Celebrating the New Year
This year I adopted a few new traditions to celebrate the arrival of 2008. As the bells chimed midnight in Spain I gathered my family together in our kitchen to eat 12 grapes and to make 12 wishes for the new year. It’s a good thing it was only 5pm our time because by the fifth chime my mouth was very full. I think I’ll need to train a bit more before going to Spain. In any case my dad requested that next time we get small, seedless grapes.
Traditionally I spend the evening of the 31st at my friends’ Jenn & Kurt’s place for their annual house party. Every year there seems to be more and more people and at midnight champagne was served, hugs and kisses were shared and balloons and streamers flew through the air.
When I got home according to Columbian tradition I broke an egg into a glass of water and put it under my bed to try and in order to get a peek at my future in the upcoming year. Let me know what images you can see in my egg…
Following conversations with my Columbian friends I recommend a trip to their country for New years if you are at all superstitious. Besides an egg you can also tempt fate by putting three potatoes under your bed before you go to sleep. One should be left as is, the second half peeled and the third completely peeled and in the morning whichever potatoe you find first will tell you how much money you’ll get in the next year. If your hand first finds the naked potatoe you will be rich.
However if travelling interests you more than money then pack a small suitcase and when the clock strikes twelve pick it up and run around the block.
For a more adventurous custom start your evening wearing a pair of new yellow underwear on backwards and then turn them around as the new year begins. The Mexican or Spanish variation involves wearing new red underwear to bring you good luck in love in the new year.
Another friend from Haiti mentioned house cleaning after midnight for a clean start to the new year, but that is not quite so appealing.
My family has started our own tradition which involves celebrating a new culture every year on January 1st. From Japanese to Spanish this year was French. It is not just about trying new food, but also new costumes. My Dad has posted some of the photos from our crêpe making party on this link
This year I adopted a few new traditions to celebrate the arrival of 2008. As the bells chimed midnight in Spain I gathered my family together in our kitchen to eat 12 grapes and to make 12 wishes for the new year. It’s a good thing it was only 5pm our time because by the fifth chime my mouth was very full. I think I’ll need to train a bit more before going to Spain. In any case my dad requested that next time we get small, seedless grapes.
Traditionally I spend the evening of the 31st at my friends’ Jenn & Kurt’s place for their annual house party. Every year there seems to be more and more people and at midnight champagne was served, hugs and kisses were shared and balloons and streamers flew through the air.
When I got home according to Columbian tradition I broke an egg into a glass of water and put it under my bed to try and in order to get a peek at my future in the upcoming year. Let me know what images you can see in my egg…
Following conversations with my Columbian friends I recommend a trip to their country for New years if you are at all superstitious. Besides an egg you can also tempt fate by putting three potatoes under your bed before you go to sleep. One should be left as is, the second half peeled and the third completely peeled and in the morning whichever potatoe you find first will tell you how much money you’ll get in the next year. If your hand first finds the naked potatoe you will be rich.
However if travelling interests you more than money then pack a small suitcase and when the clock strikes twelve pick it up and run around the block.
For a more adventurous custom start your evening wearing a pair of new yellow underwear on backwards and then turn them around as the new year begins. The Mexican or Spanish variation involves wearing new red underwear to bring you good luck in love in the new year.
Another friend from Haiti mentioned house cleaning after midnight for a clean start to the new year, but that is not quite so appealing.
My family has started our own tradition which involves celebrating a new culture every year on January 1st. From Japanese to Spanish this year was French. It is not just about trying new food, but also new costumes. My Dad has posted some of the photos from our crêpe making party on this link
Happy New Year ! Bonne année ! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Frohes neues Jahr !
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