Good Luck Food For New Year's Day

I’m lazy. Here’s another recycled post from last year … with a few revisions.

On New Year’s Day, many people eat certain foods to bring them luck. Some people eat cooked cabbage, or corned beef and cabbage, for good luck. You’d have to promise me a lottery jackpot to get me to eat cooked cabbage. My friend, Carla, makes black-eyed peas for luck on New Year’s Day. Jay said his Mom would make mochi, a type of rice cake, for good luck. It’s traditionally eaten for Japanese New Year and he says it’s delicious with soy sauce, though it’s basically a hunk of gooey rubber. You know what I’ll be eating on New Year’s Day? Aspirin.

My parents didn’t have a New Year’s Day food ritual when I was growing up — at least that I can remember. Maybe they opted for the aspirin, also. I can certainly remember some crazy parties at my house when I was little. My parents and their friends and family would often hang out at our house — plenty of food, music … and booze. My Mom would lay out a big spread of fancy appetizers. Our whole kitchen table would be piled with finger foods, dips and other edibles. They’d set up a “bar” on top of the stereo (oh yes, stereos back in the day could take up an entire living room wall). The bar consisted of fancy decorative glass bottles filled with gin, whiskey, vodka and bourbon. Once the party got started, my parents would indulge us youngins for a little while and let us run around the living room until our bedtime. After our bedtime, Dad would put on the Motown and those adults would get down with their bad selves.

At these parties there would be all kinds of adults sitting around the living room laughing and eating and drinking. One time, my younger sister, Coleen, was toddling around the room, and adoring aunts, uncles and neighbors would give her a little sip of their drink. Oh, she was about two years old. Tiny little drunkard. It was totally acceptable back then. And if it wasn’t, I imagine the statute of limitations has passed by now.

I have one clear memory of one of those parties when I was about four. Looking around the living room I thought, “Hmm. Captive audience. Let me dazzle them with my fancy gymnastic skills.” I went to the middle of the room and started my triple-somersault routine. My imagination was like Ralphie in A Christmas Story. I envisioned that room full of adults cheering and clapping once I finished my amazing performance. Instead when I stood up, dizzy, I was met with blank stares.  Apparently they needed more to drink.

Well, whatever you all decide to do for New Year’s, I hope it’s fun and safe! And don’t attempt any triple somersaults in the middle of your New Year’s Party.

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