1/1/2026 - Happy New Year with Traditions!

Thursday 1/1/2026

New Year's Day!!!

Celebrate:

Apple Gifting Day

Commitment Day

Copyright Law Day & Public Domain Day

Ellis Island Day

Euro Day

Global Family Day

National Black-eyed Pea Day

National Bloody Mary Day

National First-Foot Day

National Hangover Day

Polar Bear Swim Day

World Day of Peace

Z Day - was created "to give recognition on the first day of the year to all persons and places whose names begin with the letter Z and who are always listed or thought of last in any alphabeticalized list."

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Does your family have any New Year's Day traditions?

Culinary Traditions for Good Luck

In many cultures, what you eat on the first day of the year is believed to dictate your fortune for the next 12 months.

Southern United States: Many families serve Hoppin’ John (black-eyed peas and rice), collard greens, and cornbread. The peas represent coins, the greens symbolize paper money, and the golden cornbread stands for wealth.

Spain & Latin America: At the stroke of midnight, it is tradition to eat 12 grapes—one for each chime of the clock—to secure 12 months of happiness.

Japan: People eat Toshikoshi Soba (year-crossing noodles). The long, thin buckwheat noodles symbolize a long and resilient life.

Italy: Lentils are the stars of the New Year’s meal because their round shape resembles small coins, symbolizing financial success.

Greece: A Vasilopita (King’s Cake) is baked with a hidden coin inside. The person who finds the coin in their slice is said to have the best luck for the year.

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Rituals for Prosperity & Travel

Beyond the dining table, physical actions are performed to "manifest" specific outcomes for the coming year.

The Suitcase Walk (Colombia/Ecuador): Those dreaming of travel in the new year carry an empty suitcase around the block at midnight to ensure a year full of trips and adventures.

Jumping Seven Waves (Brazil): On the beaches of Brazil, revelers dressed in white head to the ocean to jump over seven waves. For each wave, they make a wish to the sea goddess, Iemanjá.

First-Footing (Scotland): To ensure good luck, the "first-foot"—the first person to cross the threshold after midnight—should ideally be a tall, dark-haired male carrying small gifts like coal, shortbread, or whisky.

Polka Dots (Philippines): Wearing polka dots and filling pockets with round coins is a popular tradition, as the round shapes represent prosperity and money.

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Superstitions & Home Rituals

How you handle your home on January 1st is often dictated by local folklore.

Don’t Clean the House: In many cultures, including Chinese and various Western traditions, it is believed that sweeping or doing laundry on New Year’s Day will "wash away" or "sweep out" the good luck that just arrived.

Banging Bread (Ireland): To chase away evil spirits and bad luck from the previous year, Irish tradition involves banging loaves of Christmas bread against the walls and doors of the house.

Burning Effigies (Ecuador): People build and burn "Año Viejo" puppets (effigies) made of straw or paper to symbolically destroy the negative energy of the past year and start fresh.

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Have a great New Year! Enjoy the day!

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