New Look for a New Year
Happy New Year!
I’ve been doing this blog for the better part of a year now, and thought New Year’s Day would be a good time to change things up a bit. Truth is, I got tired of the pink dots and wanted something bolder. What do you think?
Along with the blog, I’ve been re-arranging the living room…
This 1920s armoire and two of my many “bizarrely cool lamps” used to live on the opposite end of the living room; they’re far more visible here.
…and sorting through drawers and closets to see what I can throw out, sell or donate — all without the inspiration of a New Year’s Day Hoarders marathon. (Watching even one episode of Hoarders is the best motivation for purging your home of needless junk. Right?)
I’ve never been superstitious, but I’ve long heard the theory that whatever you do on New Year’s Day you’ll be doing all year. Looks like I’ll be writing, which is good, since it’s how I pay the bills.
What New Year’s Day traditions or superstitions do you follow?
May 2013 be a wonderful year for us all!
Posted on January 1, 2013, in Holidays and tagged 2013, New Year superstitions, New Year traditions, New Year's Day. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
I like green! This is a cleaner look. I like it! I made black eyed peas and collard greens for New Year’s. That’s a Southern thing. The peas represent coins and the greens represent, well, green – money. Ask me again in February for my Chinese New Year traditions
I love traditions like that – makes you wonder who first decided the black-eyed peas represented coins. LOL.
Lean and mean look to go with your new living room set up. Looks bizarrely cool. Looking forward to 2013 blog posts and comments.
@Connie I’ve neveer heard of the coins and ‘greenbacks’ meaning before, hey if it works I’ll be happy to eat more! Did you know you can use the tops/greens of beets for salads or cooking? That was a revelation for me. Do tell about your CNY traditions.
I took the photo at night, so it as dark. But you can picture it since you know what everything looks like.
(No big surprise here: PisaDesign is my sister, and several years ago while I was trying to talk myself out of buying the armoire, she talked me into buying it. Her usual go-to is, “If it doesn’t work out for you, I’ll take it!” That’s also how I wound up adopting DoggieLily!)
Yep, I’ve cooked beet greens and what’s really tasty are the tops of carrots?! The greens from carrots are delicious!
CNY traditions – You don’t clean or do laundry the day of, nor do you wash your hair that day. You don’t want to sweep away the good luck for the year. If you’re going to get your hair cut, do it before the new year. Leave your windows open the day before to blow out the bad luck. Eat dumplings (they represent money as they look like old Chinese “coins”), uncut/unbroken strands of noodles (for longevity), and eat fish, but don’t eat all of it – keep leftovers in the fridge for the next day as that represents a “surplus” for the rest of the year!
Why do I think your favorite part is not cleaning or doing laundry on Chinese New Year? Love how several of the traditions revolve around food!
I spent New Year’s Day watching mindless TV while suffering through a fever, hacking cough, running/sneezing nose, aching head, etc. What does that mean for my prospects for 2013? A year of sickness or an opportunity to star in a Nyquil commercial?
I hope you’re feeling better now, Julie! Last year was the first New Year’s Day in years that I didn’t have a bad cold, flu or a stomach virus (my then-infant nephew’s first-ever Christmas “gift” to me). For me, it usualylmeant a year free of other ailments, so I hope you’ll be cold- and flu-free for the rest of 2013.
Unfortunately, no recovery yet. In fact, I just got done postponing this week’s interviews. I am in no shape to do anything! More mindless TV, anyone?
Drink plenty of tea – put a couple slices of fresh ginger in, too. Re-use the ginger slices all day and the flavor intensifies – as does its ability to help clear sinuses.
I don’t have any ginger slices, but I have ginger tea. Would that suffice?
It might not intensify like fresh ginger, but it will work.