Happy New Year's Eve

• On New Year’s Eve, take a single sheet calendar of the current year with squares for each day until 31 December.

• Cross out any days you would sooner forget.

• Say Old year burn, bad luck, do not return as you tear off a corner of the calendar, and burn it.

• Rip the rest to shreds a few minutes before midnight and throw it in the trash outdoors.

• Replace it after midnight with a new squared calendar beginning with 1st January, marking the 1st with a huge tick and saying New year new fortune, enter here, bring a year only of good luck and cheer.

The traditional way to bring good new year luck and prosperity into your home is a First Footing ceremony dating who knows how far back.

• For sufficient money through the year ahead, before midnight, place in a small bag a copper, silver and gold-colored coin or items, wrapped candies, dried fruits, nuts and dried basil, juniper berries, sage or thyme for a healthy happy united home and companionship and coal or wood for enough practical resources for the year ahead.

• Five minutes before midnight send a dark-haired person (or someone wearing a dark-colored hood) outside the front door with the bag as the First Footer to enter and bring good fortune.

• At midnight all shout, Come in, New Year, New Year, you are welcome, whilst rattling pans etc. The First Footer enters, shuts the door and goes out of the back door (if there is one) or out of the front door again, saying: Out you go, Old Year, Old luck, Your time is past.

• The First Footer comes back in, slams the door, walks upstairs to the top of the house and down again, shouting Happy New Year.  She/he deposits the bag on the hearth or in front of a burning white candle. All toast the New year whilst making New Year wishes and resolutions.

.....

• Sweep bad luck out of the front door before midnight and throw away the old broom. Do not throw any of the party garbage out, sweep, vacuum or wash clothes until January 2 or you will put out the New Year Luck you have welcomed in.

• You should not lend anything, especially money, on New Year’s Day or you will be lending all year.

• On New Year's morning also drink a glass of water from a bubbling tap, (traditionally a spring), eat a small piece of your favourite food and bury three coins so you will have enough food, drink and money throughout the coming year.

• Make sure you are laughing at midnight on New Year's Eve, as what you are doing when the year turns will influence your happiness and moods for the year ahead.

Happy 2025 from Cassandra and Debi xx