As long as I can remember My Mom always made a huge pot of black eyed peas on New Year’s Eve Day. I remember one New Year Eve Party where my mom must have had 20 spoons in her hand and a pot of black eyes peas in the other and making everyone eat a minimum of a spoonful. She said, "If you don't eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, you'll have bad luck all year!" A few guests would just eat a single black-eyed pea while pinching their nose, just to satisfy my Mom’s wishes.
Not only is it a tradition in the Abston household but it is a tradition in the American South to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. In the South it is said that black-eyed peas symbolize good luck and prosperity. Some believe that the black-eyed peas represent the "coins," while the winter greens they're often served with represent the "dollars." Eating them together on New Year's Day is supposed to guarantee many of both in the year to come. Others believe more generally that, like the peas swelling as they cook, the person eating them will swell with good fortune.
For myself and my entire family we have taken Mom’s advice about eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day very seriously! We all make sure to take advantage of good luck for the coming year. A New Year's Day doesn’t pass without us eating a big bowl of black eyed peas over sticky rice. So, my advice to all my family and friends is for everyone takes advantage of this limited window of opportunity to lock in a year's worth of good luck!
