Our New Year's Superstitions
Happy New Year, may it be peaceful, joyful, bountiful and love-filled!
And so, a new year rolls around again. and this time with it, all the fears associated with 2012 come up. Naturally, we look back and we look forward. As another spin on the new year concept, let’s take a look at what old superstitions we have held about the right way to start a new year. I like to change my bed for the New Year and I always cook a good meal to start the year off right… what about you?
Well it is another superstition and I don’t even know why we do it. My parents are from Cuba and every year before 12 midnight we have to eat 12 grapes and I believe to make a wish on each grape that’s what I believe but I’m not sure. I would love to know if anyone else does this and why. I asked my mother and she can’t remember why, she is 80 so that is no help, but our family still does it every year. Weird or not.
More On Eating 12 Grapes
I would just like to comment on your superstitious behavior/tradition of eating twelve grapes before midnight on New Year’s eve. I have a friend who does this, and naturally we all made fun of her but asked her why she had to do this. She told us that eating twelve grapes before midnight was something her parents did and it was for good health in the next year. Melissa
Yes, I have also been taught by my former Boss to eat 12 grapes. They are for the 12 months of the year for prosperity in all areas of life. Marie
A very happy New Year, I would like to answer to the superstition to eat 12 grapes, one to each of the last 12 seconds before the old year is over with a blessing in your mind or a wish while eating quickly each grape. This is tradition in Spain and therefore came to Cuba and other lands of spanish language. Having in mind that grapes give good energy, I seem it fit, but more than one person has been having trouble swallowing that quick, so they sell skin and seedless grapes, counted in tins or plastic champagne glasses, by now in Spain. As for me, I prefer to embrace my beloved ones, close my eyes and make my wishes and blessings and eat the grapes later .-) Mischa
Here’s one from 1845:
On New Year’s Eve, in many of the upland cottages, it is yet customary for the housewife, after raking the fire for the night…to spread the ashes smooth over the floor with the tongs in the hope of finding in it, next morning, the tract of a foot; should the toes of this ominous print point towards the door, then, it is believed, a member of the family will die in the course of that year; but should the heel of the fairy foot point in that direction, then, it is as firmly believed, that the family will be augmented within the same period.
Only on New Year’s, you say!
From Our Visitors
On washing clothes
A superstition that has been in our family for generations is that if you wash clothes on new years day someone in your family will die within the year. Has anyone ever heard of this.?
The chinese believe that if you wash your hair or your clothes on New Years Day, (Chinese New Year) that you wash all your good fortune away for that year. Heard that on the radio. That said, I wash every day, including New Year’s. Victoria
Black-Eyed Peas
A superstition I have always had is to eat black-eyed-peas the first day of the year! I have no clue why but it’s just something i do. Samantha Ridenour
Bringing Coal
In Scotland, taking a peice of coal when first footing at new year was not only for luck but coal used to be expensive and you were keeping their fire burning while visiting. Also a black cat passing your way is lucky in Scotland. How about when an ambulance passing you must hold your collar until you see a four legged animal!! so funny! regards Heather Edinburgh
More New Year’s Superstitions
From one of our visitor’s: I noticed this superstition to be common amongst my Hispanic friends coined as “limpieza”. The term stems from the word limpiar which means to clean.
One is advised to clean their homes spotless. Clean under the beds, wash the clothes etc. The most important part of this superstition is to sweep all garbage out the front door rather than distribute it to a garbage can in the house. Basically cleaning the house of all that occurred during the passing year. To dispose of the swept up garbage in a home garbage can would not be ridding the home of the past years’ experience. All this be done before midnight.
How about this one:
(1873) To ‘draw blood’ is practiced in fishing villages on the northeast coast of Scotland under the belief that success follows. This act must be performed on New Year’s Day, and the good fortune is his only who is the first to shed blood.
But for the gentler among us, New Year’s was definitely a time to look ahead. Here’s how some folks celebrated this day in other times:
(1830) On the morning of New Year’s day before breakfast…the bible is laid on the table unopened, and the parties who wish to consult it are then to open it in succession. They must open it at random and place their finger on any chapter. It is believed that the ensuing year will in some way or other be described and forshewn by the contents of the chapter.
(1861) She stared wildly at me, and exclaimed ‘New Year’s Day! And I have never dipped;’…I gathered from her that is was customary to dip into the Bible before twelve o’clock on New Year’s Day, and the first verse that meets the eye indicates the good or bad fortune of the inquirer through the ensuing year.”
Yes, well, all these very interesting but, a long series of these published superstitions has to do with women. Apparently, among all our other ancient evils – it was really bad luck to have a woman show up first on New Year’s Day. Get these superstitions ladies:
(1821) On the first day of the year, it is deemed very unfortunate for a woman to enter the house first; and therefore an enquiry is mostly made whether a male has previously been there. (1825) The first Foot is of great importance on the morning of the New Year. That of a female is deemed unlucky; there is no objection, however, to that of a man. As women are most apt to attend to these things, the reason of the preference may be that the approach of a male seems to give a fairer promise of a sweetheart. (1855) It is considered unlucky to have a female come into your house the first thing on New Year’s morning. Young lads make a ‘good thing of it’ by selling their services to enter the houses first that morning.
(1866) Doors are chained up to prevent females from entering.
My goodness – as if that wasn’t enough, in 1870 this story was published:
(1870)” …aged about ninety, told me of the death of her mother who was seized suddenly with putrid fever one New Year’s Day. She had risen quite well early in the morning and was sitting sewing when two girls from a neighbour’s house came to the door to ask for horseradish. It was before noon and the sight of the girls gave her a turn. It was very unlucky. ‘Name of goodness’ she screamed, ‘what ails the girls to come about to folk’s houses on New Year’s Day in the morning? Sure as fate something will happen before twelve months are out.’ (1875) At some of the farm-houses, should washing-day chance to fall on the first day of the year, it is either put off, or to make sure, before the women can come, the waggoner’s lad is called up early, that he may be let out and let in again.
(1876) I knew a woman in her fifties who always arranged for a young man, preferably dark, to call at her house immediately after midnight on New Year’s Day…She told me it would be very unlucky were the first caller in a new year to be female.
Well – who knew! Such is the power of woman, I guess. So, there’s a few “olde” superstitions specifically relative to New Year’s itself. Once again, these are sourced through A Dictionary of Superstitions Edited by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem. The bracketed dates are source dates of publication.
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