The Start of a Happy New Year!

It's the first day of a new year! The day seems bright and full of hope. The sun's rays beaming through the clouds with full vigour even the sun seems to be celebrating. The birds are flying and enjoying the wind ruffling through their feathers, something which doesn't seem too common on other days. The leaves on the trees seem to be a bright green rather than the normal withered, brownish look they usually have. People seem to have an unusual calm today - no swear words being heard, no breaking the traffic rules, The day seems just perfect - WOW! The world has surely become an awesome place to be in this year. 

Perception, I say! It's only a matter of Perception! And with perception a tinge of Superstition is added to it.

It was one to hear my Grandmother tell me last night that we must not go visiting on the first day of the New year and it was another to see my Mother push me out of the house to work on the first day of the New Year irrespective of the fact that I wasn't feeling too good and then my Father supporting her for the same! I recalled a Teacher in school saying that it was always believed to either learn something or work on the first day of the new year! And another tradition in my family was to eat Bacon on New Year and mostly all the Christian festivals there was. I was also taught never to have an empty wallet (In terms of money only, cause I have a stack of bills I would've my Debit Slip attached to) when stepping out anywhere and when stepping into a New Year! 

All this made me delve deeper into the myths which surround New Year and Boy, I was in for a surprise! Starting from the one's I stated -

Luck and Fate

They say that the first visitor to enter the house on the first of January signifies the balance of marriage in the next 365 days. If a man enters your door then the husband will have more authority for the whole year and if a woman enters, then the wife will have complete control.

It's also said that the “First Footing,” (a superstition many places around the world, means that the first person to enter the home after midnight will determine the type of year the dwellers are going to have.)  The best luck comes to homes whose “first footer” – the first person to arrive after midnight – is tall, dark and handsome. The superstition specifically states it should be a tall male with dark hair who is handsome and, ideally, bringing gifts. A blond or redhead will bring bad luck and a female “first footer” spells disaster.An additional rule warns that the first-footer should not be cross-eyed or have a unibrow.

So, now you know exactly whom to invite over for breakfast next year if this one's bad. (and who to not).

Career Front/ Education Front - I believe it works for both

If you want to guarantee a successful career, then do some kind of hard work on January 1.

There are contradictory beliefs about work too. On the one hand, it is lucky to accomplish something related to your career on New Year’s Day, to set the stage for the rest of the year. On the other hand, too much work on the first of the year is unlucky. 

Health

Another interesting superstition I heard was that if you cook any chicken dish on New Year’s day, you will have monetary troubles for the rest of the year.

So now you know who is responsible for all your financial troubles this year - the Chicken. Beware! Though the pig is said to bring in Good Luck financially and in terms of your health. Also many people actually 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.

Financial

There are people who insist that one should take care to avoid wearing a dress with empty pockets on New Year’s Eve since it may be a sign of very low or no income in the year to come. So, make sure you have some cash in your pockets tonight, even if it is a few hundred bucks. Some money is better than none, as far as I know. 

New Year should not begin with unsettled amounts and unpaid debts. It is always said that all money settlements should be dealt with before the old year closes. It is the time to bury the foregone and begin afresh, hence one should take care that debts are paid off before January 1. Make sure that you don't pay back loans or lend money to anyone on January 1. It indicates that you shall be paying all year long and money would be flowing out, instead of the other way around.

I have even heard 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.

Hmmm, green leafy vegetables? I can just imagine my Mother grinning at this one with a "I told you all along to eat them" Look.

Well, Enough said about Luck and Ill Luck - I'm pretty sure some would be feeling really lucky after reading this and some nodding their heads and telling themselves - Dammit! I think I'll stop with the same now and probably just take up this issue on Dec 30th 2014. Good Luck!

Happy New Day and a Happy New Year People! :)