"More exciting than when the hogs ate Granny!"

Need some new traditions for your New Year's Eve party?


courtesy of Bing images (New York's Time Square)

  
In Greece, St. Basil fills the children's shoes with presents at midnight. (use boots and you could fit more presents probably - like a second Christmas)
 
In Denmark it is a good sign to find your door heaped with a pile of broken dishes at New Years. Old dishes are saved year around to throw them at the homes where their friends live on New Years Eve. Many broken dishes were a symbol that you have many friends! (I probably wouldn't do this if you're not in Denmark.)

For Extra Luck in the new year try one of these:
 

• In Puerto Rico children enjoy throwing pails of water out the window at midnight. Some believe that this rids their home of any evil spirits!
• In Spain when the clock strikes midnight the people eat 12 grapes. One grape for every stroke of the clock to represent each month in the year. Each grape is said to bring good luck in the new year.  My brother spent 2 years in Spain on his mission so he and his wife count down to midnight with the 12 grapes - 1 each second.  Now that's a mouth full.
• Switzerland believes good luck comes from letting a drop of cream land on the floor New Years Day.
• The French eat a stack of pancakes for luck and good health.
• Belgium farmers wish their animals a Happy New Year for blessings.
• In parts of Portugal children go caroling from home to home and are given treats and coins. (Can you confirm this Mat?) 
• A Romanian tradition is listening to hear if the farm animals talked on New Years Day. If the animals talked it was considered bad luck so they are relived when they do not hear any talking animals. Do they ever have years of good luck without drugging the animals?  I'd like to meet some quiet chickens or a quiet cow.
• In Bolivia families make beautiful little wood or straw dolls to hang outside their homes to bring good luck.

(Information provided by the world wide web: http://www.essortment.com/all/newyearsevetr_rllr.htm)



courtesy of Bing images (New York's Time Square aftermath)

Whether you make it all the way to 12:01 1/1/2011 or not.  I wish you and yours a Happy (and safe) New Year!

Maybe for next year you could plan on attending the Opossum Drop in Brasstown (Opossum Capitol of the world!), NC  Population 240 and holding steady for the last 100 years.

"If New York can drop a "Ball", Georgia can drop a "Peach", then we can lower the Opossum."  - clay's corner

"More exciting than when the hogs ate Granny!"
The Carringer Chronicle, Jan `99