Did anyone else’s parents raise them to be very cautious around New Year’s? Mine sure did, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was raised with a few superstitions around New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and I still hold onto them very tightly every year. And I picked up a few more as an adult because the end of the year fatigue sure gets me to begging for the next year to be a little kinder. I encourage you to spend your New Year’s Eve/Day in the ways that you love the most and if you need any fun traditions to sprinkle in, keep reading!
- All Christmas decorations are down on New Year’s Eve. It is thought to bring back luck into the New Year if you keep your tree and decorations up past midnight. This was a bit of a nudge to ask of my husband since he was raised with keeping the decorations up well into January. We have also had our tree up since early November so we’re ready for a clean slate for 2024.
- Right before midnight or shortly after, we open the doors in the house for just a moment. We want to let out the old year and bring in the new year. And this gives us the peace of mind that we are not holding onto any negative energy from the year before.
- We do not want to “sweep” or “wash” away any luck coming our way so we don’t do any cleaning or laundry on New Year’s Day. I think this is really the easiest superstition to get behind. Am I cleaning like my life depends on it now? Yes, of course.
- I find a place, usually my mom’s, to inhale some collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. This definitely screams “from the South” and really is my favorite part of New Year’s Day. Greens symbolize money, peas symbolize coins, and cornbread symbolizes gold. So I am sure to eat a hearty helping to ensure a bountiful year.
- Last but not least, I really believe that whatever you do on New Year’s Day is what you will be doing all year long. K.C. and I want to wake up early, spend the day relaxing with each other and the ones that we love, fuel our bodies with a combo of indulgent and nutritious food (we’re all about moderation and balance here), and get a workout in. All great things to carry on into the New Year.
I hope you have the most joyous New Year’s celebration and ready to take on 2024. I’ll talk to you next year…HA!
