New Years Superstitions?

United States
December 31, 2008 5:25pm CST
I have a few extened family members that have different "superstitions" surrounding New Years Eve and New Years day. One says it is bad luck to keep our christmas tree up after the new year (it has to be down by new years eve) another says it is bad luck to have dirty clothes in your house when the new year arrives (all laundry must be clean, dried, folded and put away) AND any ones clothes that you wash on New Years Day you are "washing" out of your life. still another is that if your house it dirty on new years, it will be dirty all year long. and last but not least, you must NEVER put up a calander that has the comming year until after new years... or iti s bad luck... most of my family east black eyed peas and some sort of greens on new years for health and prosperity... So anyone else have any New Years suerpstitions?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@capirani (2497)
• United States
1 Jan 09
LOL My mom believed it was bad luck to take the Christmas tree down BEFORE New Year's Day. So we have always left ours up until after the holidays were completely over. I am not superstititious, but I leave it up because I enjoy having it up. However, this year, I am ready to have it taken down soon. It won't be tomorrow though.
1 person likes this
@capirani (2497)
• United States
1 Jan 09
Oh and I almost forgot...we always had to have either pork roast or spareribs and sauerkraut for our main meal of the day on New Year's Day. That, my mother said, was German and for good luck for the year. I don't know how true that is. I haven't heard it anywhere else. She always cooked the meat and kraut and potatoes in a big roaster and added salt and pepper for the meat and taters and brown sugar to make the kraut taste good. I never had unsweetened sauerkraut until I was in my 40's. Now I love it both ways.
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@capirani (2497)
• United States
1 Jan 09
My daughter bought me a couple cans of blackeyed peas and collard greens awhile back thinking I liked them. I don't know what to do with them having never cooked them before. Well I actually have cooked the dried blackeyed peas before in an Indian curry but I didn't like the bitter flavor of the blackeyed peas. I have no clue how to cook them.
• United States
1 Jan 09
Oh now that is funny...how things are the oppisite with the tree. I forgot to mention the pork too, usually we have ham and blackeyed peas, or collard greens with ham hocks (yuck) my kids and husband love them, so he makes them for them. I looe having my tree up too, and this year I may just wait a bit longer than usual as is smeels so nice. I will also cute some branches off and place them in a baske until they los thier scent!! Be Well!
@sunil_008 (1269)
• India
1 Jan 09
these are the things that people think are going to affect them all year long. though strange but since we all live in a society then we must have to listen to them. cleaning the house is necessary whether it is new year eve or not. cleaning or dirty clthes is necessary to wear dirt free and shinning clothes to show others.i don't see much deviations in this matters. but about the christmas tree well i have not got much idea about that since it is all related to angels ,santa and the jesus...
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@capirani (2497)
• United States
1 Jan 09
My mom also said that whatever you do on New Year's Day you will do the rest of the year. Maybe that is why people want to get all their cleaning done so they won't be busy cleaning every day for the next year. I tend to think it is kind of like spring cleaning...just a time to get the deep down cleaning done so you can start the new year with everything clean and ready to go and not so much to worry about.
• United States
1 Jan 09
Thanks for your comment! yes some people belive that making an extra effot not to have any dirty clothes on that day is going to help them keep things cleaner all year... I dont bother with it, I do laundry every day as I need too lol. Happy New Year to you and your Family!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
1 Jan 09
i have heard everyone of these most all my life. are u from the south, sounds like it.lol got to have those blackeyed peas today for sure. happy new year.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jan 09
well, we have family from all over the world, and I was born in Ohio, and I was raised in Florida, but even in Ohio, they do the black eyed peas and ham and some sort of greens, (my one grandma did mustard while the other did trunip) Then my MIL and hubbys family are real southerners so they do the collards (I dont eat any of them other than spinich! and lettuce) Thanks for hte reply Hayy New Year to you as well!
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@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
1 Jan 09
nothing like good ol' southern cooking, guwss i told u i'm from tenhnessee.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
1 Jan 09
Hi doula! Oh my! If I listen to your family's superstitions I am in big trouble! I had better go wash whatever clothes are in my hamper now because I only have 2 hours left to do them! I still have my little 2 foot Christmas tree up and have to put it away fast! I know the one about the calendars and have not dared put up the new ones yet, thankfully! I have gotten a few from my friends in the Philipines yesterday. They told me that wearing red and gold on New Year's Eve is good luck, so I am wearing red and gold! I heard from an Irish friend that opening the door at midnight to let out the bad spirits is a good idea! Don't know if I want to do that, but am thinking seriously about it and I think I might! Another Philipine custom is not to open your wallet or spend money on New Year's Day, no problem, I won't! These were all mylot friends, by the way! Kind of cool! I hope they work because I need all the luck I can get!Happy New Year to you and your family!
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jan 09
Oh Thanks for the new ones, I think every counry and culture have some thing they do or dont do... I have laundry to be done, and my tree is still up, I dont have a 2009 clalnder yet, so I guees I am safe with that one lol, I didnt were red and gold last night, but I have tiny red flowers and gold on today.... as far as spending money, uh well that wont happen. Thanks for the response! I love learning new things.. Happy New Year!
@sarahK23 (73)
• United States
31 Dec 08
wow if those superstitions are true Im doing everything wrong.lol.I guess I better start washing my soon to be ex husbands clothes then.haha.I have heard about the black eyed peas before though.This year I am just writing resolutions which Ive never really done before and I am concentrate on sticking with them and I am going to do something fun on the first day of the year.Im really thinking a lot about where I want to be a year from now and I also am working on a vision board to have something I can look at every day to remind me of what I want and attract it to me.
• United States
1 Jan 09
Good for you!! I lvoe my vision boards. they are verry inspiring doing them too. Be Well, Thank for your response! Happy New Year!! Remember you deserve to be treated well and that begins with YOU!!!
• India
1 Jan 09
in this new year all people works are very nice for the best of their.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jan 09
thanks for your comment. I wish you all a Happy New Year!
@delkar (1712)
• Romania
1 Jan 09
i have a superstition. every new years eve i carry with me all my cash, because you`ll have a lot of luck and you`ll get a lot of money.