New Year's Day Traditions

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Orema

Eating black-eye peas for good luck and greens (collards for me) for money.

Also, opening the year with a house that’s spic and span. I did everything but fold the laundry—will get to that later today.

Eating chit’lin’s is also a tradition in my family, but I didn’t order any this year. I’ll miss having some with hot sauce.

Talking to family on the phone. It’s not a tradition but it’s something I do on most holidays since I don’t live close to family.

I have eaten chit’lin’s it is an acquired taste but I love collared greens. Would love to share recipes. Thank you.

[Orema]

Originally Posted by Chad

I have eaten chit’lin’s it is an acquired taste but I love collared greens. Would love to share recipes. Thank you.

Here’s mine and would love your Cole slaw recipe you wrote about in one of the food threads.

Collards Greens

Ingredients:
– Ham bone (with meat on the bone), ham shank, ham hock
– Collard Greens
– Onion
– Celery
– Garlic
– Red or Chipotle Pepper Flakes

Directions:
Wash the ham bone, shank, or hock really good. I like to get these fresh from the butcher or meat department. You can use frozen but they tend to be dirtier and are more difficult to wash than the fresh.

Add the meat to a pot and cover with water or chicken stock. Bring the meat to a boil then simmer the meat for an hour or so. You don’t want the meat to fall off the bone, but you do want to cook it awhile before adding the greens.

Just before adding the greens, sauté everything but the greens till the onions are translucent. Then add the veggies to the ham in the simmering water.

Next add your washed collards to the pot and let boil for 30 to 45 minutes depending on how tender you like the greens.

I also freeze my greens before cooking. My mother used to grow greens in her garden and would only pick them after the first frost. She said they were sweeter after the first frost. I don’t know if freezing helps, but it’s what I usually do.

Add some sliced tomatoes with a little vinegar, some cornbread that does not include sugar or honey, and please invite me over for a taste—I’ll bring wine or dessert!

[firegal]

Like Homoe I also don't really have a tradition.But after the holidays it
is nice to chill and have a quiet day at home and watch football.

So on that note I,m taking care of some computer work and football
on in the background.

[Orema]

Originally Posted by Orema

Eating black-eye peas for good luck and greens (collards for me) for money.

Also, opening the year with a house that’s spic and span. I did everything but fold the laundry—will get to that later today.

Eating chit’lin’s is also a tradition in my family, but I didn’t order any this year. I’ll miss having some with hot sauce.

Talking to family on the phone. It’s not a tradition but it’s something I do on most holidays since I don’t live close to family.

To open this new year I will have ribs on the barbie, blackeyed peas, collards seasoned with ham hocks. The peas are soaking now because I’m cooking for today and tomorrow.

No chitlns ever again for me. I recently saw a clip of how waste is extracted from chitlins and I’ll never let another one cross these lips.

Talk to family and friends.

Happy new year!

[Bèsame*]

Originating in Southern California, it has always been a tradition to watch the Rose Parade. This year will be strange without it.

I read somewhere that opening your doors to let the old year out and the new one in..well, I'm going to open the windows too! Start fresh with what I breathe.

Food has not really been a tradition, except I can remember having shrimp cocktails while watching football with my Dad. I think I'll do that tomorrow.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Orema

Cleaning/Fixing: My mother and aunties would clean the house from top to bottom for the new year. They'd clean baseboards, tops of doors, the works. I don't do that. But apart from my normal chores this year, I got a window washer to clean the windows.

Purging: I'm pretty good at purging, but have decided to make a point of also doing it for the new year. So this week I gave away some paper books, plants, pots for plants. Had someone take some broken appliances and a broken exercise bike to the dump.

Food: For dinner I'll eat black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck and prosperity in this new year.

My plans as of now are to do all of this. I'll pick up greens, peas and some ham product. I may even try to find some decent cornbread. I have a lot of purging to do and cleaning is a natural side effect of purging so there you go.

I don't expect to redesign my life in 1.5 days (the amount of time I get off for the holiday) but I expect to see a difference and that's my main goal for this year: to see a difference in all that I do.

Go to the gym, see a result.
Purge more, see more floor and feel lighter inside.
Clean more, see less cat hair and breathe better.
Get out and do something different once or twice a month, see what happens.

Originally Posted by Gemme

It worked! It worked!

I found a $20 at the gym.

Baby steps...

I forgot about this! It's so nice when instant gratification of one form or another kicks in.

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

My tradition is usually to spend NYE by myself. I journal, do tarot readings, burn incense and candles, eat some favorite foods, watch movies and just reflect and "be" alone. This year I broke the tradition and spent it with my roommate. I plan on getting my groove on in a bit, though.

I spend far too much time alone, so one of my resolutions is to get out more and to try more new to me things this year. I do absolutely love your journaling and watching comfort movies ideas, though.

I think I'll watch my favorite, Auntie Mame, again. So many life lessons that I need to reintroduce into my life.

Originally Posted by Gemme

Like Orema, I have to have the greens and black eyed peas but in the South we eat ham with it too. I was always told the greens represented dollars and the peas coins. If I had cornbread, that would represent gold, but it's hard to find good cornbread up here and I'm not really into making it so no gold for me this year. Not sure what the ham represents but it just goes so well with the others, it doesn't matter to me. All I know is that eating chicken or lobster on New Years Day is a no no. As an Italian, I also eat lentils. I had them all for brunch and it was delicious!

Since I wrote this, I learned that I'm more Irish than Italian....thanks to DNA testing....so maybe I'll have potatoes with the greens and lentils this year.

I need all the help I can get.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Like Orema, I have to have the greens and black eyed peas but in the South we eat ham with it too. I was always told the greens represented dollars and the peas coins. If I had cornbread, that would represent gold, but it's hard to find good cornbread up here and I'm not really into making it so no gold for me this year. Not sure what the ham represents but it just goes so well with the others, it doesn't matter to me.

The way I heard it was, greens represent your money, peas represent your luck, and ham represents your health. I never heard a meaning for cornbread, but like your love for ham, it goes well with the others. Plus, I love it.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaMa'am

The way I heard it was, greens represent your money, peas represent your luck, and ham represents your health. I never heard a meaning for cornbread, but like your love for ham, it goes well with the others. Plus, I love it.

Works for me!

[MaddieRobbie]

I. Do. Nothing.

I work on New Year's Eve (by choice, the money's too good to pass on) and while I'm not digging ditches or driving a bus, it's never easy watching everyone else have a good time while I'm on my best behavior.

So come New Year's Day I sleep in, wear my yoga pants, eat something fun and drink champagne while I watch TV and nap.

Happy 2023!!