Do you observe any New Year's Eve/New Year's Day rituals or traditions?

Aunt Bea

Aunt Bea

SF VIP
Location
Near Mount Pilot
I grew up with a few and I'm curious about those that others might have.

For New Year's Eve.

I was always taught not to bring any old debts into the new year.

On New Year's Eve just before midnight my grandmother would always take out the trash, in preparation for a fresh start, spend a few minutes at midnight watching the stars, reflecting on the events of the old year and her hopes for the new year. I don't stay up until midnight but I always take out the trash before I go to bed on New Year's Eve.

For New Year's Day.

I was brought up not to spend any money on New Year's Day and for as many days into the new year as possible. The idea being that the new year will go the way it starts, inexpensive and frugal.
 

No real traditions followed here, but I usually get out and wash the car on new year's eve, windows inside and out, and I did get out yesterday to do that. With the spurts of snow and winds blowing the dust around all the time, the ol' car gets a funky coating on it pretty quickly.
 
Pork (in my case, ham), black eyed peas and greens (kale) were always our New Year Day's menu. That's supper for today.

And, yes, Aunt Bea....we always had to have the trash/garbage out of the house before midnight. That was one thing my grandmother insisted on. AND you had to be very careful what you were doing at the stroke of midnight. Kissin' and grinnin' was fine. Scowling and arguing was a no-no. According to her, whatever you were doing at midnight was what you were going to be doing the rest of the year.
 
When I was a kid, at the stroke of twelve on New Years Eve, my Mom and I would bang pot covers together out the back door. I started that with my own kids but they weren't to keen on it. I like to have black eyed peas as well on New Years Day. These last few years we usually just relax on New Years day, We have a big calendar on the desk so I go from month to month and fill out important info that doesn't change from year to year. Birthdays, house taxes due, car insurance,what week we get our social security benefits,health insurance payments due, etc. etc. Then there are no surprises during the year.
 
My parents and neighbours always celebrated the new year. There were various traditions such as opening the front door to let the new year in and the back door to let the old year out. Then there was 'first footing' - the first person to enter your house on the new year. They would bring a gift such as a lump of coal to symbolize prosperity. We would drink and toast the new year - "Here's tae us, wha's like us. Damn few an' they're a' deid"
It was also traditional to join in singing 'Auld Lang Syne', except that a lot of people got the words wrong. It is NOT "for the sake of", it is just "For Auld Lang Syne".
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
When I was a kid, at the stroke of twelve on New Years Eve, my Mom and I would bang pot covers together out the back door. I started that with my own kids but they weren't to keen on it. I like to have black eyed peas as well on New Years Day. These last few years we usually just relax on New Years day, We have a big calendar on the desk so I go from month to month and fill out important info that doesn't change from year to year. Birthdays, house taxes due, car insurance,what week we get our social security benefits,health insurance payments due, etc. etc. Then there are no surprises during the year.
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The pot banging must have been a tradition in our area, Ruth. My mom did that too, but although I did it when my son was younger, he never picked it up. I can't remember the last time. At least it's safer then shooting off guns.
 
Blackeyed peas with ham and cornbread and greens here, too. Here, a lot of people set off firecrackers and fireworks at midnight (and the occasional idiot who fires his gun at the heavens). I hate all that noise and it upsets my dog something fierce.
 

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