Happy New Years 2010

Here in the South we celebrate the New Year by eating black-eyed peas and greens, either just after midnight or on New Year's Day.

According to Southern folklore, this is to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year ahead.

The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates.

Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas cabbage is used in place of the greens. (I will be eating cabbage, because I HATE GREENs!!) The Sweethearts mother loves him more than I do apparently because she makes him turnip greens and I just refuse to do so :}

Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.

I wouldn't dare think of not having this on New Years day.

It's just the only way to start off the new year on the right foot.

It's tradition.

Do you have any particular traditions for New Years Day?