Our New Year&#39;s Eve Traditions

Hello Everyone!!! HAPPY 2014!

I hope you all had a wonderful celebration wether you spent it quietly, or not, with the family or with friends, I hope you're all off to a great start!

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you some of the traditions (or superstitions) our family does on \NEW YEAR's EVE! Actually this is the "typical FILIPINO-WAY" of getting ready for the new year.

1) CLEAN THE HOUSE & EMPTY ALL THE TRASH & LAUNDRY

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Doesn't sound like New Year's Eve fun right?
Well, we believe that we have to start the year with a clean slate -literally too.

That way, the house will be clean and be welcoming to good vibes throughout the year!

And yes, I do clean like a mad-woman before new year's eve, and since this year, we came back from vacation, I had to do it on the day itself!
Taxing yes, but so worth it I think.
Come to think of it, I think I clean my house more at this time of year than in Spring time!

2) MAKE SURE ALL YOUR FOOD SUPPLY IS WELL STOCKED AND FULL

Again, for a bountiful-filled-up year, all my food supplies are fully stocked up to the brim. All bottled containers are re-filled full and rice, which is a primary food staple in our home, abounds.

3) 13 DIFFERENT FRUITS ON THE TABLE

Contrary to popular belief here, 13 is actually a lucky number in Chinese!
The number 13 when pronounced in Mandarin signifies VIBRANCE and ASSURED GROWTH, definitely things you want for your year!
Hence, come new year, there has to be 13 different kinds of round fruits on the table!

I only had 7 different kinds, because I thought it was just 7, but round things mean wealth and prosperity!

4) PLACE COINS ON ALL THE DOORS & WINDOWS OF THE HOME

This is again for good luck & prosperity, for money to come into the home all year as well!

As per our family's tradition, my kids do this task and place all the coins all around the house!

5)KEEPING ALL THE LIGHTS INSIDE THE HOME ON COME NEW YEARS EVE

This is said to ward off evil spirits and for a BRIGHT year ahead!

6) WEARING POLKA DOTS ON NEW YEARS EVE

Luckily we have a lot of great options nowadays

Thank God for Sequins and this has been a staple for me come new year's eve!
For the boys, they wear lots of beads! Again Round/Circle = GOOD FORTUNE

7) JIGGLING COINS IN YOUR POCKET AS SOON AS MIDNIGHT STRIKES = MORE MONEY FOR THE NEW YEAR

8) FOR THE KIDS , JUMPING AT MIDNIGHT TO BE TALLER!

It's so fun to do too even for adults!

9) PLENTY OF NOISE MAKERS AND FIRE WORKS

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We do this not just for fun, but also with the belief that loud noises also ward of "evil spirits" & vibes from our home. So back in the Philippines, individual households have their own sets of lots of fireworks!!! Can you just imagine the noise and craziness?!!!

This year, we celebrated at our friend's house the Columbian way!

Our handsome Colombian hosts - Ricardo & Alex

They too had their own traditions for New Year's eve, such as....

1) Running around the block with your suitcase so that you'd be traveling a lot for the year.

2) Eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight making a wish for each grape

3) Burning your New year's resolution before midnight so that they will come true!

4) Wearing Yellow underwear for good luck- don't ask me why, it's just so!

Their home was perfect for the party since all their gorgeous trees were still up...