Hope this next year is filled with good health, joy, prosperity, and lots of fun!
Hugs, Rhondi
Happy New Year Nancy!
Blessings for Health and Happiness in the New Year!
Hugs,
Robin
This was so informative and interesting! I hope you have a happy new year too! I'm going to try the holding gold and silver trick bz I sure could use the prosperity!
Hi Nancy, I love hearing about New Year traditions. We are having pork and sauerkraut for dinner tomorrow. As for me - I could use prosperity.
Love,
Sweetie
Here in the South it's traditional to have collard greens and black-eyes peas to bring good luck for the new year! OK by me being a vegetarian....as long as neither are cooked with pork which many Southerners like to do! So Bob and I will head out to gobble up these delicacies prior to commencing on a new year eating plan (no, not a resolution - don't do those).
We'll be in Devon late April-early May. First 10 days we will be house guests of California friends who are renting a fabulous historic house in my home town - I will be the designated 'tour guide'! We then move to a B&B for a couple of days so that I can get to see my cousins and old friends. If you can come over to England with Heidi that would be great - let me know so we can try to plan a get-together!
Love and best wishes to you and your wonderful family for all good things in this new year Nancy. Thanks for being such a dear blog friend.
Warm hugs - Mary.
Happy New Year Nancy. I enjoyed reading all the traditions....I like the coin one....I hope it works. I put a penny on the windowsill. At midnight we open the front door to let the new year in and open the back door to let the old year out....I can remember always doing that from the time I was little. Blessings to you and yours sweet friend and all the best in 2009....hugs, Linda
Hello Nancy
I wish you and your family a very happy New Year. Maybe we see eachother this year again in Holland?
Hugs, Elly
Hmmm if Gerard Butler (tall, dark and very handsome) crossed my threshold....I would consider myself very lucky indeed! LOL
Oh yes, I remember that we were doing this melted lead tradition in our family when I was a child. And it still is very popular here.
Have a great 2009, Nancy and George and your whole family!
A wedding on the horizon, how wonderful! And guess what, we may have one in our family also....at long last my son is thinking of popping the question! Never thought it would happen (he's 43)but I'm so happy.
Hope sweet Heidi's dental work is going well - give her my love when you chat please Nancy.
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