With the changing of another calendar year, people across the world are given a reason to hope for new possibilities, routines, and adventures. And where there is hope and ambitions, wives tales thrive.
Wives tales, commonly referred to as superstitions, are tradition-rooted beliefs that aren’t able to be scientifically supported. A few well known examples would be that when you go outside with wet hair, you’ll get sick. Or, when you drink excessive amounts of coffee, your growth will be stunted. These tales are often told to children as scare tactics, or sometimes simply to fool them for enjoyment.
The category of wives tales that I’ll be unpacking today revolves around bringing hope and good luck to older generations when going into a new year.
For many of these, I had not heard of them until this holiday season through social media; however, a few of these are recurring and recognizable.
This superstition reads that if you wash your clothes on December 31st, you will be washing away one of your loved ones. Simply put, doing laundry on this day will cause one of your loved ones to pass away. Some sources go even further to say that it would be someone within your household.
Another outcome has been said to be that what you do on New Years is a reflection of your entire year, so doing laundry on this day is setting yourself up for a laborious year.
It’s unclear where this originated, but in my opinion, this is one of the more bizarre ones.
2. You should avoid eating winged animals.
Because of their abilities to fly, it’s believed that eating these animals will cause all of your luck to fly away from you.
An additional association with chickens is because of their feet. These animals habitually scratch backwards, and some cultures believe that this symbolizes dwelling in the past. Or, on a different note, the scrounging up of money because of poor financial circumstances.
To be safe, become a vegetarian for the night…
I was introduced to this specific theory through many different TikTok videos. In these, girls in their young adulthood described that eating 12 grapes under a table at midnight changed their relationship status from single to happily taken. Some even described that this change happened within a few days of their grape consumption.
Although it was unspecified what types of grapes to eat, many women shared that they found more luck with green grapes than with their red counterparts.
The spiritual community offers another interpretation of the grapes. Spirituality groups suggest that the 12 grapes each symbolize a different month of the year. With each one that you eat, you’re bringing prosperity into that month.
Whether this works or not, a midnight snack is a midnight snack, right?
- Keep your doors and windows open.
By doing this, the goal isn’t just to get fresh air.
Many believe that the old year and any bad spirits in it are given the chance to leave when you open the airways of the house. Since air is constantly circulating, this omen also brings the new, fresh start into the home.
To me, this sounds like a good way to not only let the new year in, but also the stray, potentially rabid animals that are looking for shelter! A new pet is a great way to start 2024.
And finally…
- The New Years’ Kiss
The article wouldn’t have been complete without it.
Along with being the most well known superstition, it also has the most interpretations.
In one article from Fox News, the possibility was explored that the exchange “signifies affection and fosters stronger relationships throughout the year.” In general, societies see kissing as a representation of cultural greeting or celebration of connection, so this interpretation is justifiable. This is the most common interpretation.
Believing in these theories help people get excited for what is to come, rather than becoming nostalgic of another year passing. So, even if these methods don’t do people any good, they aren’t doing any harm either.
