My girls think I’m a little superstitious, and perhaps I am. We’ve been talking about good luck for the New Year at my house. Though we typically eat black-eyed peas for good luck in the coming year, there are some things that might be considered bad luck if you do them on New Year’s Day.

You’ve heard the saying “knock on wood”, I’m sure. Though it might not make sense, I know a lot of people who do exactly that.

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Be sure to get your laundry done before New Year’s Day, because according to folklore, if you wash clothes on New Year’s Day, you are “washing the dead”, or washing away a loved one. I’m not sure about you, but this one will make me stay out of the laundry room altogether.

Watch what you eat. Another old tale is that you shouldn’t eat chicken or lobster on the first day of the new year. Evidently both of them move backwards on a regular basis, whereas you should be moving ahead in the new year.

Though my husband would not agree on this, it’s said you shouldn’t get rid of anything either. That includes the day’s trash. It’s presumed if even the garbage leaves your house, luck with go out with it. This same concept also applies to sweeping – if you sweep the dust out, the luck follows suit.

I’ve also heard of a few other superstitions that really have more to do with the very end of New Year's Eve. As midnight comes, you are supposed to make noise loud enough to startle the ghosts of the past year, so they will leave your home. I’ve known many people that wouldn’t have any problem making enough noise for this to happen, especially with some of their parties on New Year’s Eve. Then, open your windows and doors at the stroke of midnight. This is supposed to let the old year out and the new year in. It’s a great thought, but I think it would be a little cold to do this at midnight in Colorado.

We will be eating black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year’s Day, at my house. Rather, I will be eating them. I do think, however, that I won’t be doing any cleaning or laundry. I always have a lot of laundry to do, and whether the superstition is true, or not, my laundry can wait.

A Superstitious Start to the New Year in Colorado

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