Another neat post from Sharon Donovan!! AZG
Happy 2011! I hope the New Year is a happy and healthy one where all your dreams
come true! And with me, it’s all about traditions. With my heritage being predominantly
Polish and Irish, along with a wee bit of Scottish, Welsh and Austrian blood, is
it any wonder? I grew up with a blend of all these well wishes for the New Year,
and I’d like to share them with you. Enjoy!!
An old Irish tradition:
At the stroke of midnight, open the front door to let the New Year in and make a
wish. Then run to the back door or side door and open it to let the old year and
all the bad luck out!
A Polish tradition from my Grandfather passed on to my mother
The Polish believe snow on New Year’s Eve brings good luck. On a snowy New Year’s
Eve, place two silver dollars outside on the window pane. The following morning,
scoop up the money, along with a generous handful of snow. Close your eyes and make
a wish. Then run to the bathroom and wash your face in the fresh snow and your wish
will come true!
Words of Wisdom from my Irish aunt
Aunt Sis, who has starred in many of my blog posts, was a big one for legends and
superstitions. She used to tell us to never eat chicken on New Year’s Day or we’d
be scratching all year! This, we learned, was a reference to money. Eating pork is
said to fatten the wallet for the coming year!
My Polish aunt
Not a big one for legends or superstitions, but Aunt Mary used to give a piece of
straw from her Christmas manger to all her nieces and nephews. She told us to keep
it in our wallets and we’d never be broke. Maybe because I’m such a believer in legends
and lore, it works for me. But this is the truth. When I’m running low on money and
rub the straw between my fingers, I’ve been known to find money, get some unexpected
cash or win the lottery. Now, grant it, I’m not talking about any large sum of money
that will allow me the luxuries of the world by any stretch of the imagination. But
just enough to be a blessing!
Somewhere in Austria
There are said to be Austrian relatives on my mother’s side of the family. Very little
is known about them other than my grandmother and aunt spoke of a connection to royalty.
There were letters from many years ago. But after my grandmother and aunt passed
away, the stories they used to tell us at Christmas and Easter faded and nothing
more was ever mentioned. But one thing that stuck in my head is a New Year’s tradition
they spoke of. It’s a bit chilling, but since I’m such a big believer in angels,
I don’t question it.
Pick up the first shiny penny you spot gleaming in the snow in the New Year. Check
the date. If it’s either the year of birth or year of death of a loved one, that
person is said to be your guardian angel and will watch over you for life.
The Scottish Blessing
The Scottish are big believers in purifying the home for the New Year. This can be
done in whatever traditions are passed on from generation to generation in your family.
One way is to sprinkle fresh water in each room to kill the germs of the old year.
Some local priests come to the homes and sprinkle holy water and bless the home.
Welsh Wishes for Good Luck
I’ve always been drawn to the fresh scent of evergreen in the house at Christmas
and saddened when the bristly needles fall off and pine away. With all the legends
and lore I’m blessed with, bringing a bit of the good earth into the home had to
mean something. I recently learned we have some Welsh relatives on my dad’s side
of the family. And a Welsh tradition for the New Year is to break off a piece of
the fresh pine and sprinkle the branch through the home.
No matter what your traditions are or how you choose to ring in the New Year, Oliver and I wish
you health and happiness for 2011. Happy New Year!
What’s that, Oliver? Sharon chuckles. Oh, all right if you insist, who am I to stop you? So here’s another tradition to add to the list, Oliver’s favorite.
According to Celtic legend and lore, the hazelnut has the power to determine whether or not your mate will be true blue. You heard right. What’s in a nut? Fidelity or infidelity? You be the judge!
On New Year’s Eve, in front of a rip roaring fire in the hearth, take a hazelnut and inscribe the name of your lover. Then close your eyes and make a wish and pitch the nut into the flames. If the nut pops out, your mate will run from you and never be true and will break your heart. The nut that burns to ashes will hold a burning desire for all of eternity.
So being a fool for superstition, Oliver has hurriedly inscribed the name of Dominique, his lady love in his book
CHARADE OF HEARTS
And even as we speak, Oliver’s eyeballs are glued to the fire in the hearth, watching the hazelnuts do the dance of love. Is Dominique his one true love? You be the judge
Charade of Hearts
Oliver’s story!
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On behalf of Oliver and me, may all your dreams come true in 2011.
0 COMMENTS
CJ
13 years agoI was always told that it was a Scottish custom that all of the Christmas decorations & stuff had to be put aways before the New Year. I never knew if this was true (does it connect with the purifying bit) or just my father’s way of getting rid of the clutter.
Cherokee
13 years agoSharon, thanks for all the wonderful information, hope you are having a good year so far, and hope Oliver is being nice
hugs to you
Sharon Donovan
13 years agoHey CJ I wonder if most of our family traditions don’t have a hidden agenda. Getting rid of the clutter is a good one. Don’t you love it when people still have their lights up in June. LOL
HywelaLyn
13 years agoOh this is such an interesting and enjoyable subject, Sharon.
To be honest, in answer to CJ’s comment, I’ve never heard that Scottish superstition, although, since Hogmanay (or New Year) is a bigger celebration there than Christmas itself, I think your father may have been ‘winding you up!’ 🙂 Certainly in Wales, no decoration was ever taken down until the 5th January, 12th Night. It was considered very unlucky to do so. It was also considered unlucky to wash any item of clothing, not even a handkerchief, on New Year’s Day!
Mary Ricksen
13 years agoSo many traditions. And in my family, a mix of Irish, French, Polish, and Italian, well you can just imagine how many traditions we celebrated. One of he best ones was Babka, Kielbasa and hard boiled eggs for breakfast on Easter.
Haven’t found a good real Babka since then. They are all heavy and get stale easily. Where is the European Deli that used to be in the Flee Market across from Gruman’s on Long Island
Sharon Donovan
13 years agoHi Cherokee, I’m hoping for a better year than last. Wishing you a wonderful and blessed 2011!
Sharon Donovan
13 years agoHi Lyn, you know I was thinking the same thing about CJ’s father bribing her, but I rather like your unique way of putting it–winding her up. LOL Hmm…bad luck to wash clothes on NYD, I’ll have to remember that one!
Sharon Donovan
13 years agoMary, if only we could have some of our grandmother’s yummy recipes. My Polish grandma made the best cheese bread, so good and flaky it melted in your mouth. And not one of her six daughters have the recipe!