The transition into the new year is full of symbolic gestures meant to usher in good luck, and they extend into many areas.
A lucky kiss when the clock strikes twelve, special sayings you must chant as one year comes and another goes, and even special coloured underwear to bring just the right kind of luck.
When it comes to making the new year a lucky one, food is never excluded, and each culture has its own special food or dish.
Spain
The lucky food for revellers in Spain is grapes.
As the clock strikes twelve, twelve grapes are eaten, one for each chime of the clock.
This tradition has been going strong for more than a century and was invented to help grape growers manage an unexpected surplus.
But this tradition managed to take a root and has even travelled to other areas of the world, thanks to the Hispanic influence.
Among the countries where you can see this practised are Columbia, Mexico, and Peru.
While each grape matches a chime from the clock, they are also meant to symbolize the months ahead.
A sour grape indicates a difficult month while a sweet one could predict something wonderful.
The goal is to consume all twelve grapes before the final chime of the clock.
Cooked Greens
Whether cabbage, collards, or kale, cooked greens are consumed across many different cultures in order to bring wealth in the new year.
Why? In many cultures, green is the colour of money and these green leaves are used to symbolize economic wealth.
Pork
What is it that makes pigs so lucky?
When observed in nature, the animal is always moving forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving on.
As the animal is always moving forward, it is eaten in the hopes of ensuring progress in the year to come.
The part of the pig consumed will vary among the cultures that see it as symbolic, which include Cuba, Spain, and Austria.
Unlucky Foods
Now that you know some lucky foods, you should know that there are some foods which are considered unlucky.
What should you avoid to ward off bad luck in the new year?
Anything that moves backwards or can fly away.
What is the logic behind this?
A backward-moving animal can indicate a lack of progress, or even worse, setbacks in your life.
This includes lobsters and even chickens as they scratch backwards.
And animals that can fly away just might take your luck with them.
A Final Rule
You know what to eat. You know what not to eat.
But what about how much you should eat?
For many cultures, having food present at the strike of midnight is as important as eating the correct foods.
So keep a bit on your plate or make certain there is extra on the table.
Otherwise, you might find yourself lacking in the new year.
Or, at the very least, in dire need of a gym membership.
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