It's almost 2018, are you excited? Me, too!
I do celebrate the New Year with a feast but not the Gregorian one. Have you heard of Nisan? It's not the brand of a car - it's the New Year I observe. 15% upvote to anyone who can explain when and what that is. However,
please ONLY EXPLAIN if you're practicing it yourself.
Don't get me wrong, I also bid the last year with a bang and I don't mean fireworks though I watch fireworks from our window with my husband . I grew up with asthma so the smell of it in the air suffocates me but who doesn't like them (again fireworks only I'm no fan of them damn fire crackers) going up the air glowing like fireflies so with closed windows, a glass of champagne and a cherry, we cheers to the freaking New Year . Okay, I admit, my glass is filled with more of .. water as I've already explained that I'm allergic to alcohol.
However, this was not how my whole family greet the New Year back when we were young. I remember that everyone in my family wear anything with polka dots when the 31st of December arrives. I remember my sisters and I wearing "terno" as we call it - a suit like - top and shorts with pockets on both sides with lotz'a polka dots .
An hour before midnight, my mom would give us coins and instruct us to fill our pockets with them. I remember being told that if you shake the coins in your pocket and they make much sound it would attract mow - ney, lotz and lotz'a mow-ney. Of course I did this, too because I was a child and when you're young you just do as the adults do, didn't you, too? Plus, I wanted to have more mow - ney because who doesn't?<!/center>
Most of the time when everyone in my family turn left, I turned right. I guess, my aunt brought me up being expressive and assertive, I was always allowed and made to ask why and why not when I must. There was a time I questioned my parents why I had to do this because I didn't find polka dots chic anymore. You could guess that I was already an adult by then.
Before that though, I remember my sisters and I trying to get the most coins out of my Moms hands to get to attract the most mow ~ney and I remember getting the most of them most of the time but I also remember being the most broke of us three because I was a spendthrift back then.
My younger sister had always had a piggy bank which she diligently collects annually, only to be asked by my folks to just give them to me to bring back home to my grandpas' house. I didn't ask for it... I just stared at it! Don't condemn me, I was a kid so blame my folks. I'm mostly just with my folks either in summer or in December when I was a kid that's why, I guess that's their way of making up for the shortcomings they thought they could make up with.
I also remember spending her annual savings in a day because why not, I got them so easy just by staring at them so maybe the jingling the coins in ya' polka dotted outfit's pockets during New Year's Eve does work but then is that some kind of a selective magic trick of attracting money cause it seemed to have worked with me but not with my younger sister?
I remember that I was always broke cause I'd be damn lucky back then if her annual piggy bank the size of your favorite thin potato crisp container full of 1 peso savings would last me a week. "I had holes in my palms"; I used to tell my aunt when asked how come that piggy bank's lighter than it should be.
I have to admit, I love getting new clothes during the holidays back when I was a kid including polka dotted ones because why not? The more clothes the merrier isn't it? I also have to admit that I liked receiving the coins back then because that means more access to sweets in the mini stores around us or whatever shallows I want to buy back then.
I also have to admit that ... even though we've done it year after year, till I stopped because I was already an adult and you get taught to stand on your grounds, and be firm with your beliefs .. I've never really believed that it works. I've never believed that wearing polka dotted clothes with pockets and filling them with coins nor with bills and making them make noises would attract me more mow-ney. I just don't.
Why not ... uhmm.. I'll keep it simple - aren't we still tagged as a third world country until now? So .. what happened to all those jinglings of coins and polka dot's magic now?
Unfortunately, it's still being done in my country, it's still being passed on to many children and the same reconditioning would still probably go on till who knows when .. even though the parents themselves probably can't prove that such practice could make anyone attract more mow-ney.
I do believe that the polka dotted clothes sell very well in my country during this season and this is probably one reason why such brainwashing is still being practiced till now. If it does work to someone probably to the person who sells them polka dotted outfits. Who knows...
You a Pinoy? Shout out in the comment if you'd dare admit that you did buy a polka dotted outfit for the New Year's Eve and 15% if you spill out why.]()
Even though I don't believe in such practice, I've written it so many times that I live in the principle of "live and let live" so I've never convinced my family to stop doing it but I did try questioning them. Are they still doing this you ask? Probably... that's how deep our culture and traditions are rooted in our heads. It would take a lot of flushing them out of or reconditioning to shake anyone to waking up but ... who are we to judge?
In the first place, you probably find it interesting don't you? What about you? Do you observe such a thing where you came from? Or something similar to this? 15% upvote to anyone who'd share something similar to this in your country and explain why you practice such .
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How many and beautiful traditions have your accents, I love those who tell us, I must admit that I am learning a lot of your culture, yesterday the fruits, today the polka dot dresses and the coins, comment here in my house with my family and they they had not heard of these beautiful traditions, we have a tradition of dressing all in white with pink underwear, before twelve o'clock at night a drink is placed in the middle of the table and each member asks for three wishes so that the 2018, we must put a very particular phrase, the bottom is "God consedeme the desire of" and after this incertas your desire and so the threes, to our family this does not give good results, always meet some of our desires.
Thank you very much dear friend @englishtchrivy for sharing these beautiful traditions.
thank you for sharing @jlufer
quite interesting dressing up all in white and wearing pink undies underneath
don't the undies create some silhoutte on the white clothes above it?
I wish you a Happy New Year and am glad this time the translation engine got it right for you
if it is common to see underwear, there are those who neglect this detail, usually wearing pants or dresses that do not show. these traditions are of yesteryear, at that time the ladies wore a petticoat between the underwear and the dress, that detail of translucent garment was not a problem, at present we must keep in mind this detail, but few people who meet with the traditions
sounds very very interesting
I guess the more we forward the more malicious we get
your tradition sounds very interesting!
thanks for sharing
Polka, that had me baffled for a while. As I know this as kind of music style. But they are also dots on dresses, so #til. ;-)
All around the world we have traditions that often make no logical sense at all. Easy to debunk even but still done by many and kept as a tradition. It is part of our culture, things we can hold on to. Even in times of lesser prosperity we can still rinkle those coins. Share the hope, the joy and the laughter. Otherwise maybe life would be a pretty lonely experience.
That part of questioning I recognize, things that did not seem to make sense, why just accept them as if they were true? While every logic is missing to proof it, no science backing it.
Eager to learn, is another positive side to that. Those who dare to ask are willing to learn.
Traditions in all our different human cultures are also very interesting. They all have a story to tell, not always about what they appear to be on first sight.
klopt !
I think it's so much fun with such things in the Philippines hahaha
Did you notice no Pinoys reacting at all :D ?
but I have to say .. dit is zo gezellig if you just imagine every house is like so :D
we zijn allebei in de jaar van de paard geboren toch? eigenwijs allebei .. altijd vragen zei mijn moeder ook
waar je maar ook gaat neem je beste vriend - die heet "vraagje" lol
ik had al uitgelogd maar ik zag dit dus even in loggen
het is all de laaste dag van het jaar..
een paar uurtjes dan is het al Nieuw Jaar ^ ^
ik ga nu echt uit want morgen is het echt .. laat wakker blijven ! Spannend!
It is fun to be able to share traditions, it is a part of who we are. Some are good for a laugh or two also.
Do not know if I was born in the year of the horse. Stubborn I can be though, no question about that, hahaha.
#nl
Deze tijd van het jaar, sommige dingen zijn zo mooi dat ze voor altijd zouden mogen voortduren.
De sfeer is overal voelbaar.
Oud en nieuw traditie van het lang doorvieren. Lijkt alsof ik al een generale repetitie heb. ;-)
Trusten.
it is!
the horse thing is also a joke :D
peace! dat is ook bijgeloof denk ik :D
het regent nu
ik hoop dat het zo doorgaat ^ ^
less fireworks smell
Am a RAM, that is why I am so stubbern I guess. :-)
It was quite a blast overhere with the fireworks.
I love polka dots!! On girls that is. Would look a bit weird on a dude. Or at least on me. I drive a nissan so it will be easy for me to remember Nisan in future!
When you stopped wearing the polka how did your fortunes fare? ;O)
can you imagine my father wearing a polka dotted shirt? :D
I can't imagine you wearing it chico haha
when I stopped wearing it I was already making mowney so I guess it was more than what my folks were giving me as school allowance :D
lol for the nisan :D
I dont think I have ever or ever seen any dude wearing polka lol!!
Now you are loaded you can throw traditions away like old shoes ;O)
loaded? who says am loaded hahaha
Cheers chico !
to more loads lol
I like polkadots on me pajamas!
it's the last day of the year!!!
wooo hooo~~~
Happy New Year to you and your family and I wish you Happiness, Great health, Love, ENOUGH SLEEP for you and Mama Boom and Lots a loads ;)
Cheers!
Here's to loads more loads for all of us!
Sleep. That would be a fine thing :o)
Nice to share your new year beautiful story here..
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My experienced regarding new year celebration might not similar to your as such but a bit, as you know we were brought up with different cultures and traditions.
In my own case, New year is a big celebration in our country, almost everyone used to observed New year, unrespective religion differences or believes.
Our parents has many children, so they bought us new traditional attire.
What they do is that will bought clothes according to age ranges; we had three age ranges then(30-25, 20-15 and 14-3years old) my age falls between 14-3 back then, some of us that falls to lowest age, our parents usually give us some 50kobo (coins) and they will tell us if you want more coins you have to work for it, they will invited the drummer around to sing and beat their drum whoever dance best get more coins, it was a beautiful experience and very fun, so we get on the stage ground and dance like okoto but I never won the competition for the first -five year, I will started crying why I was not the one who win the dance contest, whenever dad hear my cry he will sent for me secretly behaved as if he was to pet me, but after the pet dad will bring me some coins and drop it in my pocket he will say "hold it so others won't hear coin sounds clapping lol. I will do just that and went silently. After the dancing contest we will all went to church for New Year Eve Service, some of the coins we everyone has we used it to buy firework but we called it knockout here, during the program inside church some of us will be outside waiting to hear Happy Xmas pronounced from Rec'd then immediately firework will started rock the sky, but don't forget dad add some coins to my own, I used some to buy firework and Xmas glowing light while I kept some with my mum. When we return from church, joking, dancing and drinking of palm wines will commenced we will be there till like 4am our elders don't close their eye's for seconds. Before some of Young's get up from bed, mum will have prepared us nice warm tea and bread, after done had tea for breakfast others light food will coming again. Before we would go for visiting mother's family and get New Year gift, I will collect back my coins from mum and put in my pocket, I will buy anything I want on the way and others younger children like me are left with zero coins so they ended up begging me to give buy them something to share, the one's older than me with a year, two years will started calling me names , given me regards and some usually called me back because they want something from me , you know children !! Immediately I hear them called me bro. I will be happy and buy them snack to share lol... It was a wonderful experiencesd tho
Re-steemed
sounds a bit the same
and so much fun for kids, too
thanks for sharing!
and thanks for resteeming
Happy New Year!
You are welcome..
It's good to remember such experienced
Another custom we have, apart from smashing a pomegranate, is have money in our pockets on new years' eve; so that new year will find us with loads of money in our pockets
Just like in your culture;
i'd say it's all part of the same superstition, isn't it?
greed is bad, but ...money is gooood :D
thanks for sharing!
so we have almost the same practice!
come to think of it you're in Greece!
that's amazing to know!
money is good? what it can do to help better lives is definitely good remember it's just a piece of paper or a hash of codes and it's in love with me hahah it follows me around :D so for me it's a good thing to have but yes, greed is bad
First, let me wish you and yours a happy new year 2018. Hard to believe we're there already, isn't it?
I find the custom of jingling coins in your pocket harmless enough, and I happen to like girls in polka dots.
The custom we observe in Germany is fun, but more dangerous if one isn't careful, and it certainly is pretty toxic for the environment as well. So much so, the EU came to a decision banning the sale of related supplies starting 2018. For once, I agree with Brussels.
I'm talking of molybdomancy, of course, a tradition, by which lead is smelted over a candle. The liquid lead is then dumped into cold water and makes bizarre shapes as it hardens, which we interpret as omens for the coming year. I doubt anybody believes in this divination nowadays, but the custom is still widely spread, for entertainment if nothing else.
Here is a picture of one of the shapes one obtains with molybdomancy, from Micha Rieser over at Wikimedia. You might interpret this a the shape of a whale, so it seems to fit right in here at Steemit, promising "lotsa mowney" :-) Unfortunately, a whale promises only lotsa fat in the next year, so a diet is advised.
thank you for sharing that I've been here a while and spent some Christmas holidays in Berlin but I haven't heard of it
I agree with Brussels, too
lead's very bad and can cause some brain disease or something
as for the shape I don't really see a whale more of a smiling goat with its left eye looking at me almost bulging haha
as for the whales, I have to disagree with you because I happen to know a few who have been consistently generous, helpful and friendly around here so I can't really agree nor generalize that they all just promise fat because that's not what I have experienced here
Happy New Year and Cheers!
Yeah, the more I'm staring at it, it DOES look like a goat on acid or something. Amazing how that champagne helps the imagination...
wahahaha
I guess am too late about the wine warning lol
You misunderstood about the whales: Obtaining the shape of a whale means, one will gain weight in the following year. The goat you're seing means, you will be traveling and should take the shortest route.
Now I have to continue working on tomorrow's hangover ;-) Cheers 2018!
lol
travel and take the shortest route
I like the sound of that
go easy on the gluh wijn :D!
Your story adds my insights into the culture of the new year in your country. Probably everyone is happy with the coming of the new year, as their age increases. but not with me, I just feel sad, because my life is dwindling. not increase!
The culture of welcoming the new year in my country may be different from your country, here, they used to go to the beach with the family, they held a meal together with grilled fish, corn, meat and so forth. and create a new program for the coming year. There are also some of them in the new year with the convoy on the streets. they blew trumpets and burned many firecrackers. for me this is a bad thing, wasteful against property, I thought why do not we use that wealth to help the poor? wasn't helping others is also a happiness? why do not we celebrate this happiness in the new year??
apart from that I also find mothers who have small children are very disturbed by the sound of firecrackers, their children cried in surprise. I also can not imagine how a mother when her child cries midnight. :(
Yes, most of us are happy there even the poorest because the spirit of giving is really at winning point during that time. The homeless and the orphans don't get forgotten during this time of the year a lot of people do feeding, donation etc etc to make them feel the spirit of good these days so yes, most of us are happy there
I understand what you mean though Im no fan of those firecrackers either I hate the sound and the smell of it and the thought of wasting money a lot of money to burn! Plus yes, its very bad for babies and pets!
Anyway, Happy New Year and I wish you have a happy one this time
focus on the good around you ;) and more good things shall open their doors to you!
Most people may be happy with the coming of this new year, but I am still traumatized by the "2004" incident last year on December 26, a major disaster occurred at the time. STUNAMI hit Aceh, and I survived the disaster, but until now it is still traumatized with the coming of the new year. Still feeling scared ....
hmm...
do you mind if I give you an unsolicited advice?
focus on the good things in life
like you've already survived as for your trauma, I'm sorry you went through that
I hope you get to work on it
What should I do if I ask for advice, as my best friend?
i already wrote up there FOCUS on the good things in life
Thank you very much my best friend. :-)
I never know that's the good luck tradition. interesting culture. may all the wealth jingle all the way to you in the new year. :-)
Thanks for the best wishes!
I wish you great health, jingles of prosperity and much happiness around you!
Cheers! Have a blessed New Year although .. you guys actually observe the Lunar more, too right?
Well, advanced Happy 2018~
Thank you
Not really did buy those dresses or seen in my country however I do really think it is nice way to celebrate the new many memories comes into mind of the childhood as those are the sweet ones that you just said ,though they look real funny but that is what it was supposed to be ,being drawn to the childhood memories that is what lovely it is.Many don't have that memories either.
yes, even though most of those practices my folks made us do are somewhat unreasonable for me now, I have to admit that it was so much fun back then !
Happy New Year where ever you come from!
Happy New Year !It is 01.01.2018 today in my country !