Eating certain kinds of food is believed to bring bad luck on New Year's Eve, according to tradition.
Foods to Avoid for Good Luck in the New Year
Superstitions surrounding New Year's Eve often dictate what you should and shouldn't eat to ensure prosperity and good fortune in the coming year. The primary types of food typically avoided are those associated with movement that is not forward or symbolic of being held down.
According to tradition, you should specifically avoid:
- Winged Fowl: This includes birds like turkey or chicken. The belief is that eating something with wings might cause your good luck to "fly away."
- Bottom Feeders: Seafood such as shrimp or catfish fall into this category. Eating creatures that dwell at the bottom might symbolize being held down or not moving forward.
- Seafood that Swims Backward or Side to Side: This includes creatures like lobster or crab. Eating something that moves backward or sideways could imply taking steps backward or not progressing in the new year.
Why These Foods Are Considered Unlucky
These food superstitions stem from various cultural beliefs about movement and progress. Foods that symbolize moving forward (like certain fish that swim only forward) are often encouraged, while those that move backward, sideways, or fly away are seen as detrimental to achieving progress and retaining luck and prosperity in the upcoming year. Avoiding these specific types of poultry and seafood is a way for people to symbolically ensure they start the new year moving forward and not letting their good fortune escape.
