Once the coronavirus pandemic is over and people can travel where they want, one good idea for a vacation over the Christmas holidays is to travel to other countries and participate in their New Year’s celebrations.
1. Spain And The Tradition Of 12 Grapes
The Spanish bring in the New Year with 12 grapes, or “uvas de la suerte,” and this is a tradition that has spread to other former Spanish colonies. When there isn’t a coronavirus pandemic in the world, thousands gather in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid to watch the square’s clock tower ring in the New Year. Millions of Spaniards throughout the country watch the event from home, but everyone takes part in an unusual tradition at the New Year counts down.
The crowds wait for the stroke of midnight. Then they eat one grape for every toll of the clock bell. Many people even peel or seed their grapes to make sure they can gobble them down in time. The idea is, if you can down the 12 grapes in time you will have good luck in the coming year.
The custom started at the turn of the 20th century and was apparently thought up by grape producers in southern Spain when they had a bumper crop. These days, people can buy a pack or can of 12 grapes, ready for midnight.
2. The American South and Hoppin’ John
American states also have their own tradition. In the south, the New Year’s food tradition is Hoppin’ John. This delicious dish includes pork-flavored field peas or black-eye peas to symbolize coins. It also includes rice, and is often served with collard or other cooked greens, as they are the color of money. Another side is cornbread, which is the color of gold. The dish is thought to bring financial good luck in the New Year.
Folklore traces the dish back in history, but the current dish has its roots in African and West Indian traditions. It was likely brought over to North America by slaves. Its name reportedly comes from Charleston, South Carolina.
3. Mexico and Tamales
Tamales consist of corn dough stuffed with meat, cheese and other delicious ingredients, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf. They tend to appear on every special occasion in Mexico. However, the holidays are a special time for the tasty food.
Groups of women in many families gather together and make hundreds of the tasty little packets. Each person in the group is charged with one aspect of the cooking process. These are then handed out to family, friends and neighbors. The New Year’s version is often served with menudo, a trip and hominy soup that is famously useful for hangovers, another tradition of the holidays!
4. The Netherlands and Oliebollen
The oliebol resembles a doughnut and is traditionally cooked and eaten in the Netherlands during the New Year’s celebrations. Fried oil balls (or oliebollen in Dutch) are sold by street carts and traditionally enjoyed on New Year’s Eve as well as special fairs throughout the year. Similar to doughnuts or dumplings, they are cooked by dropping a scoop of dough spiked with currants or raisins into a deep fryer. Once cooked, they are dusted with powdered sugar and enjoyed.
When visiting Amsterdam on New Year’s, watch out for Oliebollenkraams. These are small temporary shacks or trailers selling packets of the hot fried treat.
5. Austria and Germany and Marzipanschwein or Glücksschwein
Germany and its neighbor Austria call New Year’s Eve Sylvesterabend – the Eve of Saint Sylvester. Austrian party people consume a red wine punch, spiked with cinnamon and spices. They tuck into suckling pig for dinner and decorate the dinner table with little pigs, crafted from marzipan, and known as marzipanschwein.
Throughout both Austria and Germany, good luck pigs, or Glücksschwein, are made from a variety of food types and used as traditional holiday gifts.
Make a plan for the end of 2021 to bring in 2022 in your choice of countries throughout the world and enjoy tasty food to bring in the New Year.
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