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:

1. 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.
2. Appliance, furniture, fixture or thing that needs repair should be fix before new year.
3. Check your indoor and outdoor plants if they need extra care or if you need more in a certain place.
4. Dispose all empty bottles or canisters if they are not needed or replenished.
5. Make a shopping list for condiments and other food supplies needed. Rice and salt containers should be full.
6. Buy a new table cloth for dining table if possible.
7. 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.
8. Pay all the household and personal bills.
9. Every member of the family should be at home before countdown.
10. 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:

1. Open all doors, windows, drawers, closets and lights.
2. 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.
3. Prepare coins for the entire family’s pockets.
4. 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.
5. Hang thirteen pieces of grapes or a small pineapple on your main door.
6. If you live in a community that loves fireworks, make sure that you have ear plugs.

Happy New Year!

1. 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.
2. From the main door, drop some coins and round sweet candies inside the house.
3. Welcome the new year with loud and safe noise.
4. Change the old calendar to new one.

First Day of the year:

1. Medya noche with the family.
2. 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.
3. Avoid unnecessary expenses.

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