Just like Christmas, New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration for the whole family. New year is new beginning, we welcome the new year full of hope for a better year. For me, this is the happiest time of the year. Most filipinos observed many traditional beliefs during this time, let me share some things that I know and follow. I usually start my preparation after Christmas… the earlier, the better.
Days before New year’s Eve:
- General cleaning of the house – whatever cleaning we made the whole year, there are things we sometimes forgot or disregard to clean. Broken things, empty bottles or canisters, worn out clothes should be dispose.
- Appliance, furniture, fixture or thing that needs repair should be fix before new year.
- Check your indoor and outdoor plants if they need extra care or if you need more in a certain place.
- Dispose all empty bottles or canisters if they are not needed or replenished.
- Make a shopping list for condiments and other food supplies needed. Rice and salt containers should be full.
- Buy a new table cloth for dining table if possible.
- Buy anything new that you can wear, polka dotted design as much as possible. It can either be a shirt, a blouse, a dress or even an underwear… anything that you can wear. Shopping malls usually have their year end sale, grab the opportunity.
- Pay all the household and personal bills.
- Every member of the family should be at home before countdown.
- It is common belief in the Philippines that loud noise and sounds drives away the bad spirits. Inspite of the firecracker ban, many filipinos are still buying firecrackers. Make a safer means of loud noise such as stereo, banging of pots, torotot, etc.
Before countdown:
- Open all doors, windows, drawers, closets and lights.
- Prepare the medya noche at the dining table. I usually have pasta or pansit, salad, ham, bread, 13 round variety of fruits ( seedless and sweet fruits), castanas, tikoy, round candies and chocolates.
- Prepare coins for the entire family’s pockets.
- I put a coin on every corner of the house, every step of the stairs, drawers, closets, windows and doors. This is my father’s belief which I still follow.
- Hang thirteen pieces of grapes or a small pineapple on your main door.
- If you live in a community that loves fireworks, make sure that you have ear plugs.
Happy New Year!
- Ask the children in your home to jump. Its a belief that children who jump will make them taller. At my age, I still jump with my children.
- From the main door, drop some coins and round sweet candies inside the house.
- Welcome the new year with loud and safe noise.
- Change the old calendar to new one.
First Day of the year:
- Medya noche with the family.
- Don’t forget to eat some tikoy or rice cake. It is a belief that sweet and sticky food when eaten on the first minute of the year brings prosperity. It can also be serve at breakfast.
- Avoid unnecessary expenses.
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