I’m curious. Do you and your family eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day? It’s been a tradition in my family for as long as I remember. As a kid, I wasn’t all that impressed. 😉 I remember my mom adding some kind of dumplings on top of the sauerkraut. That was the only part I wanted to eat. But now I enjoy sauerkraut although I need mashed potatoes too. Today we had pork sausage, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes for lunch.
Did you ever wonder why people eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day? I looked it up today so in case you are curious too, here’s why: It seems Germans have been eating sauerkraut and pork on New Year’s Day for many generations and its because they believed it would bring them good luck. The legend says that they ate pork because pigs look forward when they root for their food while chickens and turkeys scratch around backwards. In a similar way, the Germans were looking forward to the new year. They also wished each other as many riches as there are shreds of cabbage in sauerkraut. So when some Germans immigrated to Ohio and Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries, they brought their traditions with them. (I found these interesting facts at wildbrine.com.) Some of my ancestors were German and we live in Ohio so I guess that’s why we enjoy pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day.
Whatever you had to eat today, I’m wishing you the best for 2021! Thanks for being with me in 2020! Stay tuned for more fun times ahead!
Love and hugs, everybody!
Anita
The Kids Niche 