It’s a nasty, rainy — albeit unseasonably warm — day in southern Indiana.
As if the gloomy day isn’t bad enough, rain makes dogs stinky and wet. Of course, they want to rub against me and the floors are caked with muddy puppy prints. Oh, the joys of pet ownership! 😉
On this Covid-19 eve of New Years Eve, I was thinking about this holiday’s celebrations and traditions. That brought about thoughts of how different celebrations are going to be — or at least SHOULD be — this year, and how traditions change with times and circumstances.
When I was a kid, my Pap-pa used to shoot the shotgun in the air at the stroke of midnight. Not sure if that still happens even in Crothersville, and it’s doubtful it would be an acceptable practice in Seymour. My neighbors would likely call the police if an old woman stood shooting a gun in the air from her front door.
There’s a meme going around that says something about opening the doors of your home at the strike of midnight on the last day of the year to usher out the old year and in the new. It’s supposed to be an Irish tradition? In light of 2020 challenges, I would certainly do it if I thought it would help.
I did a quick Google search and found some of these “Irish traditions” pretty darned interesting:
- On New Year’s Eve night, families would remember those who died that year by setting a place for them at the dinner table and leaving the door unlatched.
- Anyone entering the house after midnight by the front door would leave by the back door for good luck.
- If a tall, dark, handsome man is the first to enter your front door on January 1, the occupants of the home would have good luck all year.
- If a red-haired girl was first to enter the front door, it would bring hardship and grief.
- Single people should put sprigs of mistletoe, holly and ivy under their pillow so they could dream of future wives and husbands.
- And my personal favorite…. bang on doors and walls of the house with Christmas bread to chase out bad luck and invite good spirits in.
No matter if you ring out 2020 by banging bread against a door or make a big ole’ bang from a gun, I hope it brings you happiness. I’m banking on #3 above. I figure a handsome, dark-haired man of medium height will walk through my front door on New Year’s Day and bring me luck throughout 2021. My kid always shows up for food. 🙂