Southern New Year’s Traditions

It’s the first day of a brand new year. The day when millions of people set out to make resolutions that (most likely) less than half will follow thorough on. Me included. However, rather than tell you about those pointless things I thought I would share with you some of the traditions that us southerners take part in every year. I will freely admit that there are some of these that I don’t do.  

GOOD LUCK FOODS

You read that correctly. We have good luck foods. I don’t know if it is true everywhere but you will certainly see cornbread, greens, black eyed peas, and hog jowl on many southern tables today. 

LETTING THE BAD OUT

I have heard this before but I don’t do it. Maybe I should have given it a try last night. At midnight many southerners will open their door to let all the bad out. It couldn’t hurt right?

CLEAN HOME

Okay I clean the house and there are some who will paint the whole outside of their homes if it is warm enough. The idea is that this is all done before January first and that nothing leaves the house today so that you won’t lose anything important to you. This means the tree doesn’t come down until tomorrow.

NO BARE CUPBOARD

This is an extension of a clean home. The cupboard being bare means a bare year. So we know to fill up before Jan. 1st. In fact while I typically shop on the third of the month I made sure I went this past Wednesday to ensure that the cupboards are all full.

FIRST VISITOR

This tradition dates back to Scotland and gives an insight to just how many Scottish people settled in the south. It is that the first visitor in your home on New Year’s Eve is a symbol of what will come. The ideal person is tall, dark-haired and good-looking. Of course, you have to reward them for bringing good luck into your home.

Those are just a few of the traditions that many southerns follow every year. On a side note with the first visitor or first footing if your guy has red hair he shouldn’t be the first in the door.