Adam's Apple
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For A Lucky 2006
By T. J. Banes, The Indianapolis Star
January 1, 2006
If you prepare for the New Year by observing time-honored traditions, you're not alone. Long before the millennium, people young and old shot off firecrackers on New Year's Eve to scare away evil spirits. Others ate corned beef and cabbage on the first day of the New Year, hoping for prosperity. Today, we look at some of those traditions and attempt to trace their roots.
Tasty Traditions
Hoppin' John -- black-eyed peas and ham hocks -- is a Southern and African-American staple thought to bring good luck.
Eating greens is reputed to bring money; eating cornbread might bring wealth.
Pork and sauerkraut are eaten by the Pennsylvania Dutch to bring good luck.
To eat 12 grapes at midnight is believed by those of Spanish descent to bring 12 months of good luck
Germans and Poles credit eating pickled herring with bringing good luck.
Wassail is used to toast one's good health on New Year's Eve -- wassail means "to be well."
On their respective new years, the Chinese eat dumplings, the Vietnamese eat carp, and the Dutch eat doughnuts because their shape symbolizes good luck.
Superstitions
Loud noises, including fireworks and gunshots, scare away evil spirits and bring good luck on New Year's Eve.
Don't put up a new calendar or write in a new diary before the New Year begins.
Empty pockets and empty cupboards warn of a year of poverty.
All debts should be paid by the new year, but do not pay bills or lend money on New Year's Day.
The doors to a house must all be opened at midnight to let the old year escape unimpeded before the New Year enters.
Dancing outdoors on New Year's Day, especially around a tree, will bring good luck in love, health and money matters.
New Year's Day babies bring prosperity to a household.
Clocks should be wound as soon as the New Year begins, but all cleaning should be done early on Dec. 31 to avoid sweeping out good luck.
Breaking something on Jan. 1 could mean a year of wreckage.
Kissing someone at midnight ensures that person's affection all year long.
The first person to enter your home after midnight will influence the year you will have. Ideally, that person should be tall, dark, handsome and bearing gifts. If the first person to enter is a red-haired female, that is a sign of bad luck for the year ahead. In fact, females of all hair shades should be discouraged from being the first person in the door.
What one wears to begin the new year (including underwear) is very important, with different colors meaning prosperity in different parts of the world.
Miscellaneous
Recognition of Jan. 1 as the first day of the New Year dates back to 153 B.C. in Rome, when the date was moved from March 1.
In 46 B.C., the date became official with the introduction of the Julian calendar. The British Calendar Act of 1751 set Jan. 1 as the beginning of the year in most English-speaking countries.
The Babylonians are credited with being the first to make New Year's resolutions. Many people still believe the New Year is a good time to reflect on mistakes and vow to do better.
The song title "Auld Lang Syne" translates into "old long since." It comes from a Scottish song first published in 1796 by Robert Burns. The tradition of playing it on New Year's Eve was launched in 1929 by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians dance band, who performed it in New York City.
A ball has been dropped in New York's Times Square to welcome in the New Year since 1907.
The Rose Bowl Parade has been held on New Year's Day in Pasadena, Calif., since 1886.
In many places, a Polar Bear Plunge has participants testing their mettle by plunging into freezing water on New Year's Day.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060101/LIVING/601010336/1007
By T. J. Banes, The Indianapolis Star
January 1, 2006
If you prepare for the New Year by observing time-honored traditions, you're not alone. Long before the millennium, people young and old shot off firecrackers on New Year's Eve to scare away evil spirits. Others ate corned beef and cabbage on the first day of the New Year, hoping for prosperity. Today, we look at some of those traditions and attempt to trace their roots.
Tasty Traditions
Hoppin' John -- black-eyed peas and ham hocks -- is a Southern and African-American staple thought to bring good luck.
Eating greens is reputed to bring money; eating cornbread might bring wealth.
Pork and sauerkraut are eaten by the Pennsylvania Dutch to bring good luck.
To eat 12 grapes at midnight is believed by those of Spanish descent to bring 12 months of good luck
Germans and Poles credit eating pickled herring with bringing good luck.
Wassail is used to toast one's good health on New Year's Eve -- wassail means "to be well."
On their respective new years, the Chinese eat dumplings, the Vietnamese eat carp, and the Dutch eat doughnuts because their shape symbolizes good luck.
Superstitions
Loud noises, including fireworks and gunshots, scare away evil spirits and bring good luck on New Year's Eve.
Don't put up a new calendar or write in a new diary before the New Year begins.
Empty pockets and empty cupboards warn of a year of poverty.
All debts should be paid by the new year, but do not pay bills or lend money on New Year's Day.
The doors to a house must all be opened at midnight to let the old year escape unimpeded before the New Year enters.
Dancing outdoors on New Year's Day, especially around a tree, will bring good luck in love, health and money matters.
New Year's Day babies bring prosperity to a household.
Clocks should be wound as soon as the New Year begins, but all cleaning should be done early on Dec. 31 to avoid sweeping out good luck.
Breaking something on Jan. 1 could mean a year of wreckage.
Kissing someone at midnight ensures that person's affection all year long.
The first person to enter your home after midnight will influence the year you will have. Ideally, that person should be tall, dark, handsome and bearing gifts. If the first person to enter is a red-haired female, that is a sign of bad luck for the year ahead. In fact, females of all hair shades should be discouraged from being the first person in the door.
What one wears to begin the new year (including underwear) is very important, with different colors meaning prosperity in different parts of the world.
Miscellaneous
Recognition of Jan. 1 as the first day of the New Year dates back to 153 B.C. in Rome, when the date was moved from March 1.
In 46 B.C., the date became official with the introduction of the Julian calendar. The British Calendar Act of 1751 set Jan. 1 as the beginning of the year in most English-speaking countries.
The Babylonians are credited with being the first to make New Year's resolutions. Many people still believe the New Year is a good time to reflect on mistakes and vow to do better.
The song title "Auld Lang Syne" translates into "old long since." It comes from a Scottish song first published in 1796 by Robert Burns. The tradition of playing it on New Year's Eve was launched in 1929 by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians dance band, who performed it in New York City.
A ball has been dropped in New York's Times Square to welcome in the New Year since 1907.
The Rose Bowl Parade has been held on New Year's Day in Pasadena, Calif., since 1886.
In many places, a Polar Bear Plunge has participants testing their mettle by plunging into freezing water on New Year's Day.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060101/LIVING/601010336/1007
