The noise making and fireworks that accompany New Year's Eve date from way back as well. It was thought that the fire and noise would ward the evil spirits away, thus making it possible to enter into a New Year safely.
In the Netherlands they hold large bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.
The Greeks celebrate the Festival of St. Basil on New Year's Day. St. Basil was one of the founders of the The Greek Orthodox Church. The Greeks will feast upon Vassilopitta, St Basil's cake where a silver or gold coin is baked inside. Lore has it that whoever finds the coin in their piece will be especially lucky during the new year.
If you are Austrian you will celebrate Sylvesterabend which is the Eve of Saint Sylvester. You will drink a punch made in his honor made of cinnamon, sugar, and red wine in honor of him. (Save some for me please!) You will also dine on suckling pig. The pig symbolizes good luck. Often the table is decorated with little miniature pigs made of marzipan, maple sugar, fudge, cookie dough or chocolate.
I love the Spanish tradition. And since my husband is partly Spanish, it makes sense to me to start practicing as they do. Each person eats 12 grapes at midnight. Each grape symbolizes a month of the year. All the sweet grapes represent the happy months while the sour ones represent those that could be more troublesome... Can one sample all the grapes beforehand, I wonder, or might that be cheating?!
Image courtesy Martha Stewartand ring in the New Year as the Spanish do.
Be sure to use a good Cava,
Spain's sparkling white whine to authenticate your cocktail!
We'll be ringing in the New Year together at home as a family, safe and sound. We'll munch on hors d'oeuvres in front of the fire and perhaps we'll watch a movie until we tune in to the Great Big Ball in Times Square. This is how I most enjoy celebrating.
Do you make resolutions? I was recently asked by Jennifer if I might contribute mine to her wonderful blog, Sky Blue Events.
And so, without further ado, here is my New Year's Resolution as I wrote for Jennifer:
For many years I made resolutions (to lose weight, stop smoking, go back to school, etc) and I would never follow through. I did give up smoking years ago, but that had less to do with resolutions than me being pregnant and wanting the best for my child. For many years I stopped making resolutions altogether because I knew I never followed through.
2010 is different and I’ve been thinking about this resolution stuff for a good bit of time now. It seems that we could all use a little improvement. So my resolution for 2010 is not as clear cut as to lose weight (a few sit ups couldn’t hurt me) or give up smoking since I no longer do. And I will be damned if someone take my wine glass away!
What I could use is a bit of fine tuning, or betterment (not to mention a nip and a tuck). So the year 2010 will be about improvement, betterment if you will. I will be working on bettering the small things such as finishing projects that often get started and then left behind. I will make an attempt to spend more quality time with the children. I’ll keep working on the house as that is not only something I love to do, but a complete reflection of one’s self, really. I’ll take better care of myself (getting to doctors I have been avoiding) and the foods I eat. Not one of these is anything terribly huge and earth shattering, yet when combined these small initiatives could be part of something big and great. This year of betterment will be reflected on everything from my parenting to my blog. This is a New Year’s Resolution I am really excited about!
Please stop by Sky Blue Events to see other Resolutions and all the wonderful stuff she has!