I have decided not to bother with trying to make resolutions for the New Year. I hardly every end up keeping them, and honestly, I am running out of bad habits. Most of my bad habits have dropped away over the years and the few I have left I would rather not get rid of.
So what else do people around the world do to welcome a new year?
You can eat Hoppin’ John for dinner on New Years Day for good luck. It’s black eyed peas, pork and rice. It’s actually rather tasty, but I’ve done it before and I didn’t notice any great change of fortune. So I’ll skip that.
In Brazil, they go to a beach and jump seven waves. This makes much more sense if it happens to be summer. But I think I’ll skip it around here.
In Denmark, people break dishes on the doorstep. Again, this does not sound wise and can only lead to being made to clean things up. So I’ll take a pass.
The Spanish eat twelve grapes, one on each stroke of the clock at midnight. I don’t have a clock that strikes the hour and have no desire to go shopping for grapes, so that’s a no.
Some places throw a bucket of water out the window at midnight. With my luck it would end up on the steps, turn into ice and I’d end up slipping on it. Another nope.
There a tradition of smashing a peppermint pig and eating a piece for good luck. but I’m fresh out of peppermint pigs.
I could go on, but I think I’ll just play it safe this year and do nothing. People all over the world tried these various good luck charms and more last year, and we know how that went. So I think I’ll just try to stay awake and say hello to 2021. Nothing special. Just hope for a slightly better year to come.
