I am joining Linda at Mocha with Linda for Flashback Friday today.
Here is her prompt:
How did your family celebrate New Year's when you were growing up? Was staying up on New Year's Eve a big deal? Was it a date night for your parents or was it a family occasion? Did your family have any particular traditions for New Year's? Were resolutions emphasized? Did you do fireworks? Watch parades or bowl games? Were there church activities you attended? Did Christmas activities extend into the new year? Was the Epiphany a focus?
When I was growing up, my parents always threw a New Year's Eve Party at our house. The same group of people came each year and it was a tradition until people started moving away! :( My two favorite parts of the party were first, the cheese puffs my mom always made. I could probably have eaten my weight in them!!! Second, the kids always headed off to the back of the house to put together a "show" for the parents. It usually consisted of take offs of commercials. We still laugh about one neighbor boy we got to sit in a tall straight back chair, with the most serious face and say "my girdle is killing me". If you are too young to remember that commercial, well......sorry.
Staying up till midnight was a huge deal in our house. Popping confetti poppers at midnight was always a favorite of mine!
But the other tradition was staying up to watch Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. It came on every New Years Eve and we watched it every year!!! hmmmmm.....not sure what that says about my parents, ha, but I don't remember having any nightmares!
On New Years day we always watched the parades and of course football was always on for my dad. New Years day, I looked forward to a BIG bowl of blackeyed peas!!! My family is from the south and you have to have your blackeyed peas for good luck! It is the only time my mom fixed them and I LOVE them.
We have kept that tradition in my house.
However, for the last 20 years, Steve and I have hosted a New Years Day open house for our church and neighborhood. I think Steve's motivation was to be able to watch football no matter what on New Years, but you know me....any excuse for a party!! It is crazy, crowded, loud and a lot of fun!! And we have introduced many a yankee to blackeyed peas in our previous churches!!!
My family was never big on resolutions. It seems weird to me to resolve to do something that I need to do any way.....but that is just me.
As I am going to be busy on Friday cleaning and cooking for the open house, I wish all of my blogging friends a very Happy New Year!!!
May you know the PEACE and JOY that come with a relationship with Christ in 2011!!
7 comments:
Thanks for sharing your traditions, Sara!
I pray you'll have a blessed New Year, as well.
Happy New Year Sara!
I love black-eyed peas too!
You pegged my feelings about resolutions exactly!
Your New Year's Eve traditions sound like lots of fun!
Enjoy your open house! I'm looking forward to seeing pics!
I feel the same way about resolutions -- I make them when they need to be made and work through them with prayer and God's grace. Those kinds of resolutions (except when related to diet) are much easier for me to keep.
Sounds like lots of fun!
I grew up in Ohio and everyone we knew had Black Eyed Peas every year on New Years Day. I now live in Florida and some people down here have never had them on NYD. It must be more of a handed down family tradition, not based on where you live. This year is the first time we aren't having them. Makes me a little sad.
I wish you and your family a very Happy and Blessed New Year!!
They sound like great traditions.
I need to strengthen my relationship with Our Father in 2011, your comment just made me realize I have been avoiding him for months...
Hugs & love to you and a blessed 2011,
Mimi
Sara: I remembered those Black eyed peas well. Your Mom always made me eat a HUGE spoonful and I'm sure I made a pretty good "yuck" face. Happy New Years old friend to you and yours.
Margaret
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