New Year's Eve in the Desert

Storm clouds roll in.

It is the last day of 2012.  We had snow in the mountains last night from a winter storm which brought us rain.  It has been quite chilly; today may top out at 48 degrees F, not quite the warmth to which we are accustomed.  My birds are all puffed up, fluffing their feathers to bring in an insulating layer of air.  Nothing froze last night, though the forecast for the next few days has our low temps around 28.  Still, the snow blanketing the mountains looks pretty.

At 2:00 p.m. Arizona time, more than half of the world has already welcomed 2013.  Christmas Island, Samoa, and New Zealand were among the first countries to pop the champagne.  At 10:00 p.m. Arizona time, the East Coast will welcome the new year with the traditional ball-drop and confetti in Times Square.  For those of us on the West Coast and in Hawaii, celebrating the New Year feels almost anti-climactic.  By the time we are singing "Auld Lang Syne," most of the world is already writing checks with 2013 dates on them.  Oh, well.

Various countries have interesting and unique ways of celebrating the new year.  In Scotland, for example, there is the tradition of "First-Footing" in which friends and family visit one another bringing whiskey or coal.  Spaniards believe that wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve will bring good luck.  They kick off their celebrations with dinners of shrimp or lamb.  Mexican families celebrate with the tradition of 12 grapes--each person eats one grape at the chime each bell for midnight while making a wish.  When the bell tolls midnight in Italy, Italians usually eat a spoonful of lentil stew for each chime, believing this brings good fortune.  They also wear red underwear.  In Russia, people make silent wishes for each of the last 12 seconds of the old year.  Some believe that if the first person to visit their home in the new year is a man, they will have good luck. 

Keith and I usually have appetizers for dinner on New Year's Eve, celebrating with a kiss at midnight.  One New Year's Day, we each eat 365 black-eyed peas and ham to bring good luck.  Keith actually counts out his peas, since he doesn't really like them, but he is also reluctant to break the tradition and possibly bring on bad luck.  I love black-eyed peas, which are actually lentils, so I have no problem consuming my share.  We also pay close attention to our first visitor of the year, a tradition inherited from my maternal grandparents, although I have no idea what it means.  I simply assume that if the first person to visit is a friend or beloved family member, that is good.

So, here's to 2013.  May it bring you wonderful experiences and memories, good luck and love.