Very Superstitious …

Superstitions are a way of life: Everyone knows not to open an umbrella indoors and that mirror you broke? Well, that’s seven years bad luck.

We cross our fingers for good luck, we “see a penny, pick it up” and we are wary of black cats crossing our path.

But New Year’s Eve also has its fair share of strange myths and weird superstitions that are followed by many around the world. On the eve of the new year, people sometimes carry out propitious work in order to attract Lady Luck while holding back tribulations and antagonism in an effort to make sure that the coming year will be wealthy, thriving and prosperous.

As 2024 winds down, we thought it would be fun to showcase some of the strange yet, interesting age-old superstitions that have become associated with the New Year over time. After all, I think we can all agree 2025 can use all the help we can give …

For example, no sweeping on New Year’s day.

Some people staunchly believe that one should not do any cleaning or dusting in the house on Jan. 1. They say that it is an ominous act and can “sweep away the good luck” of the entire family.

Hey, better safe than sorry.

Also, make sure to wear new clothes.

Wearing new clothes on New Year’s supposedly ensures a constant supply of new clothes for the whole year. Sounds like a plan!

But if those snazzy new clothes happen to have pockets, take care to ensure they’re not empty. There are people who insist that one should take care to avoid wearing a dress with empty pockets on New Year’s as it may be a sign of very low or no income in the year to come.

For health, many people make an effort and eat lots of smoked sausages with boiled cabbage on the first day of the year to remain healthy for the entire year. But say no to chicken as it’s said if you cook any chicken dish on New Year’s day, you will have monetary troubles for the rest of the year.

Still, some say that eating green, leafy vegetables such as cabbage, collard greens, mint, mustard greens, kale, spinach or coriander leaves is likely to bring wealth for the entire year. There are even those who suggest that eating only cornbread brings instant cash.

Back to housework …

Don’t do laundry. It is said if you do your laundry, you will certainly “wash off your luck” or will face a year of hard work. Even more ominous, doing laundry on this day is also associated with facing a family member’s death.

But remember to avoid crying cats.

If you hear a cat crying, you should run in the opposite direction because it brings a bad omen. (We say you should do that New Year’s Eve or not, because it is the most horrifying sound in the world.)

And it’s not just cats, many cultures say that one should not weep on this day because that depression will follow you in the year to come.

So, wipe away those tears and be happy! After all, it is a new beginning.

That’s just a few. Others include making noise and hanging a lemon … Why? Well, have you ever wondered why there are fireworks on New Year’s Eve? Or why the bells are rung so loudly? It is to scare away the evil spirits and evil thoughts. Even hanging a lemon in the doorway helps in warding off bad spirits.

It is known.

Another myth is that you should not break or smash anything on this day otherwise you will have a painful year ahead. Breaking mirror or glass ware is a dreadful omen and it reveals that ‘wreck’ will be your buddy throughout the year.

So, if you are a butter-fingers or get angry easily, we would suggest staying away from glass and mirrors …

Otherwise, Happy New Year!