New Year’s resolutions, singing Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight or watching the Times Square ball drop. Are any of these traditions ones you find yourself doing year after year? We might not think of these as “traditions.” Maybe because we just barely made it through Thanksgiving and Christmas we don’t want to go labeling New Year’s eve or New Year’s day a holiday. Either way, let’s just look at it as another excuse to spend with our family, to enjoy one another’s company and have fun! One way we can incorporate this into our learning is to look at how different cultures around the world ring in the New Year. Most of us are familiar with the Chinese New Year which is celebrated at a different time than us, at the turn of the lunar solar calendar, which will be celebrated in February this coming year. But what about other cultures? How do they celebrate the New Year?

Well, like most other holidays, many cultures use food to celebrate. In fact, that’s what we do in our house! In honor of my Dutch heritage, I make dutch donuts called Oliebollens. These tasty little fried treats, dipped in powdered sugar don’t last long in our house, no matter how many I choose to make!

Growing up, I would visit my friend’s house down the road whose grandparents were Greek. On New Year’s day my friend’s mom would make yummy cakes called vasilopita. The only thing I remember about this cake was that one special slice would have a quarter hidden inside of it. We would always enjoy eating our cake down to the very last bite to see if we were the lucky one with the coin!

If you want to incorporate New Year’s traditions into your homeschool studies this year, why not try your hand at an international recipe or two that is usually enjoyed on New Year’s around the world.

Here are a few to consider:

  • Holland: Dutch Donuts; Oliebollen
  • Greece: A Greek Cake; Vasilopita
  • Brazil: Lentil Soup
  • Austria: Suckling Pigs and Peppermint Ice-Cream for dessert
  • Spain: Grapes; They eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each month of the upcoming year.
  • Germany: Sauerkraut
  • Turkey: Pomegranate
  • Southern United States: Black-Eyed Peas