I am going into the 3rd week of my Christmas vacation (gotta love the work schedules of academia) & into the 3rd day of the new year. The year started off as most every year with my family does—with red underwear, grapes, lentil, & luggage. Concerned? You shouldn't be.
For as long as I can remember, this has been my New Year's. Even when we're out of town for the holidays, the staples of my Mexican family's New Year's traditions. At midnight going into the new year, there are certain things that must be done. Here's the run-down:
•Eat 12 grapes—get 12 months of good health in the new year.
•Wear red underwear—find love in the new year.
•Take luggage outside—travel in the new year.
•Throw lentil in the front door (collect it & keep it the whole year)—have money in the new year.
Apparently, there are about 8 more of these for different things, but these are the 4 we always do. & they always guarantee a few things.
First of all, we always start the year off laughing. Between choking down 12 grapes, dragging the luggage out, and diving to grab as much lentil from the front hall as possible, you're guaranteed a few laughs. 1 year, I knocked someone over grabbing lentil. Another my dog's leash got tangled in the luggage wheels. And I swear grapes get bigger each year. Stuffing 12 of them in your mouth as quickly as possible? Never easy.
Also, these traditions guarantee the holiday spirit carries into the new year. You've got to understand, for my family it's not over with Christmas, or the New Year for that matter. No, our last holiday in the holiday season is Three Wise Men's day on January 6th. (The short version—shoes go under the Christmas tree the night before, the 3 Wise Men leave presents in your shoes for you to find in the morning.) That being said, it's important to keep the holiday spirit going into the new year. Traditions are a great way to do that.
Finally, they maintain continuity. Maybe that seems wierd for me to say, since all traditions by definition do that, but the truth is there isn't much continuity in my life, so I cling to what I can. We (that being my parents and I) never know where or who we spend the holidays, and unless we stay home the 3 (Christmas, New Year, & 3 Wise Men's) are usually in different places or with different people. The familiarity of red underwear, grapes, lentil, & luggage matters. For us, it's what makes New Year's special.
It's 2014. The world isn't ending, the decade isn't beginning, & it's not even a leap year. But there are still some exciting things coming. The Winter Olympics & the World Cup are this year. There are new movies (X-Men!) & new music (Ed Sheeran!) on the way, as well as great books & TV shows written by & starring people we've not even heard of yet. A new year means a new chance, & that can mean almost anything. How exciting is it, that every 365 days or so we can reset & start over or choose to continue what we've begun?
In a week, I get to go back to business as usual. Whatever that means. New semester for my tutorees, new challenges for me. Lots of new snow (boo) if the forecast is any indication. I may freeze to death. I may get mad. I may even get a little lost. But I ask you, dear friends (Hello? Is anyone out there?), what is life without a little adventure? What would be the point of turning pages if we already knew what was coming next?
~AC
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