New Year Superstitions

[winner]

Dear Friends,
With the New Year approaching I thought to share with you some superstisions.
You might skip this one, you migh laugh, you might call me weird, but here it is.
For a few years I had such a bad luck in almost everything. I was making money, but somehow money was evaporating (I lost my gold, car was broken 3 time and 2 times stolen, etc.). A friend of mine introduced me to some superstisions.
For the last two years I followed these ones, and somehow my life and financial security fell in order Money just piled up into my accounts, not from the winnings, but somehow I never was short, or broke. Being frugal is a big plus, but it doesn' hurt to know this things.
New Year Superstitions
Wear New Clothes

Red clothing is preferred for New Year's Day since red is considered a happy colour and is sure to attract for the wearer a brighter future.
Avoid Crying

Be Polite

People say that one should behave nicely on New Year and must refrain from using foul language.

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. 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 since New Year Eve on December 31st. In case you must take something out from the home, let someone come with the present inside the home first.

Letting the Old Year Out
At midnight, all the doors of a house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded.

Stack 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.

Do not Wash Dishes (loved this part)
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 day.

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 Day.

Don't Keep Debts
Pay your bills and loans before New Year Eve, so you don't have any debt left for New Year.

Eat Black-Eyes Peas
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.

Kiss at Midnight
It is believed that kissing at midnight ensures that affections and ties will continue throughout the New Year. On similar lines, it is said, to not do this would be to set the stage for a year of coldness.
Drain the Bottle
You could ensure yourself good fortune by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years!
Not being a big drinker I could not drain the bottle.

[Dexter]

I was raised that you must ring in the new year with a clean house and clutter free. And NEVER clean on New Year's Day. I always make sure my house is clean before the new year.

[spyzvixxen]

My fiancee's mom cleans their apartment from top to bottom and scatters rose petals throughout. They also must all eat 12 grapes before midnight.

My only superstitious type thing is watching the ball drop. Just doesn't feel like New Year's without it.

[Drgnfly423]

That's a great list. I never heard the black eyed pea thing until last year. We're planning on eating those this year. I'll have to bookmark this thread to look back and try some of these! It's worth a try!

[madhen]

Drain the Bottle
You could ensure yourself good fortune by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years!
Not being a big drinker I could not drain the bottle.

You could always buy one of those little bottles. I've seen the teeny little Korbel champagne for sale around this time of year. I'm not a drinker at all, and even *I* could probably chug one of those down.

[Contrary Housewife]

I always crank the heat in the afternoon of Dec 31, because the last 3 times the heater had busted, it did it New Year's Eve and we had to wait 2 days for a repairman.

I figure if I get the place nice and toasty, we're safe. It's only going to break the year I forget to warm the place up first.

[katybug]

I don't believe in superstitions,

they bring bad luck.

[kmsinsa]

Black eyed peas and greens here!

black eyed peas = luck
greens = money

[frugal-fannie]

German- eat the pork and sour kraut at midnight.
Chinese New Year. Do the cleaning before not on the day and make sure you eat noodles. and many other dishes including fish(not sure it is a certain kind) a certain mushroom or fungus(doesn't taste too bad, I kind of like it), oranges as the word is similar to gold and a few others I can't remember. If you live in a big Chinese area the Chinese restraunts serve all the dishes, you can order as a special.. I almost forgot you give red packets of money to people who are younger than you who are unmarried, usually children. Do not give money that has a 4total as that is a death number. 8 is the money number.

[joyofsix]

Very german family, gotta have cabbage on New Year's Day
Put pennies in the window sill to bring in the money. I got that one from a friend's family as a teenager.

[Moor]

For us, it's ham, cabbage and peas. For health, wealth, and happiness.

So when I lived in Florida, we had black eyed peas with hog jowls, and cole slaw.
Here in Ohio, I make a big picnic ham, green peas with onions, fried cabbage and sometimes, coleslaw.

[cheapskate 49]

In Scotland the first person over your threshold after midnight(your first foot) should be tall,dark and handsome and be carrying a lump of coal(that you may have warmth throughout the year) and salt(that you may have plenty to eat) and a bottle of whiskey....that one I'm not sure about but it's great idea anyway.In our home my oldest brother used to get sent out a couple of minutes before midnight with the coal,salt and whiskey.
I sent my son out once ...can't remember if we had a lucky year then.
We also had to clean the house throughout so as not to bring any of the old years dirt into the new year...it took me ages to stop myself doing that,I would clean like a fiend then be to tired to enjoy New Years Day