Lucky foods for the new year

:Noodles:

In many Asian countries, long noodles are eaten on New Year's Day in order to bring a long life. One catch: You can't break the noodle before it is all in your mouth.

:Pork:

Due to pigs' dining habits, many countries, including Austria, Cuba, and Spain, view pork as a good-luck food. As pigs root for food, they keep their feet planted and push their snouts forward, signifying progress and future properity.

:Lentils:

Thought to resemble coins, lentils are eaten throughout Italy for good fortune in the new year. Plus, the legumes plump (with water) as they cook, symbolizing growing wealth.

:Fish:

In North America, Asia, and Europe, people eat fish to celebrate the new year. In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim forward. Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.

:Greens:

It's no coincidence that this good-luck food is the color of money.[or perhaps the other way around: the dollar is the colour of fresh, abundant greens!] Greens, such as kale, collards, and cabbage, are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day because of their association with wealth and economic prosperity.

:Black Eyed Peas:

A common good luck food in the southern United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, their shape and abundance representing coins. Hoppin' John is the classic Southern New Year's dish.

:Pomegranate:

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries for luck in the new year. [In Greece custom has it to throw a pomegranate on your doorstep, filling your way with its plentiful seeds]

:Citrus:

When the Chinese celebrate New Year's Day, they often set out bowls of oranges and tangerines to promote prosperity. This tradition developed from a play on words: "tangerine" and "orange" sound much like "luck" and "wealth," respectively, in the Chinese language.

:Grapes:

At midnight on New Year's Eve, revelers in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries eat 12 grapes — one for every strike of the clock and month in the year. This custom grew from a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain in 1909, and celebrates the coming of a sweet year.

:Round Cakes and Breads:

Eating round or ring-shaped cakes, pastries, and breads is a popular New Year's tradition in various countries. In Greece, families bake vassilopita, a cake containing a hidden good-luck coin. Italians eat sweet panetonne, Mexicans enjoy the ring-shaped rosca de reyes cake, and the Dutch indulge in puffed, doughnut-like ollie bollen.

:And what not to eat:

Steering clear of "unlucky" foods is just as important as serving the good stuff. You wouldn’t want to ruin someone’s entire year by serving them something as unlucky as chicken, would you? According to many cultures, eating anything with wings is a no-no for New Year’s because it could fly away, taking all your luck. Chicken is especially bad because the bird scratches backwards (unlike the forward-thinking pig), possibly leading to setbacks. Backwards-swimming lobsters are also a bad omen for the same reason. The color white is a symbol of death in the Chinese culture, so avoid eggs, tofu, or white cheese. And above all, don’t clean your plate too thoroughly — many cultures believe that leaving a little leftover food on your plate will usher in a year of plenty.{ Source }and { Source}

 Every ethnic group has its own traditions, its own unique luggage. That is what makes us all so different, so special, so rich and so alike in our desire to bring beauty and meaning to our human experience.

From me to you, a Happy New Year 2010.