Delicious food, resolutions and superstitions are all on the menu, even if our morning gets off to a lazy start. Waking up on New Year’s Day is a little slower than most mornings, but the night before was later than usual and it is still a holiday.
This is our one opportunity to carouse, catch a little sleep and enjoy another day of celebration. A hangover isn’t required, but it is always excused. Even a hazy head knows that this first day of the new year comes with traditions that are edible, flexible and fun.
Edible traditions guarantee good luck and are as delectable as the legends of their beginnings. Southerners swear by the humble black-eyed pea because it survived the Civil War and kept them from starving.
On New Year’s Day tamales are wrapped in Aztec roots and steamed by the dozens. The guarantee of a lucky year gets even stronger with each masa gem enjoyed around the family table.
The suckling pig has his own reputation for bringing prosperity to our homes. Before becoming the table centerpiece, he spends his days rooting forward and his progress translates into a meal that promises good fortune.
We make our resolutions with the best of intentions. Resolving to exercise is an annual favorite. That promise to read more books might work. If it doesn’t, it’s because your time is better spent with the kids. Resolutions are wonderful, flexible things, especially when we break them with a clear conscience.
One family believes the decorations have to come down before nightfall, while another believes the day has to end with one last round of fireworks. Superstitions are more powerful than resolutions, but we don’t really care. It’s New Year’s Day and we are enjoying it.