It’s the first Sunday of the new year so I thought I’d start off my first ever Sunday Seven post for the year with something New Year related. So without further ado, here you go!
(1) In Germany, the most famous one would probably be regarding chimney sweeps. One version says that on New Year’s Day one should shake hands with them because they are repositories of good luck. The other version says one should touch the chimney sweeps or rub the ashes on their forehead to bring good luck and health.
(2) Another German New Year’s superstitions would be dropping molten lead into cold water and predict the future from whatever shape it creates.
(3) Still in Germany, there are also superstitions regarding food. Leaving a bit of every food on New Year’s Eve until after midnight said to ensure surplus of food year ahead.
(4) Many people also believe eating a meal with pork will bring luck in the coming year because pig is a symbol of good luck and well-being. On the other hand, eating poultry is a big no no, because according to old superstition, one might lose their happiness because all the good luck fly away with bird’s feather.
This is a belief in Germany which is also shared by Filipinos, at least the poultry part. But our logic behind not eating poultry, though, is because of the way chickens eat – one scratch, one peck, and that eating them on New Year will also make you eat like that (food scarcity) for the entire year.
(5) Filipinos have a lot of superstitions that involve prosperity, and they usually involve round objects, because round is the shape of money. 12 round fruits should be displayed on the dining table to symbolize 12 bountiful years, and we are supposed to wear polka dotted clothes to welcome the New Year. Aside from that, we should also have money in our pockets or wallets and have no debts, because apparently the state of your wallet on New Year will be how it is the entire year.
(6) Filipino children are supposed to jump up and down at the stroke of midnight so that they’ll grow taller during year. Here’s a confession – I still did this even though I was way past the growing stage. Old habits die hard, I suppose, plus, one never knows, right?
(7) In the Philippines, we believe in making as much noise as you can at midnight in order to scare away evil spirits. These usually involve fireworks and fire crackers, and as a result, New Year’s Day news shows always feature gross footage of hospitals filled with people who encountered accidents while celebrating the new year. Not a good way to start the year at all, if you ask me.
I hate fire crackers. I am super scared of them. On New Year’s Eve you will usually find me inside the house, and I would rather just watch the sky from the window rather than join the neighbors blowing stuff up.
I guess I got traumatized with something that happened when I was a kid. During New Year’s eve, my brother went out to our yard to watch the firecrackers and later came rushing into the house crying, his foot bleeding, because a whistle bomb fire cracker (the thing whistles and runs around before exploding) had exploded on his foot. Thankfully he didn’t lose any toes and it wasn’t that bad that he had to be rushed to a hospital but, it was still something that I didn’t want to experience EVER.
Since then, our family has never celebrated the New Year with fire crackers. We make our noises by blowing horns, banging on pots and pans, or even revving up the motorcycle, but never firecrackers. And just this year, our mayor imposed a ban on firecrackers in my hometown, because she did not want the rebel group that started the war last year to take advantage of the noise and stage an attack. Good on you, Mayor.
I had some help with this post from my sponsor Zia of Bits of Days. She lives in Germany, so she’s the one who provided the Germany trivia.
This girl has a lot of topics up her sleeve, so why not drop by her corner of the internet and check out what she and you have in common? 🙂
Is it bad I had no idea about Germany's traditions? Feeling a little ashamed.
I love Zia. I would like to correct you though. I did the guest post at her blog about the 5 Hardest Things About Being a New Blogger. Glad she could provide you with so much knowledge. She's a sweetheart.
Haha I love the Filipino superstitions/traditions – they all sound so much fun!
Puring molten lead to form shapes (2) is also a Latvian tradition. We decided to skip the liquid metals in exchange for an iPhone app this year… Is that bad?
How interesting and like you firecrackers freak me out!
I think I need to be jumping up and down just in case. I would like to be at least 5'5"! 🙂
Hello Dear,<br />I've had the hardest time getting to your blog. I've tried through Bloglovin but every time I try I get a warning from McAfee saying that your page is blocked because it comes from a potentially dangerous site. I try to over ride it but I can't. The only way I was able to get through to you was by going back to one of my a to z posts and click on one of your comments.
Filipino superstitions sound great! x
You don't practise it anyway, so that's ok!
Ooh, this molten lead thing is starting to intrigue me. Well we do have to roll with the times, right, so I guess that's ok?
Oh, thanks for the info!
Glad I'm not alone in this!
Glad you think so!
Ha, do it the next year with me! 😀
Oh dear, that's really strange! Ok will do, thanks for informing me!
Thanks, glad you think so!
Puring molten lead to form shapes (2) is also a Latvian tradition. We decided to skip the liquid metals in exchange for an iPhone app this year… Is that bad?
How interesting and like you firecrackers freak me out!
Glad I'm not alone in this!
Ooh, this molten lead thing is starting to intrigue me. Well we do have to roll with the times, right, so I guess that's ok?
I think I need to be jumping up and down just in case. I would like to be at least 5'5"! 🙂
Hello Dear,<br />I've had the hardest time getting to your blog. I've tried through Bloglovin but every time I try I get a warning from McAfee saying that your page is blocked because it comes from a potentially dangerous site. I try to over ride it but I can't. The only way I was able to get through to you was by going back to one of my a to z posts and click on one of your comments.
Ha, do it the next year with me! 😀
Glad you think so!
Oh dear, that's really strange! Ok will do, thanks for informing me!
Thanks, glad you think so!
Haha I love the Filipino superstitions/traditions – they all sound so much fun!
You don't practise it anyway, so that's ok!
Oh, thanks for the info!
Filipino superstitions sound great! x
I love Zia. I would like to correct you though. I did the guest post at her blog about the 5 Hardest Things About Being a New Blogger. Glad she could provide you with so much knowledge. She's a sweetheart.
Is it bad I had no idea about Germany's traditions? Feeling a little ashamed.