Angelina Knapp has eaten pork and sauerkraut every New Year’s Day since as long as she can remember.
“My grandmother absolutely insists on it,” Knapp said. “So every year we have pork and kraut, though I’m not really sure why. It is just good luck. It is just the way we have always done it.”
Pork is a traditional New Year food thought to bring good luck to the eater for several reasons, according to www.wilstar.com
The hog is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. German tradition tells that hogs “root forward,” cows “stand still” and chickens “scratch backward,” so eating pork gets the eater moving forward into the new year.
Www.wilstar.com reports many cultures believe food in the shape of a ring is good luck because it symbolizes “coming full circle,” completing a year’s cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year’s Day will bring good fortune.
Knapp of Ashtabula said Grandma Cecilia Hall puts a year of luck in the power of a pork loin.
“I’m not really a superstitious person,” Knapp said. “But you just don’t argue with Grandma and I do it just in case.”
Some people celebrate the new year by eating black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically served with either hog jowls or ham. Cabbage is another good luck vegetable because cabbage leaves represent paper currency and are considered a sign of prosperity. Rice is also considered lucky food on New Year’s Day.
John Johnson and friend Casey Homes, both of Ashtabula, aren’t superstitious people, but both have made New Year’s resolutions for 2009.
“I’ve got 10 more pounds to lose, so that is my resolution,” Homes said. “I don’t believe that if you eat this, or do something special you’ll have a good year, but my mom does.”
Homes said her mother insists on drinking sparkling cider to ring in the new year.
“She is convinced 2009 will be the best year ever, so I guess we’ll have to get a lot of sparkling cider,” Homes said.
Burning a bayberry candle is considered good luck on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Amy Lees of Allegheny Candles said.
In colonial times, to have a bayberry candle was a luxury to be saved and relished. It became the tradition to burn your bayberry candle on Christmas or New Years eve to bring blessings of abundance in the coming year,” she said.
Candice Hall said she and her husband will smooch to ring in the new year, Www.snopes.com reports that kissing those dearest to us at midnight ensures affections and ties will continue through the next 12 months. Forget the smooch at midnight could put a chill on lovers passions.
Don’t forget to stock up on essential items before the new year, snopes.com reports. Also, plenty of money must be placed in every wallet in the home to guarantee prosperity.
The new year should not be begun with the household in debt, so checks should be written and mailed off prior to Jan. 1.
Snopes.com also suggests opening all the doors of a house at midnight to let the old year escape. Also make as much noise as possible at midnight to scare away evil spirits that hate loud noises.
Hall said she isn’t a superstitious person, but traditions are traditions.
“We will go out and watch the ball drop,” she said. “Tradition is tradition.”
Local News
Night of tradition
Wednesday evening, make noise, open doors and munch on pork
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