Frame: Happy New Year

I’ve never been much of a New Year’s Eve person- I’m all for a nice party, sure, but when you wake up the next day everything is still pretty much the same (especially if you aren’t resolving to become a vegan, like I did last year). I’ve always thought the change of seasons to fall was more of a new beginning, so I usually reserve my personal reflection for September, when I can eat cider donuts and caramel apples while I ponder.

But, in case you want to chase 2010 out with a bang, here are some traditions from around the world– several of them food related- to try out this year. I particularly like the tradition in the Philippines:

Round shapes (representing coins) are thought to symbolize prosperity for the coming year in the Philippines; many Filipino families display heaps of round fruits on the dining table for New Year’s Eve. Other families are more particular; they eat exactly 12 fruits at midnight (grapes, which are also eaten at midnight in Spain, are easiest). Still others wear New Year polka dots for luck.

Now, if only I owned something with polka dots.