People across the globe trust in certain superstitions related to New Year's Day. Underlying idea behind most of these superstitions is that events occurring on New Year's Day sets the pattern for the rest of the year. According to customs prevalent in their society, people perform auspicious acts to invite Lady Luck and ward off evil.
Given here are some of the most astonishing and popular New Year Superstitions:
KISS AT MIDNIGHT: We kiss those dearest to us at midnight not only to share a moment of celebration with our favorite people, but also to ensure those affections and ties will continue throughout the next 12 months. To fail to smooch our significant others at the stroke of twelve would be to set the stage for a year of coldness. Okay, this is interesting. So kissing random strangers up in the bar does what? According to this, be un-cold to several people you barely know. Woo hoo…good times! I will of course kiss those nearest and dearest to me provided I don’t have to go looking for him as I did last time.
FIRST FOOTING: One must never leave the home before someone comes in first. First footer in the house should be ushered in with a warm welcome, be tall, dark and handsome and should not have flat feet, cross-eyes or eyebrows stretching out to meet in the middle. 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 footer bring bad luch and female first footers should be shooed away before they bring disaster down on the household. Aim a gun at them if you have to, but don’t let them near your door before a man crosses the threshold. After the first footer greets everyone in the house and dropped off his gifts, he should make his way through the house and leave by a different door then he came in. I have a husband and a future son-in-law I will rent you cheap! I need to make sure though that Sara’s tweezed RJ’s uni-brow recently. I don’t really know any blondes, coz the blondes I thought I knew are actually brunettes. As for women, there’s only Sara, and maybe Allyson who would actually come over, but my girls are smart and like their sleep, so they’ll stay to the house.
FOOD: In Southern part of the United States it is said that eating of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day will attract both general good luck and money in particular to the one doing the dining. Other lucky foods are lentil soup (coz they look like coins) and pork-because poultry scratches backwards, a cow stands still and pigs root forward. Greens are also considered lucky. Got to get the peas, I already have a ham and collard greens and there will no eating of poultry in my house tomorrow. I forbid it! I wonder what will happen if you eat cake, coz cake is made with eggs…I don’t think I’ll risk it. It has really been an awful year except for one or two little happy moments.
DON’T LET MONEY LEAVE THE HOUSE: In several countries, people do not let money, jewelry, precious items or other invaluable things leave home on New Year Day. Hence it is said that one should not pay loans and bills or lend things to anybody. No chance of that….we should have a really good year~
NOTHING GOES OUT: People go to the extent of not taking out garbage or even not dusting their carpets on this day to ensure that nothing goes out of home during the year. If you have to deliver presents on New Year morning, it is advised to leave them in the car.. In case you must take something out from the home, let someone come with the present inside the house first. Note to self: take trash to the road tonight. Do I have any presents that need to be delivered? Hmmm, I don’t think so, Tim. Just some books for Sebastian, but I can drop those off Saturday.
DO NOT WASH DISHES OR DO LAUNDRY: In several societies washing dishes and doing laundry on New Year's day is said to lead to a death in the family during the year. Many people do not even wash hair on New Year’s Day. Yay, an authorized day off by the pagan heathens of the past. There will be no washing tomorrow…none, I tell you!
WEAR NEW CLOTHES: People believe that one should wear new clothes on a New Year's Day. This would mean receiving more new garments during the year. Red clothing is preferred for New Year’s Day since red is considered a happy color and is sure to attract the wearer to a brighter future. I can wear my new zebra shirt…so much easier to blend in that way LOL—wait it’s not red. Perhaps, I’ll go buy red drawers…yep, that’s what I’ll do. A red, sparkly thong…my sister, cousins, children and son-in-laws just cringed…good times!
AVOID CRYING: It is said that one should avoid breaking things or crying and wailing on the first day of the year, if you don't want to continue the pattern for the entire year. I don’t cry as a rule, so this one should be easy. I wonder if it’s okay to be pissy. Coz I can be pissy if I try…yes, don’t shake your head, I can get quite pissy when I am provoked.
BE POLITE: People say that one should behave nicely on New Year and must refrain from using foul language. Toughie…maybe everyone should leave the house and let me be alone tomorrow and I shouldn’t play Coffee Buzz. It will occasionally elicit the ‘f’ word out of me.
WATCH WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT: Ghost stories and conversations on death should also be avoided. I’m the ghost of Able Gable, leave the money on the table….
LETTING THE OLD YEAR OUT: At midnight, all the doors of the house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded. Let’s look at this for a moment…I live in 4 Seasons. I don’t believe it wise to open my doors at midnight. The neighborhood thugs might rob me and then money would leave the house, and I wouldn’t be polite, and someone might cry and I’ve seen some of those children…they ain’t pretty, so my whole year will be screwed. Maybe I’ll just make the Old Year a pallet in the corner with a lump of coal and a ham bone. He’ll be happy, I know he will.
STOCK UP CUPBOARDS AND WALLETS: It is believed that cupboards stocked up with food and wallets and purses full of money bring prosperity in New Year. Similarly, empty pockets or empty cupboards on New Years Eve portend a year of poverty. Pantry appears to be stocked, fridge is full and I need to go get some cash…I’m covered.
DO TOKEN AMOUNT OF WORK: It is said that one must do token amount of work on the New Year's Day. This is said to ensure advancement in career. But starting out a serious work project is unlucky on New Year’s Day. I'll get right on that
MAKE NOISE: People believe that Evil One and his attendants and servants hate din and loud noise. So, scare them away by being as loud in New Year celebrations as possible. Church bells are rung at midnight for the same reason. I can make some noise, especially if I have to go looking for Fodder at midnight. That ought to scare the Devil out of somebody…
DON’T KEEP DEBTS: Pay your bills and loans before New Year Eve, so you don't have any debt left for New Year. Sadly, the debts shall remain and be our true blue friends for at least another year. Unless I win the lottery tonight and then I may be able to do it.
THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND: The direction of wind during sunrise on New Year morning prophesies about the coming year. Wind from south foretells fine weather and prosperous times ahead while wind from north foretells bad weather. Wind blowing from east foretells natural calamities and wind from west foretells plenty of milk and fish for all but death of a person of great national importance. No wind means joy and prosperity throughout the year. Whatever, I’m not getting up at sunrise after welcoming in the New Year. I’ll just wait and hear it on the news.
DANCE IN THE OPEN AIR: To dance in the open air, especially round a tree, on New Year's Day ensures luck in love and prosperity and freedom from ill health during the coming twelve months. The neighbors ought to love that. Drive by my house tomorrow, I will be putting on my boogie shoes and getting down with my bad self right next to the snowmen. Get down, get down, get down…
DRAIN THE BOTTLE: You could ensure yourself good fortune by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years! I will buy my bottle of Smirnoff, chug all but a swallow and then drink my backwash right after midnight. Yum-mee!
Given here are some of the most astonishing and popular New Year Superstitions:
KISS AT MIDNIGHT: We kiss those dearest to us at midnight not only to share a moment of celebration with our favorite people, but also to ensure those affections and ties will continue throughout the next 12 months. To fail to smooch our significant others at the stroke of twelve would be to set the stage for a year of coldness. Okay, this is interesting. So kissing random strangers up in the bar does what? According to this, be un-cold to several people you barely know. Woo hoo…good times! I will of course kiss those nearest and dearest to me provided I don’t have to go looking for him as I did last time.
FIRST FOOTING: One must never leave the home before someone comes in first. First footer in the house should be ushered in with a warm welcome, be tall, dark and handsome and should not have flat feet, cross-eyes or eyebrows stretching out to meet in the middle. 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 footer bring bad luch and female first footers should be shooed away before they bring disaster down on the household. Aim a gun at them if you have to, but don’t let them near your door before a man crosses the threshold. After the first footer greets everyone in the house and dropped off his gifts, he should make his way through the house and leave by a different door then he came in. I have a husband and a future son-in-law I will rent you cheap! I need to make sure though that Sara’s tweezed RJ’s uni-brow recently. I don’t really know any blondes, coz the blondes I thought I knew are actually brunettes. As for women, there’s only Sara, and maybe Allyson who would actually come over, but my girls are smart and like their sleep, so they’ll stay to the house.
FOOD: In Southern part of the United States it is said that eating of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day will attract both general good luck and money in particular to the one doing the dining. Other lucky foods are lentil soup (coz they look like coins) and pork-because poultry scratches backwards, a cow stands still and pigs root forward. Greens are also considered lucky. Got to get the peas, I already have a ham and collard greens and there will no eating of poultry in my house tomorrow. I forbid it! I wonder what will happen if you eat cake, coz cake is made with eggs…I don’t think I’ll risk it. It has really been an awful year except for one or two little happy moments.
DON’T LET MONEY LEAVE THE HOUSE: In several countries, people do not let money, jewelry, precious items or other invaluable things leave home on New Year Day. Hence it is said that one should not pay loans and bills or lend things to anybody. No chance of that….we should have a really good year~
NOTHING GOES OUT: People go to the extent of not taking out garbage or even not dusting their carpets on this day to ensure that nothing goes out of home during the year. If you have to deliver presents on New Year morning, it is advised to leave them in the car.. In case you must take something out from the home, let someone come with the present inside the house first. Note to self: take trash to the road tonight. Do I have any presents that need to be delivered? Hmmm, I don’t think so, Tim. Just some books for Sebastian, but I can drop those off Saturday.
DO NOT WASH DISHES OR DO LAUNDRY: In several societies washing dishes and doing laundry on New Year's day is said to lead to a death in the family during the year. Many people do not even wash hair on New Year’s Day. Yay, an authorized day off by the pagan heathens of the past. There will be no washing tomorrow…none, I tell you!
WEAR NEW CLOTHES: People believe that one should wear new clothes on a New Year's Day. This would mean receiving more new garments during the year. Red clothing is preferred for New Year’s Day since red is considered a happy color and is sure to attract the wearer to a brighter future. I can wear my new zebra shirt…so much easier to blend in that way LOL—wait it’s not red. Perhaps, I’ll go buy red drawers…yep, that’s what I’ll do. A red, sparkly thong…my sister, cousins, children and son-in-laws just cringed…good times!
AVOID CRYING: It is said that one should avoid breaking things or crying and wailing on the first day of the year, if you don't want to continue the pattern for the entire year. I don’t cry as a rule, so this one should be easy. I wonder if it’s okay to be pissy. Coz I can be pissy if I try…yes, don’t shake your head, I can get quite pissy when I am provoked.
BE POLITE: People say that one should behave nicely on New Year and must refrain from using foul language. Toughie…maybe everyone should leave the house and let me be alone tomorrow and I shouldn’t play Coffee Buzz. It will occasionally elicit the ‘f’ word out of me.
WATCH WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT: Ghost stories and conversations on death should also be avoided. I’m the ghost of Able Gable, leave the money on the table….
LETTING THE OLD YEAR OUT: At midnight, all the doors of the house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded. Let’s look at this for a moment…I live in 4 Seasons. I don’t believe it wise to open my doors at midnight. The neighborhood thugs might rob me and then money would leave the house, and I wouldn’t be polite, and someone might cry and I’ve seen some of those children…they ain’t pretty, so my whole year will be screwed. Maybe I’ll just make the Old Year a pallet in the corner with a lump of coal and a ham bone. He’ll be happy, I know he will.
STOCK UP CUPBOARDS AND WALLETS: It is believed that cupboards stocked up with food and wallets and purses full of money bring prosperity in New Year. Similarly, empty pockets or empty cupboards on New Years Eve portend a year of poverty. Pantry appears to be stocked, fridge is full and I need to go get some cash…I’m covered.
DO TOKEN AMOUNT OF WORK: It is said that one must do token amount of work on the New Year's Day. This is said to ensure advancement in career. But starting out a serious work project is unlucky on New Year’s Day. I'll get right on that
MAKE NOISE: People believe that Evil One and his attendants and servants hate din and loud noise. So, scare them away by being as loud in New Year celebrations as possible. Church bells are rung at midnight for the same reason. I can make some noise, especially if I have to go looking for Fodder at midnight. That ought to scare the Devil out of somebody…
DON’T KEEP DEBTS: Pay your bills and loans before New Year Eve, so you don't have any debt left for New Year. Sadly, the debts shall remain and be our true blue friends for at least another year. Unless I win the lottery tonight and then I may be able to do it.
THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND: The direction of wind during sunrise on New Year morning prophesies about the coming year. Wind from south foretells fine weather and prosperous times ahead while wind from north foretells bad weather. Wind blowing from east foretells natural calamities and wind from west foretells plenty of milk and fish for all but death of a person of great national importance. No wind means joy and prosperity throughout the year. Whatever, I’m not getting up at sunrise after welcoming in the New Year. I’ll just wait and hear it on the news.
DANCE IN THE OPEN AIR: To dance in the open air, especially round a tree, on New Year's Day ensures luck in love and prosperity and freedom from ill health during the coming twelve months. The neighbors ought to love that. Drive by my house tomorrow, I will be putting on my boogie shoes and getting down with my bad self right next to the snowmen. Get down, get down, get down…
DRAIN THE BOTTLE: You could ensure yourself good fortune by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years! I will buy my bottle of Smirnoff, chug all but a swallow and then drink my backwash right after midnight. Yum-mee!
1 comment:
Geez, that was really long. I ran out of breath a few times reading it to mom!
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