Did Little New Year Visit You?

             Happy New Year! Most people suffered through 2020 and hope for a better 2021. My thoughts tonight took me back to my childhood and family traditions. My parents started a holiday tradition more than 90 years ago that is still thrilling children five generations later. When my oldest brother was little, he wanted Santa to come again. Santa did not return, but Little New Year came and brought more candy and nuts.

            My oldest sister recently told the family about a time when she chased Little New Year but could never catch him. Our second oldest brother had the children running all over the neighborhood. They would turn a corner, and he would say, “I saw him turn that corner up there.” They would run to that corner and to discover that he was running around another corner. They never did catch Little New Year, but our family knows that he only comes to homes where an empty bowl is left on the porch.

            I continued this tradition with my children, and they are continuing it with their families. However, some of my siblings did not continue the tradition. Tonight, a nephew asked if Little New Year came to any homes. Some of his cousins replied that he had come, and other cousins wanted to know more about the tradition. Another nephew replied that Little New Year had come to his son’s home to leave treats for the fifth generation.

            My parents performed a simple act when they invented the Little New Year tradition of bringing treats. The event has morphed from a few nuts and candies to all kinds of treats and games. I received several pictures tonight of the treats brought by Little New Year to my children and their families. Despite the coronavirus causing people to hunker down at home, my grandchildren had an exciting New Year’s Eve because my parents started a new tradition 90 years ago.

Many little boys and girls have watched for Little New Year, but none of them have caught him. I realized tonight that Little New Year has not visited my home for many years. My daughter reminded me that he stops only at the homes where an empty bowl sits on the porch. What kind of traditions did you enjoy as a child? Have you continued them with your children?