We are almost at year-end, and every year we say, Where did the year go? Several weeks ago, I wrote a column on the “free gifts” I was receiving from charitable organizations. I recently received an abbreviated copy of the Old Farmer’s Almanac for 2024 as a free gift. I love the Farmer’s Almanac. I found some fun information to share with you. If you are a baby boomer, you should be able to immediately relate. If you are younger, these traditions may make you laugh or give you some background as to how your parents or grandparents started these customs. So here we go on to some popular New Year’s traditions. It’s a tradition to make some noise and light around the world. In Thailand, it was once a tradition to fire guns to frighten off demons. It seems the USA has adopted this one. In China, firecrackers routed the forces of darkness. In the USA, for years, we have watched the ball drop in New York’s Times Square. How about that New Year’s meal? In the southern U.S., black-eyed peas and pork foretell good fortune. Eating any ring-shaped treat (such as a doughnut) symbolizes “coming full circle” and leads to good fortune. In Scotland, December 31 is known as Hogmanay. Along with fireworks, “first footing,” or the first foot in the house after midnight, is still common across Scotland. I know my mother always wanted that first foot in the house to be the foot of a man. Christian churches hold “watch night “services, and according to this document, the custom began in 1770 at Old St. Georges Methodist Church in Philadelphia. Many customs and beliefs are simply passed down through the ages. “On New Year’s Eve, kiss the person you hope to keep kissing and begin the new year “square” with every man (i.e., pay your debts). The new year is always a time for a fresh start; let’s see if we can stick to it.
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