SC - New Year's Foods

[Linda Taylor]

Question for the List:

Does anyone know how (and what time of year) New Year's was celebrated 
foodwise in period? I was getting together our "traditional" collection of 
foods eaten for luck on New Year's Day, and it seemed likely that something 
similar would have been going on in medieval kitchens.

Our lucky foods include pork & sauerkraut from my husband's Pennsylvania 
upbringing, and blackeyed peas/Hoppin'John and collard greens from various 
Dixie connections. I have also heard of lentils, carrot "coins", whole fat 
fishes, and other symbols of abundance (quantity, or richness), wholeness, 
and money (carrot "coins" are probably a bit older than collard 
"greenbacks"!)

I also recall that the New Year used to be considered to start in May. When 
did we switch to January? Was January 1 a special day, or was it part of the 
general Christmas season? Inquiring minds want to know...

Morwyn of Wye, O.L.
Barony of Three Mountains, An Tir
(Portland, OR, USA)
mka Linda Taylor, lmt_inpnw at hotmail.com

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