New Luck in the New Year

I am not a superstitious person by nature, but we've had some bad luck as of late and it got me curious - What are some New Year's traditions that ring in good luck for the coming year? Because I'll tell you what, if it's reasonable and affordable, I just might do it. Please leave me a comment or send me a message about your favorite New Year's traditions!

Before the Stroke of Midnight

Resolutions - Sounds easy, right? We always make our New Year's resolutions, but this year, why not try keeping them?

Clean House - It's good luck to start the year off with a clean house. Think of it as a fresh start.

Shoot Off Fireworks - In fact make a lot of noise to chase off any evil spirits lurking around in the current year. Start the new year fresh and evil spirit free.

Kiss at Midnight - This is a symbol of your relationship. It will bring good luck to you in the coming year.

Wear Colorful Underwear - Wearing brightly colored underwear, especially red, is meant to bring in love and good fortune.

Drink Your Wishes - In Russia, it is tradition to write down your wishes, burn them, toss them in a glass of champagne and drink them before it is one minute past midnight.

Courtesy pixabay.com

After Twelve (mostly gorging yourself on good food)

12 Grapes - Eating 12 grape represents each month of the year and will bring you good luck.

Pork - Have you heard the expression, "Living high on the hog"? Well, eat some pork at New Year's and find out what it's all about.

Black-Eyed Peas - The story goes, during the Civil War, soldiers were cut-off from their food supply throughout a long winter and had to resort to eating what cattle grazed on - "cow peas". Now, whether you call that resourcefulness or luck, superstitious folk turned that into a New Year's tradition and voila!


Greens - If you really stretch your imagination, greens look like folded money. So eat your greens (or any green veggie) for prosperity in the new year.

Corn Bread - What represents gold better than corn? Eat some corn bread for New Year's to bring good fortune. Toss in actual corn to represent gold nuggets.

Hoppin' John - Now that you have your pork, peas, greens and corn bread, you can make this traditional Southern dish. Just add rice and eat for good luck.

Lentils - Eat this coin-shaped food to help ring in the new year with prosperity. Pair it with a pork dish to be sure you will be living high on the hog!

Noodles - Slurp up your long noodles for a long life. Be sure not to cut or chew them!

Cake - Bake a coin into a cake. The person who receives the coin with have good fortune in the new year. Just warn everyone first. You don't want anyone biting down on a coin! That's bad luck.

Ring-Shaped Foods - Ring-shaped foods represent coming full circle. So enjoy those donuts, onion rings, and pretzels.

Courtesy pixabay.com

Odd Ball Traditions

Make sure a tall, dark and handsome man is the first person to enter your household in the new year. This Scottish tradition is called "first footing". This man will bring you good luck. Keep your fair-haired friends waiting outside, they will only bring you misfortune. Sorry guys.

Some believe it is bad luck to let anything leave your house on January 1st. Even the trash!

Also, take a break from all that housework. It can wait till January  2nd at the earliest. You're welcome.

Out the Window - Some cultures believe in throwing broken things (including furniture) out the window! This Italian and South African tradition not only sounds cathartic, but kind of fun! Just make sure you warn your neighbors. It really is "out with the old and in with the new".

Cement Your Friendships - How would you like to throw dishes on your friends' front doors to show them just how much you love them? That's one Danish tradition that might show you just how popular you are.

Travel Hopes - If you're hoping to travel next year, why not start with taking a walk around the block with an empty suitcase? It's a tradition in Columbia - true story!

Foul Fowl -Do NOT eat chicken or turkey! They scratch backward and you don't ever want to look backward, only forward.

For Abundance - If you want a prosperous new year, stock up on food and money. I have a feeling one of those is easier than the other...

Paint it Black, errr Red - In China, people paint their doors red as a symbol of happiness and good fortune. Makes me think of the Rolling Stones...

Courtesy pixabay.com

This year, I will be preparing a pot of black-eyed peas and possibly some corn bread. I have to tell you honestly that I already have some drumsticks cooking in the oven so, hopefully that whole "don't eat chicken" thing doesn't count for New Year's Eve, only for the first of the year. And I did buy some donuts to enjoy in the morning. Now if only I could find my red underwear...

Let's Talk About Sex in Songs...

I think I have reached the ripe old age of whatever it was that my parents started cringing at the songs that were on the radio. However, gone are the seemingly innocent days and sultry sounds of Marvin Gaye as we welcome a new era of pop songs with dance beats and hidden meanings. That's not to say that lyricists didn't hide innuendos in songs 20, 30, and 40 plus years ago. Sex has always been a topic of interest in the human mind. Maybe it's just that I didn't notice it as much before the words started coming out of my teen daughters' mouths. Somehow, songs lose their luster when heard that way.

One of the most popular songs in 2015 was "Cake on the Ocean" by DNCE. I think it has a catchy chorus. In fact, the chorus is all I know and when the song comes on it's all I sing. I have a habit of blasting iHeart Radio or Pandora when I'm cooking, cleaning, or writing. Often my daughters will take over and choose their favorite stations when they tire of mine. One day, my eldest daughter and her best friend (both 14 years old) and my youngest daughter (12 years old) were hanging in the living room with me when "Cake by the Ocean" came on. I sang along. Hilarity ensued.

My daughter and her best friend melted in a fit of giggles. "Don't you know what that song is about?" Of course I do. It's about eating cake by the ocean. Who doesn't like that? To tell the truth, I've lived within driving distance of the Gulf Coast my whole life and I have not once eaten cake by the ocean. Sandwiches, chips, beer... Yes. Cake. No. It was then I was informed that this song was about sex by the ocean. What? That never occurred to me. In fact, that sounds down right uncomfortable.

So here are the facts. The songwriters say it could be about sex or it could be about cake. It started about a misunderstanding about the drink Sex on the Beach. So, I guess the song could literally be about eating cake by the ocean or sex on the beach. Either way it is filled with titillating lyrics like, "See you licking frosting from your own hands/Want another taste, I'm begging you, yes ma'am". You be the judge...

Added with permission from Pixabay.com

I don't know very much Spanish but I know enough to understand that "Despacito" (2016) by Luis Fonsi Featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber is sensual. The word despacito translates to slowly so that right there should tell you something. There's not many things in life you sing about doing slowly. It's not about going to school or doing taxes, I can tell you that. I had a false sense of security for a short while. Then I discovered that my 14-year-old translated the lyrics and memorized the Spanish words to the song. It's poppy and she's industrious - what else would she do?

The one that got to me was my 12-year-old singing, "If you wanna a menage I got a tricycle," from Ariana Grande's "Side to Side" (2016). I think back and wonder if this is any worse than me singing the lyrics to "Love in an Elevator" (Aerosmith 1989) or "I Want Your Sex" (George Michael 1987). And the answer is YES! Because it's my kid doing it! I asked her if she knew what she was saying and thankfully she didn't. However, the 14-year-old did. Oh, man. Not to mention the song itself is about having so much sex you can't even walk straight!Oh, Ariana...

There is still some innocence in this story. Bruno Mars has a song titled "Versace on the Floor" (2016). The first time I heard it with my kids in the car I waited to see if they could catch the meaning of the song. I asked if they knew what Versace was. My youngest daughter said it was a man (partially true) and my eldest daughter said it was a sauce. You wouldn't believe how hard I laughed at that. At least they haven't learned everything they need to know about the birds and the bees just yet. I think I'll just let them keep thinking it's about a man covered with sauce lying on the floor. Works for me.

Added with permission from Pixabay.com

It is hard to think about songs that are not about love in some way. Sensual love, erotic love, true love, romantic love, one-night stands, broken hearts, friendship, looking for love, etc. Mix in a catchy tune and it's hard not to sing along. Add censorship, a la the PMRC, and conditions are ripe for finding creative ways for expression. It makes taboo subjects even more exciting. My 12-year-old told me this morning that she hoped the advice I give was to tell people to keep an open mind and to just talk to their kids about what they hear. I think the best advice I can give is to listen to our kids.

I would love to hear your stories about misheard lyrics, awkward moments about songs or anything else you can think of that has to do with music - especially if it has to do with parenting. Comment below, tweet me, or send me a message! I'll be sure to reply.