Archive for January 1st, 2010

photo credit: ajagendorf25 via flickr photostream.

It’s funny, perhaps, but while I couldn’t care less about new Year’s Eve, when people go to parties, drink, sing “Auld Lang Syne” and cry and worry about getting old, I’ve always rather liked New Year’s Day, with its parades and its feeling of rest and renewal. After all, no one is so old, as the ancient Roman saying goes, that they don’t believe they could have just one more good year. And today, I feel optimistic, like I could have a whole string of good years, one after the other.

All through the Christmas break, resting and preparing, I’ve been looking forward with a kind of optimism. Some of that might be my job and that I love teaching. Some might just be that I’m getting a rest. But some, I sense, it that there are actual new reasons for optimism in 2010. Without going into them, I will simply note that we are in our homes, living our lives, doing our work, interacting with friends and neighbors. What more is necessary?

I think of Chinese New Year and its dragons and red envelopes full of lucky money. I wish we had lucky money to distribute. I feel in the mood to spread some of my optimism. The next best thing I can do is to list the following:

Actual Traditions Said to Improve Luck in the New Year

I look around for these. One is to cook black eyed peas (Hopping John is one popular way)  for good luck in the new year. Just yesterday I learned that some believe you should cook cabbage and eat it today, for good luck with money.  Finally, there is the red underwear tradition. Some say (my source was in Germany) that wearing red underwear on New Year’s day will improve your romantic prospects for the new year. I have been unable to collect testimonials on this for obvious reasons, but I put it out there for anyone inclined to try.

With that, I’ve got to go down to the store and get some more construction paper (I’m making signs for my classroom) and some cabbage (for money.) I wish everyone and all a Happy New Year, and thank you for reading this blog.