New Years Traditions

You've all heard about the craziness that makes up new years here. The bonfires, the effigy burning, hopping over flames that contain fireworks...it's a pretty good time, barring death or third degree burns.

Ron and I got over the whole "big" new years thing pretty quickly. Why drop a couple hundred dollars on an indigestible meal, watered down drinks and huge crowds of people trying to make merry at the hotels in Vancouver? (We did this a sum total of once...did we have a good time? Yes. Was it worth the fancy dress, hotel room and various other expenses? No.) For the most part, we like to pass the evening in the company of a few friends, with a decent bottle of bubbly (nope, not champagne) and some good food. (That sums up my life philosophy.)

We aren't big on "good luck" traditions, like wearing red underwear to bring love or yellow underwear to bring money. (That's actually a thing in Cuenca.) We don't eat 12 grapes, which is also a tradition here, that stems from Spain. And we most certainly DON'T make new years resolutions. Life is way to unpredictable for that sort of thing.

When I was a kid, we'd make tons of noise, banging pots and pans, at midnight to drive away "evil spirits" supposedly and threw open the doors to let the old year "out" and the new year "in". (Wouldn't you have loved to be our neighbours?) I don't do that anymore. We like to watch the fireworks blossom across the city skyline and take in the apparent war-zone, with things burning and blowing up on every corner, that is downtown Cuenca. (A family friendly war-zone to be sure, but anyone with PTSD/S should keep well away.) 

What are your new years traditions? What would you never skip?

Would you let a redhead in through the door before a dark haired man, or would that bode ill luck for the rest of the year? (Scotland) First footing is a big responsibility!

Do you eat black-eyed peas? (USA) Or lentils? (Chile) Lentils and pork trotters? (Italy)

I do like the idea of putting wishes for the new year or regrets from the past year on a piece of paper and burning it. This goes quite well with effigy burning here. I'm not crazy about the idea of putting the ashes in a glass of champagne and drinking them. (Purportedly a Russian tradition.) It's always a great time to reflect and strive to improve. (Without the stupid resolutions, because, for me, failure is, apparently, an option. Never again.)

I haven't even touched on many of the Chinese traditions! However you celebrate New Years Eve, enjoy it, whether in your jammies, watching the ball drop, or kicking up your heels at some shishi event.  Oh, and kiss you're loved ones if they're close, or send them love if they aren't.