In Latin American countries, it is lucky to eat 12 grapes at midnight.
In the south, black-eyed peas and necklaces symbolize the luck and wealth of the new year.
Pomegranates are associated with life and fertility in Middle Eastern culture.
And in South Bay, ABC7 News journalist Kate Larsen discovered some more New Year’s Eve traditions.
“We eat fondue,” Angelika Altuntas explained. She and her family visit the bay area from Germany, where they often spend time with friends for the cheesy European New Year tradition. “This is the special meal for everyone to get together, sitting at the table.”
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“That’s a rib in a bag. There’s a cooking bag, so it’s cooked from the inside. It’s the best meat you’ve ever had.” says Conrad Zanotto, a resident of San Jose.
He says the rib is the best-selling New Year’s Eve tradition in his family’s San Jose market.
But he says that when he grew up, as one of the 13 brothers, it was good luck to have nothing on the table.
“We weren’t sure what we would eat, because we didn’t know if we could afford to eat. So it was basic Italian food: risotto, polenta, chicken cacciatore,” Zanotto said.
At the San José Museum of Children’s Discovery, the children had their best New Year’s Eve snack at the “New Year’s Eve” celebration, where a countdown was made and a ball fell from the disco, followed by confetti.
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In addition to fighting with their children, parents were planning what food to fill their bellies with as they inaugurated the New Year.
“We have a lot of food in our house,” said Tian Lee, who lives in San Mateo, and says his family’s New Year’s Eve meal is dictated by Chinese tradition. “Mushrooms are a fantastic thing and also eating noodles in our culture is the symbol of having a long and prosperous life.”
“The most common dessert we cook is rice pudding,” said Ash Bradhan, whose wife Divya Arora explained, “I think it’s like a good New Year’s Eve start: make something sweet at the home “.
Whatever you choose for your last or first meal of the year, may your 2021 be delicious!
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