It’s January – the month of diets, resolutions, exercise and much too much quiet after the holidays. It seems a good time to offer up some of the advice from my childhood.
I grew up in the ‘burbs of Cleveland, home of many nationalities, especially from Eastern Europe. Both my parents were of Polish decent and my best friend’s parents were of Slovak descent. I never much thought about the sayings, expressions and old wives’ tales that were repeated throughout my family and hers until my husband, Bruce (who hails from about 57 different nationalities) started to comment that he had never heard such sayings and thought we were just a bit superstitious. I’ve endured many odd looks over the years, but I love these old sayings and, in an effort to bring you good luck in the new year, I happily share my favorites with you:
- Get a new broom for the house around New Year’s Day to make a clean sweep.
- Don’t eat chicken on New Year’s Day or you’ll scratch for money all year. Eat pork and sauerkraut and you’ll prosper.
- If you are having bad luck at cards, get up and walk around your chair and your luck will improve.
- If you say the same thing at the same time as someone else, the first person that says “you owe me a beer” doesn’t have to pay for the next beer.
- Green cars are unlucky.
- If you drop silverware, it means that “company is coming!” A fork is a guy, a spoon represents a woman and a knife is trouble. The utensil will point in the direction from which they’ll travel.
- Knock on wood for good luck.
- Always leave a building by the same door that you entered.
- When a woman is pregnant, she shouldn’t eat a lot of sour foods or the baby will have a sour disposition.
- You can get sick in any month that has an “R” in the name.
Of course, here in Lancaster County, the Amish have plenty of wise advice and sayings of their own. This one seems appropriate for the start of a new year:
- To grow old gracefully you must start when you are young.
We hope that this blog brightens your January day and keeps you on track for 2013. From everyone at The Artist’s Inn, Happy New Year!
