New Year's Rituals?

[Mithrandir]

hey everyone! I havn't posted in, like, forever. but, I am back for at least the tie being. As some of you may remember, last time I was here I was rather confused about what religion was truely right for me. I have decided that i am not compleatly wiccan...so, I have been looking at Buddhism and some other asian things....I love Mysticism...but I believe in a Goddess and a God. Who knows...maybe I'll have a Divine Revelation sometime soon! lol

ANyways, what I really wanted to know is if anyone knows any fun little "rituals" that they perform on New Years, you know, to bring prosperity and such. Lemme know! I found some fun ones last year (Like eating collard greens on new years' will ensure that you will be prosperous), but I lost them. Gracias para todos!! Adios

Peace&Love,
Paz y Amor,
Mithrandir
(Joaquin)

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Since the tradition I follow is very Scottish, and Hogmanay (the Scottish name for New Years, no it's not Gaelic, it's believed to be either Flemish or Germanic in origin) is a huge deal for them, due to the long ban of Christmas celebrations from the Kirk, I have lots of traditions I associate with it.

On the 31st it is traditional to clean your home and pay off all your debts before the bells ring in the new year, so that you start off the new year fresh.

The tradition of first-footing is related to luck. Shortly after midnight friends go about to each others houses to wish each other a Guid New Year. If the "first foot" was a dark haired man this was considered to be very good luck if it was a woman or a blonde or redhaired person this was bad luck.

Traditional gifts welcome the New Year with are coal so that you do not go cold, shortbread or black buns so you do not go hungry, whisky so that you do not go thirsty, and salt (not sure what this is for, but my guess is prosperity).

And of course the linking of hands and singing of Burns' Auld Lang Syne.

Here is a link to an article about some of the Scottish Hogmanay traditions: http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow12.htm


hey everyone! I havn't posted in, like, forever. but, I am back for at least the tie being. As some of you may remember, last time I was here I was rather confused about what religion was truely right for me. I have decided that i am not compleatly wiccan...so, I have been looking at Buddhism and some other asian things....I love Mysticism...but I believe in a Goddess and a God. Who knows...maybe I'll have a Divine Revelation sometime soon! lol

ANyways, what I really wanted to know is if anyone knows any fun little "rituals" that they perform on New Years, you know, to bring prosperity and such. Lemme know! I found some fun ones last year (Like eating collard greens on new years' will ensure that you will be prosperous), but I lost them. Gracias para todos!! Adios

Peace&Love,
Paz y Amor,
Mithrandir
(Joaquin)

[mucgwyrt]

I'm more of an anglo-saxonist so 'new year' was on the 21st for me, but it is said that whatever you do on the first day of the new year will affect what comes your way in the coming year. For example many anglo-saxons would leave money outside on new years eve, and then on new years day they would bring it into their home, with the thinking that they would then be bringing in lots of money throughout the rest of the year :)

Its also a good time to cleanse and ward, and pay homage to your female ancestors and goddesses, as the night following the new year's day was called 'modranecht', meaning 'mothers-night'.

[ravynbynorthwynd]

in my family, we eat black eyed peas and cornbread to "see us through the year"

[PoisonIvy]

Mom fixes ribs and kraut,YUK!

[djmixon]

We bury potatoes on New Year's Eve (old Irish tradition) to bury our old bad luck.

I burn a piece of Ash tree to burn away old bad luck.

I clean the house and cleanse the house on New Years Day.

We eat Black Eyed Peas (even if it is just one).

We do not watch football or any sports, but rather spend the day with each other enjoying each other's company.

We do not make resolutions, but rather vow to make certain general changes that are not so likely to blow up on us. . .like instead of "lose 50 lbs". . .it is "try to live a happier, healthier life".

We try to get together with friends for at least a little while during the day or evening. . .to renew our social life symbolically. . .

Of course, all of this takes the day before, the day, and the day after usually, but then again. . .everything good comes in threes. . .(my third husband is a real keeper. . .my three children are wonderful - relatively, etc)

BB
Donna

[Teresa]

It is traditional in the south to eat blackeyed peas for good luck and collard greens for good fortune(prosperity) :fpeace:

[Neoscottie]

in my family, we eat black eyed peas and cornbread to "see us through the year"

Same here!

[Flar's Freyja]

We've done the blackeyes but I don't think it's ever done much for prosperity.

I like the idea of cleaning the house. I open the back door to let the old year out, then open the front to let the new year in.

Tonight, I think I'm gonna just take a bath to wash off the old year.

[Aowyn]

I have heard it is bad luck to remove things from your home other than trash since it decreases what you have and therefore you will be loosing things for the rest of the year...not sure where this comes from but it lasts til the 2nd. Also one should put a little money in any wallets or purses they have to ensure that they will not be empty all year long.