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When you throw a New Year’s Eve party, you’ll want to have festive foods. But did you know that some cultures shy away from certain foods on New Year’s Eve and believe they will bring bad luck? If you have many ethnicities in your groups of friends, you might want to know what not to serve in addition to what’s best to serve.

What Not to Serve

If you want to keep the superstitious friends in your crowd happy, don’t serve lobster. Lobsters crawl backwards and that can mean setbacks in the New Year for those who believe foods can alter fate. Also avoid serving chicken or any other bird so that any luck that does come your way won’t fly out the window. You may laugh at such silliness, but there are many cultures that still believe in traditions like these. And don’t expect friends of certain ethnicities to clean their plates. It’s considered bad luck to eat every morsel on your plate on New Year’s Eve. If you leave food on the table, either on your plate or canned foods, it’s certain to mean a year to come filled with plenty.

Serve these Happy Foods

Greens

Now that you know what not to serve, turn your attention to planning a menu that will make everyone feel happy and lucky. Go for greens like collard greens or Swiss chard. Green means money, so these leafy varieties are thought to bring luck.

Beans

Black eyed peas and lentils are two of the mainstays of New Year’s good fortune seekers. Many cultures fear that if they don’t eat at least a small scoop of beans, the New Year will be dismal. So get that crock pot out.

Pork

You can’t leave pork out of a New Year’s menu. In many Mediterranean cultures, pork is the symbol of wealth and good fortune. Since pigs push their food, it’s thought that good luck will be pushed your way if you eat pork. Many cultures even put pig statues and candy pigs on their tables at New Year’s. Pork is also very fatty, so fat wallets are thought to be brought on by eating this rich meat.

Fish

Include fish in your New Year’s buffet and you’ll keep the good fortune rolling. Because fish have so many eggs, caviar is thought to bring fertility. If you’d rather not encourage a larger family, eat shrimp or sardines which are as plentiful in the sea as your good luck will be.

Coin Cakes

Many ethnicities bake cakes that have small coins or trinkets hidden in them. The one who finds the coin in his slice gets a heaping helping of luck in the New Year. Just be sure you don’t swallow your good fortune!

If you don’t care to serve traditional New Year’s Eve fare, you can let your party’s theme dictate the food menu. If you’re going casual, have appetizers like bacon wrapped scallops (but you still may have good luck from the pork and fish), puff pastries, cocktail wieners, and little quiches. You can now go to the big box warehouse stores and purchase entire appetizer menus by the box. All you have to do is heat up the delicious goodies before the party. No more running from store to store for hard to find appetizers. They are all there in one place. And if you want to make New Year cookies, well that's okay too.

Related Articles:

• New Year's Eve Celebrations Around the World
• New Year's Resolution Ideas
• New Year Football Games and Betting Statistics
• Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration

Not planning on going out on the town this New Year’s Eve? You’re not alone. Many couples are choosing to stay home in order to save money. But you might want to stay home for other reasons too. Why not stay home this year and start a new tradition with the kids? New Year’s Eve just may turn out to be everyone’s favorite holiday.

Create your own excitement by setting up a festive atmosphere. You don’t have to go to Times Square to have a rockin’ good time. Play music that the kids choose or plug their mp3 players into a set of speakers so they can share their playlists. Set out bowls of fun foods like popcorn, peanuts, candies chips, and other New Year's Eve treats.

Play board games. There’s nothing like having mom and dad all to yourself when you’re a kid. The children will love a night of pure silliness when mom and dad don’t have to work or tend to adult tasks like bill paying. Make it a night to just relax and unwind with Monopoly or your family’s other game closet contents. Pull out those games you haven’t played in years and see how much fun it is to be a kid again.

Bring out the mock champagne. Sparkling apple juice in champagne flutes can make the kids feel like they are part of a grown up celebration. Serve appetizers like pigs in a blanket, mini corn dogs, fondue or other fun finger foods. Set everything out as a buffet so you can all grab a bite while playing games.

Learn how to play those Wii games that your kids are always playing. You may never have given them a second glance but they are really fun for adults as well as children. And showing an interest in what your kids like will go a long way towards fostering a more peaceful home life. Let them choose the games and watch as the hilarity ensues when mom or dad tries to whack a golf ball or return a ping pong serve in the virtual world. Offer prizes for the champions of the games. It’s fun to have something to work toward. Make up coupons good for one get out of bedtime free in the New Year or a pass on doing the dishes. Kids will love it and it costs you nothing.

Break out the party hats and streamers. Grab some noisemakers from the dollar store and let kids stay up to ring in the New Year. Sleep in sleeping bags in front of the fire or pull out cots or airbeds and have a campout in the living room. Kids will love the change in daily routine and will remember the night as very special.

You can have a New Year’s Eve celebration at home that rivals those out there in the city. You won’t be shivering out there in the cold, won’t have to pay enormously overpriced New Year’s dinner bills, and you will save on taxi fare, drinks and clothing, too.

Whether you live in the country or the city, you can make it a hip and happening New Year at your house. It’s all in the way you present it. Include the kids, no matter how old they are. Teens and tweens often pretend they want to be left alone, but they’re secretly glad to be asked to join in the fun.

Go all out this year and plan a New Year’s Eve party that features tasty treats that guests will remember well into the New Year. Try some different things as this is the most festive night of the year. Here are some ideas on how to present a rockin’ good time at the buffet line.

Apple Cider-Cheddar Fondue (Courtesy of the American Dairy Association)

4 cups (about 1 pound) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded

1 teaspoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1-1/4 cups sparkling apple cider

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For dipping: Bite-size pieces of cooked chicken, pork sausages, waffle pieces, pizzelles (thin Italian cookies), strudel, apple wedges, cubes of cheddar cheese.

In a medium-size bowl, toss the cheese with the cornstarch.

In a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the cider and lemon juice over medium heat until barely simmering. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until the cheese is melted before adding more. When all the cheese has been added, stir in the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper, to taste. Cook over low heat until thickened about 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer fondue to an enamel or ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over a fondue burner. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 servings.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates (Courtesy of Pork: The Other White Meat)

12 slices bacon

24 pitted dates

Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise. Place bacon on paper toweling on a microwave-safe plate; cover with another paper towel. Microwave on high 4 minutes.

Roll up each date in a piece of bacon, place bacon-wrapped dates on clean toweling on microwave-safe plate; cover with another paper towel. Microwave on high 2 minutes, until bacon is crisp.

Makes 24 appetizers.

Zesty Shrimp Spread (courtesy of Cooksrecipes.com)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (9.75-ounce) jar shrimp sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound cooked shrimp, finely chopped

Assorted crackers

Beat cream cheese, shrimp sauce, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper in small mixing bowl until creamy. Stir in shrimp.

Transfer to serving dish. Cover; refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with crackers.

Makes 4 cups.

Swiss and Parmesan Bruschetta (Courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board)

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Wisconsin Swiss cheese

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Wisconsin Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 loaf French bread

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except bread; stir to blend.

Slice French bread into 1/2 inch slices; toast.

Spread with cheese mixture.

Broil 4 to 5 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Serve warm.

Makes 12 servings.

Dilled Cheese Squares (Courtesy of the American Dairy Association)

16 ounces Gouda cheese (4 cups shredded)

3 large eggs (beaten)

1/4 chopped red pepper and green onion

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl; pour into ungreased 8-inch square baking pan.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) until puffed and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool several minutes; cut into squares.

Makes 16 squares.

It isn’t hard to create an exciting arrangement of appetizers. Be sure to include several cocktail options as well as non-alcoholic beverage choices.

Can you believe that "2100" is just around the corner? How fast the years go by!

New Year's Day is one of the oldest and most widely celebrated holidays in the world. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon after the first day of spring. The beginning of spring was a very logical time to start a new year. The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days and each day had its own particular schedule of celebration.

The Romans continued to observe the New Year in early March but their calendar was continually changed by various emperors. Soon the calendar became out of synchronization with the sun. In 153 BC, the Roman senate declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year in order to set the calendar right. However, the calendar continued to be tampered with until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established the Julian calendar. Once again, January 1 was established as the New Year. January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was always shown as having two heads. He looked back to the last year and forward to the new one.Today, the majority of people begin the celebrations on the night before New Year's Day. Many people hold parties and festivities which last well into the night and early morning hours of New Year's Day. It is tradition to greet the New Year at midnight and celebrate the first minutes of the year accompanied by family and friends. Horns are blown at midnight, people hug and kiss to begin the New Year and drink a toast to the year ahead.

The time of new beginnings and a New Year for most people begin with making New Year's resolutions, which is a way of wishing away the past in exchange for hopes and changes of the future. Many of us look over our lives and ourselves and resolve to make changes. Some of us will succeed, some of us will fail, and some of us will never move beyond the planning stage.

Some of the top New Year's resolutions are:

• Lose weight.
• Exercise.
• Spend more time with family and friends.
• Quit a bad habit.
• Enjoy life to the fullest.
• Manage finances better.
• Eat healthier

In a matter of a few weeks another year will be coming to a close. For some people it is a blessing and for others it is a sad occasion. However, a new year and new beginnings are upon us. Let us resolve to make ourselves the best we can be and let's leave Father Time in the past!

Celebrate new beginnings New Year gift baskets to friends and family. We have gifts for any reason and season! In the New Year ahead, you can be assured that we have something for everyone on your gift-giving list and any occasion such as birthdays, new baby, wedding and anniversary, and special holidays.