I’ve always felt late to my own life. While I’m good about getting to meetings and appointments on time, I am always behind when it comes to my own life. I decide to be at the gym by 6: am? I’ll stroll in at 9 am, after a few hours of writing. I sign up for an online class? I almost always end up watching the replay. When it comes to other peoples’ boundaries, I work hard at being the competent adult. But when it comes to my own? It’s just so much easier to curl up with my laptop and write another chapter in whatever book I’m working on. I’m admitting all of this to say that I’m behind on the New Year.
There are so many things I want to have in place before January 1, but inevitably I am traveling for the New Year and then end up sick and exhausted. So over time, I’ve taken some of my favorite New Year’s traditions and moved them to later in the month, and a few are now in February. Here is a quick rundown of the Winter Traditions I love but now happen weeks after the New Year festivities are over.
Winter Traditions
Hoppin’ John: My husband is from Charleston, SC and eating Hoppin’ John (a dish of black eyed peas and rice) with collard greens is a must for New Year’s Day. If we are down there for New Year’s Day, we eat it at my sister-in-law’s house. If we stay home, then I usually don’t make it until later in the month when the kids have returned to school and their other homes. Why do I wait? Because they hate black eyed peas and collard greens and complain while I make it. That makes me grumpy and defeats the purpose of the dish… so I wait.
Carry an empty suitcase: This is tradition from Colombia where people walk around their towns with an empty suitcase to signify their desire to see more of the world in the new year. Since it would look odd if I carried an empty suitcase up and down my street, I do it around the house. And I usually do this once I’m home after seeing family for the holidays, just before I store the bags away for the next trip. It’s silly, but I love to travel so it’s worth it to look ridiculous as I tromp around the house carrying an empty bag if it means I get an unexpected trip. I just hope it’s to Paris and not someplace scary or boring.
Smash a Peppermint Pig: This is a pink candy pig that I order from a store in New York state. The tradition, which dates back to the 19th century in Saratoga Springs, NY, says that if you smash a candy pig with a hammer and share the pieces with your friends and family that you’ll have good luck all year long. The problem is that I always forget to the order the pig before Christmas and it doesn’t arrive until later in January or early February.
Wear my polka dot dress: This is a Filipino tradition that I learned about years ago while in graduate school. Apparently, if you wear polka dots on New Year’s you’ll have good luck and prosperity all year long. So I have a silk dress that I only wear for this occasion, except it is a summer dress so I wear it around the house for an hour and then take it off before I freeze. Next year I’m buying a polka dot scarf or hat. That will make this tradition so much easier.
Eat round fruits: This is another Filipino tradition I learned about from a friend of mine in grad school. Apparently, round fruits (like mandarin oranges and grapes) resemble coins. So you’re supposed to eat 12 round fruits and the sweetness and shape symbolize all the sweet things in life that are waiting for you. But it’s a lot easier to eat 12 grapes than twelve oranges. Also, the directions were never clear on if you had to eat the fruit all at once or could eat it all month long. Since I don’t like grapes, and prefer mandarins, I just eat 12 of them over the course of a week once I get home from my holiday travels.
Chalking the Door: This old Christian traditional house blessing is usually done on Twelfth Night (Jan 5) or on the Epiphany (Jan 6). Using chalk, I write a code on the lintel over my front door with the pattern 20 ✝ C ✝ M ✝ B ✝ 25. The numbers represent the calendar year 2025 and the crosses represent Christ. The letters C, M, and B stand for Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, the names of the Magi. The letters also represent the Latin blessing Christus mansionem benedicat (May Christ bless this house). Writing this in chalk over your door will protect your home from evil doers and illnesses throughout the year.
Leap into the New Year: This one comes from Denmark. At midnight, you’re supposed to jump off a chair and land on the ground to signify leaping into the New Year. Instead, I just jump over my threshold once I chalk the front door. It’s safer that way. I’m not really sure what the leaping itself signifies, but I’ve always assumed it meant good luck because you’re excited to see the new year come and the old one pass away. But I could be wrong on this one.
Clean the house & Open the Doors: I always wait to do this after all the Christmas decorations are taken down as it seems silly to thoroughly clean around trees dropping needles and poinsettias that are still dying through my neglect. But cleaning your house in January “sweeps” away the bad luck from the previous year. And then opening the doors allows fresh air to blow through with new vitality and excitement for life.
Cleanse with Sage & Light a Candle: Once the house is clean, I purify the air with sage to invite fresh energy into the home. Then I light a candle with my favorite scent to invite people I love into the house.
Blow cinnamon: This is something that can be done at the beginning of each month, but as I already stated I’m always late on stuff like this so I just do it whenever I remember. Apparently, blowing cinnamon out your front door brings prosperity and good luck. I have no idea why. But I like the smell and it’s fun to do. 🙂
Welcome the First Footer: This is a Scottish/Celtic tradition where the first person to enter my home after New Year’s brings good luck and friendship. Tradition holds that the first footer must be male and have dark hair, probably because blond men in ancient Scotland were probably Vikings who were not seeking friendship and bringing luck. But now, I’ll welcome anyone with a smile. And bonus points if they’re bringing Christmas cookies.
Write a letter to myself: I love to do this later in the month, once the house is clean and quiet. But first I read the letter I wrote to myself the previous year, and then I write another one to open next year that expressed everything I’m thinking at that moment. I’m always amazed at what I say to myself — my worries and hopes and dreams. Some are the same that carry over from year to year, but others disappeared without my realizing it, proving that most of my worries are for naught.
Regardless of how you celebrate the New Year, I hope we all have a blessed and prosperous 2025!
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