Video: New Years Traditions in the South

[bitsontherun VjO71jYP]

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-All around the world people bring in the New Year with their own unique traditions. Some celebrate with fireworks and others with resolutions.

Here are some New Year’s traditions right here in the south.

Some celebrate by watching the ball drop. Others celebrate with a kiss on the stoke of midnight.

In the south, there are many New Years traditions families look forward to every year.

“On New Years I usually hang out with my family,” says Miaya Richardson.

“New Year’s Day? Watch Football,” says William Winters.

“Shoot Fireworks,” says Norobelle Jackson.

“Traditional meal is black eyed peas, rice, cabbage, things like that. A southern tradition New Years Eve,” says Pauline Almeida.

One tradition in the south is to eat a meal that will bring health, wealth and prosperity as you enter the new year. Kabir Karriem, a family member of Helen’s Kitchen says the lucky meal has always been a family tradition.

“We always cook peas and turnip greens we have been doing that for a number of years,” says Kabir Karriem.

“Greens are supposedly represent paper money, as the peas represent the coins cornbread represents gold. I love my black eyed peas and greens,” says Karriem.

First planted as food for livestock, and then later a food staple for slaves, black eyed peas became the most important part of the traditional New Year’s meal.

“The black eyed peas were used, already eaten by the slaves. But when Sherman came through it was a survival item for former confederate soldiers to eat. And for them to live off of. So that’s why we enjoy the black eyed peas so much here in the south,” says Karriem.

But no matter what tradition you celebrate, at the end of the night we all bring in the New Year together.

Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some.

Categories: Local News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *