|  Letter
from Cheri:
New Years is the great
equalizer holiday. Regardless of cultural backgrounds, ethnicity, religion or
economic stature, the death of one year and the birth of a new one is cause for
revelry. In some cases the celebration may take place on different dates, depending
on the calendar followed, but a new year is always a reason to celebrate. That
said, the ways people mark the holiday and the traditions that are integral to
the ritual are as diverse as the patchwork quilt of cultures from which they originate. We've
tried to assemble information for different types of New Year's celebrations,
but this channel is by no means complete. We'd love to hear about the New
Year's traditions that are important to you. Send your stories to cheri@fabulousfoods.com.
We may add them to the website to share with everyone.
Auld
Lang Syne Should auld acquaintance be forgot?
And never brought
to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup
o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
The lyrics to this traditional
song of New Year's remeberances are credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns.
| Favorite
New Year's Links
Looking for more New Year's ideas, recipes and information? The world wide
web has some great destinations. 
| |  Low
Carbing -- Surviving the Holidays Part
Enjoy the holidays -- even sweets -- and stick to your low carb diet!
Fabulous Foods Recommends: 
|
The
Burning Effigy Party Do you have negative energy or bad habits
from the old year that you want to be rid of? What better time to go out with
the old than New Year's Eve? Check out this party idea that's fun, creative
and meaningful. Suitable for groups of all sizes from intimate (you could even
do it alone) to grand scale! | |
New
Year's Food Traditions - Eating noodles at midnight is customary at
Buddhist temples in Japan.
- A German/Pennsylvania Dutch tradition is to
eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's day for good luck.
- It is the tradition
of Bosnia & Croatia (both of former Yugoslavia) to eat what is called "Sarma"
or beef wrapped tightly in cabbage to bring good luck in health and wealth for
the upcoming year.
- It is a Cuban tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke
of midnight. The 12 grapes signify the last twelve months of the year.
- German
folklore says that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for
the next year. Click here
for Papa Kurt's Herring Salad recipe.
- Eating pickled herring as
the first bite of the New Year brings good luck to those of Polish descent.
- In
the southern United States, it is believed eating black eyed peas on New Year's
eve will bring luck for the coming year.
- Also from the south comes the
custom of eating greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale
or spinach to bring money.
- One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread
will bring wealth.
- The Southern custom of eating greens can be found in
other cultures as well, although the cabbage can take many forms, such as sauerkraut
or even kimchee.
- In
the Philippines, it is important to have food on the table at midnight in order
to insure an abundance of food in the upcoming year.
- Boiled Cod is a New
Year's Eve must in Denmark.
- Olie
Bollen a donut-like fritter is popular in Holland for New Year.
- Black-eyed
peas, fish, apples, and beets are eaten for luck at the Jewish New Year's celebration
(not celebrated on Jan 1).
- Another tradition from the Philippines is
to collect 7 different types of round fruits. The round shapre of the fruits signify
money and seven is believed to be a lucky number. Set on the dinner table on New
Year's eve, the fruits are believed to bring prosperity and sound financial status
for the coming year.
Do you know of other ethnic or regional New
Year's food traditions? Please let us know about them by dropping an email to
cheri@fabulousfoods.com. |
 Hogamany
& First Footing
The 31st of December in Scotland is a celebration
with its roots in Pagan times, including that of "first footing." This
custom states that the first foot inside your door after midnight will foretell
of the next year's fortune. For this reason you would want an especially fortunate
person to be the first to enter. New brides, new mothers, or anyone born on January
1st were much in demand as 'first footers." It is said that
it is especially good luck if your first footer is a tall dark man. That sounds
like good luck to me, send him my way! | | |
|
 Gorgeous
Antique Virtual Greeting Cards
Send FREE New Year's greetings
to friends and loved ones at Cyberspace speeds!
| Black Eyed Peas & Greens -- A New Year's
Eve Must! For the many years I lived in Mississippi, black eyed peas,
cabbage and collard greens remained an important part of the New Year's Eve celebration.
It was traditional, in Mississippi, you ate black eyed peas to insure a coming
year filled with luck and greens to insure plenty of money. Despite the fact
that I was none too fond of any of these vegetables, each New Year's Eve, my friend
Jonnie Parkinson would sit over me like a loving mother hen until she was satisfied
I'd ingested enough of the good fortune symbols forced upon my plate. While
any kind of black eyed peas are acceptable, Hoppin'
John is a popular dish which has African origins. The greens can be cabbage,
collard greens, spinach or any other type of green leafy vegetable. Here are
some of our favorite recipes for black eyed peas and greens. Don't forget to make
some cornbread to
go along with them!
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