Bayou Heat is set in the swamps of Louisiana that is steeped in local lore and tradition. One of those traditions is eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s day.
In the south people eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s day in the hope of bringing prosperity. There are some who assume the tradition began in the Civil War, but the idea of eating black-eyed peas for good luck at Rosh Hashana is recorded back to the Babylonian Talmud. It was when the first Sephardi Jews arrived in Georgia that the tradition was adopted by non-Jews.
Of course, it could be that during the Civil War when Sherman stripped the countryside of crops, there was nothing left to eat but ‘field peas’ that the practice truly spread throughout the south.
Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme including:
• Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money.
• Cornbread represents gold.
• For the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.
• Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health
• Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some. When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year, unless of course, the recipient swallows the coin, which would be a rather unlucky way to start off the year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM LAURA AND ALEXANDRA
Tell us how you celebrate your New Year’s Day for a chance to win a book of your choice from Laura’s MOTV and Alexandra’s Guardians of Eternity.
Author of the Bestselling Mark of the Vampire series, Laura Wright spent the early years of her life immersed in the worlds of singing, acting and competitive ballroom dancing. But when she started writing, she knew she’d found her true calling. Laura lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband, two children, three dogs, two frogs and two fish. She’s been thrice nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and loves hearing from her readers.
Alexandra Ivy is the New York Times bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity series, the Immortal Rogues series and the Sentinels.
Alexandra graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons.
In case you missed it, Alexandra is giving away winner's choice of one Guardians of Eternity book and Laura is giving away winner's choice of one Mark of the Vampire book. Both books will go to one winner. This is open internationally. Winner will be announced on January 12th. Read our giveaway policy before entering.
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62 Comments:
The hubby and I spent New Years Eve curled up in bed watching tons of stuff from the DVR - I was very sick over the Holidays & was still not completely over it.
Heather ~ Books Books and More Books
We had a snow storm here, so we went to a friend's house, but we were home early :)
My mum, niece, nephew, and I spent the New Year's Eve lighting fireworks, making noise, belting out some songs, and stuffing ourselves with the hearty meal my mum cooked all day. We were missing some family members but we still enjoyed it.
I was watching movies with my boyfriend.
I celebrate whith my family, my dad, mom and kitty bella
We weren't called on to babysit for any of our little grandchildren this year on New Year's Eve so we had a quiet night and a sleep in. That is till the family started all turning up around lunch time!
Irene
This year unfortunately had to work new years eve so just enjoyed sleeping and andgetting to relax
This year my family and I spent New Years with family in Austin, TX. We had a family Christmas New Years day with them. New Years Eve was spent at my Uncle's RV lot by the lake where we watched fireworks, the kids did sparklers and played while the adults had a couple drinks and had a good time.
This year all we did was watch holiday movies on the DVR and snacked all day. It was great to do nothing for a change.
We cook and eat all day hanging out with our friends and family and playing games.
spent the day cleaning and catching up on everything from Christmas. played with the new games the kids got for christmas and got everything ready for school to start back the next day. new years eve is more exciting in our house than new years day... we ended up napping in between everything lol
I spent my New Year´s keeping our dogs calm from the fireworks while my hubby worked. So, Bingo on the TV, red wine and potato chips, =) made for a nice night at home. Just wish my hubby could have been there, too.
Thanks for the giveaway & for keeping in International this time =)
best wishes, Linda
fr_larsson at hotmail dot com
I made lasagna.that was the only tradition of ours that I did this year. other than that we just watched some movies.
Spend my New Years at home watching the ball drop with family
My fiance and I just spent some quality together at home with our beautiful dog, Feisty. It was a day of relaxation. :)
We count down the ball and toast with sparkling cider with my parents and kids been the same for years.
We watched the festivities on tv and then spent the day relaxing.
miztik_rose@yahoo.com
My families New Year's tradition is to eat pork and sour kraut. Not sure what the meaning is... my mom grew up that way and raised us that way. Surprised that we never had the peas one... seeing as my grandmother was from the south, but maybe I should add it ;)
I worked my 2nd job New Years Eve..spent New Years at the movies with friends..Awesome time
I had made BBQ party with my friends. :)
We celebrate with family and lots of food.
New Year's Eve is usully quiet for us as we have two small children, but on New Year's Day the whole family gathers together to celebrate with food, laughter and love.
Samantha van petersom
I spent my New year's eve with my familie and friend whe always spent it at our house and the whole street comes by!! we eat and me and my mom cooks allday long for the evening.. my brother and his friends make a little firework show and they have a DJ table so we have music and drinks, we dance and it's amazing and funn :)
Hi, we spend New Years Eve together as a family playing games, eating pizza and watching movies we got for Christmas :)
Happy New Years,
Lori
lorih824@yahoo.com
This year I just spent it in bed with a bad cold. Perhaps starting bad makes it better later? :)
New Year's Day was spent in the kitchen preparing a crown roast of pork and all the sides. All three sons were here along with the one wife. Also had a sister-in-law over (hubs brother - 53 yr old died of cancer in July).
We had a nice time.
Happy New Year!
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
i stayed at home, we were all sick so resting was the best option
New years day in our house is spent watchin movies and eatin junk food the a family dinner that night, but new years eve the neighbours come around for a drink and we watch the firework displays :) thanks for the great giveaway and i can't wait to read Bayou Heat!
amieesnow@gmail.com
Thanks for the great post! I went to a party, which I kinda regret as there were drama llamas also in attendance!
Depends on what we did the night before if we stayed home and had a quiet night ..then NYDay we take down decorations and put everything away. However if it was a "wild" party night we lie around and recuperate only getting up to find delivery menus for ordering food:)
I celebrate new years day with a good book and my cats
This year I celebrated New Year's day with a friend of mine. It was fun because she shared a little of her Irish heritage with me. I love learning about different cultures and countries so this was so cool. We had an Irish dinner with cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, bread and corned beef. It was delicious!
This new year i spent it between home and the hospital. My grandma is hopitalized again on dec 31
Eating Black Eyed Peas is the way my family spends New Years. I really do not like the taste of them, but it's for good luck.
Laura is a new Author for me but I'd love to read her books. And Alexandra's Guardian's of Eternity series is one of my favorites. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity. I always cook a big Holiday dinner on New Years Day. It's something my Mother did and now my girls do the same.Happy New Year everyone.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
We don't usually do anything special. We start taking Christmas decorations down.
Black eyed peas and collard greens with my grandparents
I don't really have a tradition it always seems like I work that day. Thank you for the giveaway.
Well, it depends. Sometimes I celebrate it with my family at home. Friends come to hang out. This year we gather with my entire family. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, my brother and his girlfriend, my mom. We had a nice time as a family.It's been a while since we reunite and had a party. And of course, fireworks when it's 12 o'clock, with a toast for the new year!
I just stayed home and caught up on my tv shows that I PVRed
My mom, sister and I spent the whole day cooking for dinner, then we have dinner with family.
I just enjoy the day off. :D I don't have any special traditions for the new year, I usually read and relax that day.
We follow the black eye peas and cabbage or greens menu and try to have family in. Thanks for the post and the giveaway. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com
My family and i always spend the day together, hanging out usually in the pool with a few drinks.
I like to stay home and party with friends and family.
Just a quiet day at home with family.
This year we decided to have a traditional New Years dinner with family - pork chops, black eyed peas, rice, etc.
With my girls and my husband watching tv and just enjoying each other .
With my husband and the kids if they manage to stay awake. Lucky for my husband and I they tend to crash by 11.
xstitchdiva at att dot net
Unfortunately I spent New Years Day working :( but besides that sad news I am overjoyed to have this opportunity since I am anxiously awaiting the release of this series. Both authors write some of my favorite series and are amazingly talented. sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com
I stay home and watch television. Tore923@aol.com
Well, the hubby watches football all day! I just hang around the house usually. I do however, cook black eyed peas and hog jowl and cornbread for good luck. Also another superstition that I practice is not washing clothes on that day! Supposedly, if you wash clothes on Jan. 1 you either wash a family member in or out!! Has anyone else ever heard this?? Thanks for the giveaway.
I was born and raised in Detroit, but am Southern by Choice. Hubs and I celebrated New Year's Day the good ole' fashioned way: mixed greens, black-eyed peas and a cake of corn bread. Although, this is a meal we enjoy more than just on New Year's Day.
I did the usual chores around the house, and watched football!
A quiet day, then dinner with family.
This year I visited my Dad in California for Christmas so we had a get-together with family, and being on the west coast we toasted to the New Year at 9pm. Although, the tv was on the wrong channel so we missed the ball dropping, oh well lol.
Thanks for the giveaway!!
Susie
susiebranum (at) ymail (dot) com
I celebrated with friends and familie for the first time ever this year. Black eyed peas are not usual here in Holland, I tried it once last year, and really did not like them. I prefer brown beans.
I hit the stores in the early afternoon and picked up some things I needed for my husbands new lifestyle...Low sodium, low fat! (he was in the hospital until Christmas day with afib and chf..) Spent the rest of the day thanking God that I still had my husband with me for the new year!
Most years, I make a point of fixing black-eyed peas, cornbread and cabbage (having been raised by Southern parents). This year, I was lazy, and we just had leftovers from the night before!
I spent New Years at home with my family and my best friends. In Greece it is the custom to exchange gifts on the New Year instead of Christmas and the presents are delivered by Saint Basil (Santa Claus) in that day.
Thank you for the giveaway!
Artemis
This year was a quiet one at home watching the Twilight Zone marathon on TV. Thanks for the giveaway!
bimmergrlmd at gmail dot com
Black eyed peas, collard greens, ham, and cornbread every year on New Years day with immediate family.
I spent the New Years listening to a friend's band plan at a local club with other friends! Good drinks and great friends it was the best!
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