New Years Eve Traditions

[Graeme]

Our family has a NYE tradition -- watching Dinner for One on the TV.

What's your New Years Eve tradition?

[Bruin Fisher]

Is it popular in OZ? I understand it's shown on German TV every year and continues to be extremely popular despite its age, but it's practically unheard of in the UK (odd, since it's in English!). I've never seen it, so thanks for the link. I can look forward to enjoying it this evening.

[Merkin]

A local custom in the southeastern United States is to eat a dish of hog jowls and black-eyed peas for luck sometime during the evening. However, my mother's family swore by sauerkraut cooked with pork, while my father's forebearers sought snacks of pickled herring. Thus, any of my attempts to be both a good son and politically correct have always led to intense gastric distress.

James Merkin

[DesDownunder]

I've always enjoyed doing what I do all year, by doing it from one year to the next. So we make sure we are in bed by 5 minutes to midnight and stay there until around 5 past midnight. This allows us to say we were doing it, from whatever year it was, to whatever year it is now.

The whole thing only takes around 10 minutes. When we were younger it seemed to take longer, but now you know, the years come around almost as quickly as we do. Time flies...don't it?

Happy New Year everyone!

[Cole Parker]

A local custom in the southeastern United States is to eat a dish of hog jowls and black-eyed peas for luck sometime during the evening. However, my mother's family swore by sauerkraut cooked with pork, while my father's forebearers sought snacks of pickled herring. Thus, any of my attempts to be both a good son and politically correct have always led to intense gastric distress.

James Merkin

I would guess you wouldn't have to worry too much about drop-in guests, James. Word would get around that your celebratory table was laden with hog jowls, black-eyed peas, sauerkraut and pickled herring and the stampede would be headed in the opposite direction.

Tums, anyone?

C

[Trab]

Our family tradition was to have an Indonesian dish for dinner, at about 7 p.m., then eat more junk food, and crash for the night at about 10:30 p.m. Dad would then force us all to get up at about 11:55 p.m. to listen to the honking of horns and wailing of sirens at midnight, from whence we immediately fell asleep again.

Since dad passed, we haven't done any of that. Now we just eat normal food, watch a comedy compilation on the TV if there is one, then go to bed at 9:30 p.m. to sleep peacefully till well into the new year.

[Graeme]

Is it popular in OZ? I understand it's shown on German TV every year and continues to be extremely popular despite its age, but it's practically unheard of in the UK (odd, since it's in English!). I've never seen it, so thanks for the link. I can look forward to enjoying it this evening.

I wouldn't say it's popular, but it's shown on one station each year on New Years Eve, and that's where we watch it.

The wikipedia article also mentions that it's practically unheard of in the UK, but it's shown regularly in a range of countries.

[JamesSavik]

My New Years Eve tradition is to stay home and away from the cops and drunks.

Not that cops or drunks are epically bad but when the two are out in force, it can be dangerous.

[Oliver]

Gather with friends, drink champgane at midnight and watch the fireworks.

And eating lots of 'oliebollen'.

Trab, help me out here. Can you explain 'oliebollen' in proper English?

Beside of that; I wish al of you here at AD all the best things for 2010!

[Trab]

Actually, there is something almost identical in Canada, and you can buy them at Timmy's. Not quite the same, they are called Apple Fritters.

They are basically yeast donut type of interior, filled with raisins, deep fried, and dipped in icing sugar (powdered frosting sugar for some of you).