New Year Traditions

Hello Readers,

Its traditional to welcome in the New Year by partying and making merry with toasts of champagne and the sharing of food with friends and loved ones. All over the world, people will be ringing in the changes and exiting the old year noisily whilst at the same time keeping their fingers crossed that the new year will be better than the old one. In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with much drinking and revelry as Hogmany, which traditionally lasts for a day or longer into the new year. All over the UK, people will be linking arms together singing a song called ‘Auld Lang Syne’, which was first written in the 1700’s, but it was Robert Burns transcription that is associated with the most.

In the old days the New Year started with a custom called ‘First Footing’, which was supposed to bring good luck to people for the coming year. People used to wait behind closed doors for a dark haired person to arrive carrying a piece of coal, some bread, money and greenery. These were for good luck with the coal symbolising warmth, bread for food, money is needed by everyone and greenery to ensure a long life.

Lots of people make New Year Resolutions and lots of people break them just as quickly. People start of with good intentions by going on diets, joining gyms and so forth, but soon become bored, so instead the whole process is repeated all over again year after year.

In Spain people eat a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the midnight countdown. In Denmark people prepare an evening meal that ends with a desert called Kransekage, a steep cone shaped cake decorated with fire crackers and flags. Its also thought that throwing dishes on someone’s doorstep on January 1st assures that they will have many friends in the year ahead. In Ireland, single women place sprigs of mistletoe under their pillows in the hope of a better future and a future husband. In Germany they eat marzipan pigs and watch TV. In Ecuador, thousands of life sized dummies representing misfortunes of the past year are burned in the streets and in Serbia New Years Eve is celebrated much like Christmas where it is believed Santa Claus or Deda Mraz, visits houses and leaves presents under the Christmas Tree.

Some people love New Years Eve whilst others loathe it. It really is a matter of preference and personal choice. Who ever you are and wherever you are, do only what makes you happy. Remember, you dont have to run with the crowd because if you do that, you will only ever get as far as the crowd. It doesnt matter whether you are partying or not, the New Year is going to arrive anyway, so in the mean time, My family, The Lulas and I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and may all your dreams come true.

Until Next Week,

Love and Light,

Linda and The Lulas  xxx