New Year’s superstitions around the world

Hailey Waldo editor@riverbendnews.org Many people have odd superstitions when it comes to New Year's celebrations. From avoiding certain foods and chores to throwing furniture out of the window, people around the world have traditions to ring in the new year. One of the more common superstitions in the South is that eating collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year's brings good luck. These dishes, along with a big hunk of cornbread, are thought to symbolize wealth, good luck, and prosperity in the new year. Although there are a few origin stories of these traditions, they each trace back to African history and culture. Adrian Miller, a food historian and scholar, says that black