Alyice on January 1st, 2010

Thanks For New Year Tradition

Call me a fuddy-dud, but for as long as I can remember, my New Year’s Eve has consisted of Dick Clark’s Dropping of the Ball and New Year’s Day has started with The Tournament of Roses Parade.

When I was a little girl, my mother and I would watch the parade together. It was the one time of year I truly felt a bond with her; it was the one time of year that was just about “me and her”. She’d wake up early to make a New Year’s Day meal which often consisted of red kidney beans and hammock with corn bread, and I’d sit in front of the television anxiously awaiting the start of the parade.

Since my mom worked for American Honda, at the time, she’d build up the excitement by having me keep an eye out for their float. She’d tell me what she learned about the float, and what to expect. During the parade, we’d talk about what we liked best about each float, and whether or not we liked last year’s float better; then we’d do our own voting on which float we thought was the best and why we’d rate it the best.

After the parade ended, we’d head over to Roz’s house (her best friend at the time) for homemade collard greens, black-eyed peas, and pork. Black-eyed peas were a tradition in Roz’s house as they were said to bring prosperity and good luck into the New Year. What I loved about going to Roz’s house, was the camaraderie amongst friends—her home was always filled with conversation, laughter, and good food.

When we moved out of the projects, we continued the tradition of watching the parade together, and sharing a meal of beans and cornbread, though we never got into cooking collard greens and black-eyed peas as my mom wasn’t fond of the fowl smell that often came from cooking collard greens.

Fast forward a few years. Married, with a family of my own, I was excited to carry over the tradition. Unfortunately, my husband and children just never “got it”. They’d rather sleep in than watch a bunch of “boring flower covered floats” with “lame announcers trying to make lame jokes”. And though you can now buy yummy collard greens in a can—without the smell—they’ve never been fond of collard greens or black-eyed peas. In fact, I’m lucky I can get them to watch Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve celebration—which my daughter enjoys due to all the entertainment.

That being said, we found a compromise. New Year’s Eve is about staying home, playing board games, and bringing in the New Year as a family—with Dick Clark on the sideline. New Year’s Day is about letting the kids sleep in while I watch the parade, then letting hubby watch a bit of football before we all head out to the local theatre to watch one of the year’s newest films. And if I’m lucky, we get in a few card games, like Pinochle, Poker, and Solitaire Frenzy.

It’s sad that they don’t like the parade. It’s not as fun watching it alone, and though mom and I tried to watch the parade together, via the phone, it just wasn’t the same. Still, I can’t “not watch” the parade. It’s a tradition—even if I have to do it alone. And while some of the magic has disappeared since I was a child, I still get a kick out of seeing what they come up with year after year.

Did you know that the first Tournament of Roses Parade took place in 1890, along a 5.5 mile stretch on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, with horse drawn carriages covered with flowers? It still amazes me that the first float started out without any computerized gimmicks, just a love of flowers. Or that the parade has continued to grow and prosper all these years and is now over 100 years old.

Today the parade includes marching bands from around the globe, equestrians, and spectacular computerized/mechanical floats covered in exotic natural materials. The festivities include a pre-parade equestrian showcase, a post-season college football game, a one-day post-parade viewing of the floats, and the official judging of the floats. Each float is judged on creativity, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, dramatic impact, and floral craftsmanship and every inch of the float must be covered with all-natural material— bark, flowers, nuts, plants, seaweed, vegetables, etc.

Though I was lucky enough to go behind the scenes one year and put a few flowers on a float, I’ve never actually seen the parade in person. One year, I’d like to do that. But for now, I’m quite content with watching it on the television, in the warmth of my own home, surrounded by those who matter most.

What are your family traditions?

Give thanks…

P.S.

May this year bring you contentment, joy, happiness, good health, and yes, prosperity.

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AlyiceEdrich.com
I'm a freelance writer, mixed media artist, SMVA, and the owner of The Dabbling Mum.

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