Whether traditional black-eyed peas are your favorite, or perhaps a fabulous concoction of “hoppin John”, there is no shortage of stories or history to mull over in tracing back the New Year’s Day superstition. Prosperity, health, luck.. it sometimes depends on where you were raised or your own family traditions which linger in the background of this topic. If you aren’t familiar with Scotland’s “first foot” tradition, it will give you cause as to whether you want to open the front door on the first day of January. Interesting also that black-eyed peas are symbolic for luck and prosperity because they swell when they cook.. so as they become larger, it represents an increase in fortune or luck for the new year. In the Carolinas where the Gullah and Geechee cultures play a strong influence, the black-eyed peas are joined with rice and other ingredients to become hoppin John which I personally can’t get enough of! Explore the background of this annual tradition and decide how you want to prepare your dish this year – or create a new family tradition starting now.. it’s never too late to start a new one!