Most Americans ring in the new year in with some special food, tradition, or celebration. There's usually plenty of champagne, or some other sparkling beverage. I've heard folks from New Orleans say they fix gumbo for New Years. Some of my Southern friends still fix chitlins and hog maws. Having been born and raised in Georgia, my mother always cooked black-eyed peas, fresh collards, mustard and turnip greens, and corn bread of course. "Back eyed peas for luck and greens for the money," she would say. Mama also believed that if a man was the first person to visit on New Years, you would have good luck all year. So, if a woman was the first person to knock on our door on New Years, Mama wouldn't let her in. Although I pride myself on being a modern, liberated woman, I still follow those traditions.
This year, I had the pleasure of going to the Rose Parade with my ex-husband (we're still friends). Although I've lived in the Pasadena for over twenty years, I always shied away from the annual event. I never liked crowds and the idea of getting up at an ungodly hour to stand in a crowd just didn't sit well with me. But this year, a local real estate developer sent me two free tickets to watch the parade from the lobby of their building which faces Colorado Boulevard.
I had to get up at 6:30 on New Years Day morning to get downtown by 7:30 for the parade, but it was well worth it. The parade was more spectacular than ever. The beautiful floats, colorful flowers, prancing horses, marching bands, beautiful Rose Queens. Some of my favorite floats were Delta Sigma Theta's "Transforming Communities Through Sisterhood and Service" and Kaiser's "Oh, the Healthy Things You Can Do". Why, you couldn't have asked for a more exciting event. No wonder people come from all over the world to see it.
The parade ended before noon, so afterward I headed home to fix my black eyed peas and greens. I knew my New Year was off to a great start when a man (my friend and neighbor) Sonny dropped by to wish me a Happy New Year. I could just hear Mama laughing.
