Around The Bend: Traditions and Superstition

Warning: This article is based on opinion. It can contain sarcasm, derision or incongruities. Protective clothing may be necessary when reading.

Traditions. Superstitions. There are some people who absolutely will not start the year without black-eyed peas. Others won’t begin January first without sauerkraut and sausage. I read about a tradition that requires the one to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, December 31 st to ensure the coming year is rewarding. And of course, Christmas in Texas without tamales, say what? Some traditions turn into superstitions over time and vice versa. Either way you look at it, the holidays are full of both, especially to end and begin the year, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

First, let me be straight right off and tell you I am way to lazy to be concerned about what I need to do to secure good luck in the new year. So far, having ignored every thing I ever heard of that I SHOULD do, I’ve somehow continued to survive. Of course, I haven’t won the lottery either, but then I’d have to actually buy a ticket, so I guess I can’t really blame that on the lack of black-eyed peas before the magical hour of midnight on New Year’s Eve. However, I am huge on keeping traditions, like decorating to holiday music.

I like the Chinese New Year superstition. On New Year’s Eve, all cleaning gear is packed away. Sweeping or dusting isn’t done on New Year’s Day so that good fortune isn’t “swept” right out the door! (Personally, I’m for anything that forbids my having to clean on any day of the year.)

In England and Scotland large bonfires are built to usher in the beginning of the New Year. Gifts are exchanged on New Year’s Day in France and in some countries children go door to door to get cookies and cakes, sort of like Halloween here in the States I suppose. In Japan, beans are placed on the floor in the four corners of the house. This is supposed to drive evil spirits away during the New Year. (I guess evil spirits are afraid of beans; I’m not sure. But I think if you tried that here in Texas you would have a family of fire ants lugging them home.) It seems everyone has some special way of welcoming in the New Year.

This got me to wondering. I speculated whether many bikers include their rides in their New Year traditions (or superstitions if you like) to welcome the next year. I asked around and I discovered some of us do indeed include our bike in starting our New Year. And to many of the people I spoke with it isn’t even an option on whether or not they ride to welcome the year. They consider it an opportunity to start the year out properly and it is mandatory, no matter the weather.

Members of a touring group based in the North have over 20 years of riding in cold weather; so riding on New Year’s Day is no big deal. However, the ride coordinator said the New Year’s Day ride seems to be more attended than any of their other rides throughout the winter. As they say in Texas, “BRrrrr, y’all!”

One rider told me that no matter what the weather is, he rides his bike to a certain location each New Year’s Day. It’s a restaurant he happened upon one year when he went out riding around alone on New Year’s Day. He was looking for someplace to eat and it was...

We hope that you enjoyed reading this excerpt from "Traditions and Superstition". If you would like to read the entire article and more, you can order a back issue of Jan / Feb 2005 where this article was originally published.

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