Most people I ask say 2010 was not a very good year.  And, now, as I write this, we are just hours away from a new year. Prosperity, health, wealth, strength and good luck are near! BUT, only if you do the right things to prepare.

I’ve compiled a list to help you out.

First, there are all the foods you must eat. Some foods must be eaten on New Year’s Eve, a few must be eaten on New Year’s Day and other food stuffs must be eaten at exactly at the stroke of midnight! If unsure when best to eat, I recommend eating all day and night! And, if some of these ideas have not been your tradition, you might consider adding them, just to change your luck.

• Eat a few long noodles for long life! (Now, it’s important to note here that you must not to break the noodle before you eat it, therefore cutting your life short, so, my advice is to be careful not to choke which is not very good luck, at all.)
• Eat meat! Meat means prosperity and strength. Eating meat on New Year’s means good luck all year long. I’ve read that brisket is popular, but, many traditions include pork.  Fish is important, too. Fish swim in schools and represent abundance. Whatever you do, do not eat anything with wings or your luck will fly away.
• On to the greens! Greens represent wealth. Cabbage, collards, kale, green peas are all good for adding green backs to your new year. If you like sauerkraut, all the better, because sauerkraut also adds intelligence to the equation.
• Black-eyed peas and lentils represent coins, indicating wealth, too.
• Potatoes have roots deep in the earth. They (along with carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc) add stability.
• Leave a bit of food on your plate on New Year’s Eve until after midnight to ensure a well stocked larder all year.
• At midnight, eat 12 grapes, one for each strike of the clock and/or for each month of the new year. And, adding a 13^th grape assures your good luck!
• It is also prudent to add a coin to your baked bread and your peas while cooking.

Here are some more “to-dos” to insure good luck.

• Jingle a change purse at midnight and keep a handful of coins in your pockets, too!
• Hide some money outside on New Year’s Eve. Bring the money back inside on New Year’s Day to keep that money coming in all year.
• Don’t let the first guest of the new year in your house be anyone other than a good looking young man who is carrying a loaf of bread.
• Wear red underwear!
• Hang a pine branch for longevity, a bamboo stalk for prosperity and a plum blossom for nobility.
• At first toll of midnight, open the back door to release bad luck. Close the door before the 12^th stroke and run to the front of your house to get the front door opened when the clock strikes 12 to welcome in the good luck.
• Make lots of noise at midnight to chase away evil spirits.
• Don’t sweep away the good spirits on New Year’s Day, but do sweep away bad spirits on New Year’s Eve, of course.
• And, whatever you do, don’t forget to kiss your lover, right at the stroke of midnight.

Please share your New Year’s traditions so I can add them to my list, too!

Happy New Year and Good Luck!