New Years Eve
New Years Eve is right around the corner. Let's count the blessings we receive as we look to the future with hope, excited about the chance for a fresh start and better things to come. And because we can use all the good luck charms we can get in matters of love, health, and money in the twelve months to come, indulging in a few New Year's Eve superstitions is a fun way to celebrate the occasion with your loved ones.
According to USA Today, in Latin America, it's believed that lugging around your (empty) weekender will conjure a year full of adventure and travel.
2. Eat Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
If you've ever lived in the Southern United States, you probably know that what you eat on New Year's Day matters. Many below the Mason-Dixon line believe green foods bring you money while peas reflect prosperity. So stock your plate with collards and black-eyed peas, as both are thought to send wealth your way.
3. Make a Lot of Noise
If you've ever wondered why noisemakers tend to be readily available on New Year's Eve, it may not be just because they're amusing. According to lore from around the world, the boisterous sounds can ward off evil spirits (one example is the traditional firecrackers of Chinese New Year, traditionally celebrated in late January or early-to-mid February). So cheer, scream, set off fireworks and bang pots and pans—for fun and fate.
4. Kiss Someone at Midnight
Are you looking for luck in the love department? Well, then grab someone and give them a smooch. According to Entertaining from Ancient Rome to the Super Bowl: An Encyclopedia, the first encounter of the New Year can determine how you'll spend the next 365 days.
5. Eat 12 Grapes at Midnight
While most Americans associate New Year’s Eve with bite-sized snacks and champagne, in Spain, the tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight (of course, Cava wine follows). In a ritual that dates back to the 1880's, according to NPR, it's believed that if you can finish your 12 grapes (one for each month of the year) before the clock strikes 12:01, you'll have good luck.
6. Clean Your House
Legend in China and Latin America has it that the act of cleaning literally sweeps negativity away from your family and life, according to the New York Times.
7. Or...Don't Clean Your House
While some believe in a deep New Year's Eve pre-clean, others who subscribe to this Chinese superstition, avoid doing laundry, dishes, and/or taking out the trash on New Year's Day, as it's thought that purging things from your life on January 1 can cause you to throw or wash away your luck.
8. Put Cash in Your Wallet
This superstition suggests that doing so before midnight will usher in a year of prosperity.
9 .Eat King Cake at Midnight
For many, the dense, doughy king cake, generally associated with New Orleans, represents the end of the Christmas season. But be on the lookout for a golden coin or a plastic baby. If you find it, your year will be filled with wealth and prosperity, according to legend.
10. Open Your Doors and Windows
One popular superstition in the Philippines? Opening doors and windows just before midnight to let out the old year and let in the new.