What about you—what traditions and/or myths do you have surrounding Christmas and New Year’s?

What my grandma always used to say was: don’t hang laundry between Christmas Eve and Three Kings’ Day, because otherwise you’ll end up hanging your own shroud. Fifty-four years ago, I got into an argument with my grandma over this, because my oldest daughter was born right during that time. I told Grandma, “I can’t just leave those dirty diapers in the diaper pail for over a week—I’ll end up attracting all kinds of vermin.” Wow, she really gave me a lecture—she said that if I was worried, I should just put the diaper pail out in the yard; no one would even notice since I live among farmers. I washed and hung up my baby’s laundry, no matter what Grandma told me back then. And that’s still how I do it today—I hang it out, and if necessary, I’ll wash it a couple more times.
She also told me that on New Year’s Eve, I should wash my wallet in the Main River, because that would bring me lots of money in the coming year. I didn’t do either of those things :-) but it’s interesting how some customs and myths stick around—my youngest daughter still follows what her great-grandmother told her, and she still scolds me just like she used to when she notices I’m doing laundry.

Love, Inge

Haha, I know all about that laundry thing. And I still respect it today! 🤣 I do throw a load in the washing machine every now and then, but only with things that go straight into the dryer—nothing’s allowed to hang out to dry!
And on New Year’s Eve, I always wear red underwear—supposedly it brings good luck—and I leave no stone unturned. 🤣

I listen to my grandma and don’t do any laundry between Christmas and New Year’s.

I’ve heard about washing the wallet in the Main River, too. Haven’t tried it yet 😉.

But on New Year’s Day, we always have sauerkraut so we don’t run out of money. 

I’m familiar with the “hanging up laundry” thing too (though I don’t remember who told me that). I also don’t hang up any laundry between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I’m not superstitious, but I still don’t do it. They say that doing so carries old or bad things over into the New Year, or supposedly someone might take their own life—which already sounds creepy. Who knows.
I’m not familiar with the other customs.

I just hope that we all stay healthy, and that in our later years we’re still able to enjoy the few dreams we have without any health issues, and that some virus doesn’t come along and ruin everything for us again. We only have this one life.

Stay healthy, everyone, and have a great start to the New Year.