Welcome! I hope you’re having fun hopping along with us on this very festive New Year’s Weekend! If you don’t know me, I’m romance author Alanna Coca, also writing erotic romance as Olivia Brynn. I write mostly contemporary single titles, including westerns and interracial short stories, but I do have an historic western thrown in there. If you’d like a sample, I have some Free Reads! They’re on the right sidebar as you scroll, so please pick one up in your favorite format. Visit my websites at your leisure by clicking my names above.
First, I’d like to share this video that Google made. Seriously worth 90 seconds of your time
Now I’ve got a little challenge for you. One of the following ten facts about New Year’s celebrations around the world is NOT true. Can you find it?
1) In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, they eat twelve grapes–one for each lucky month ahead. Are grapes even in season in January?
2) In Denmark, they throw dishes at other people’s front doors. Those who end up with the most broken dishes on their porch are considered lucky, as they have an abundance of loyal friends. I suppose these folks feel pressured to have dinner parties after that, since none of their friends have any dishes left.
3) In Argentina, it’s good luck to start off the new year by stepping forward with your right foot at exactly 12:00 a.m. Tough luck for one-left-legged Argentinians.
4) In Egypt, several villages dress their oldest living male resident in white robes, then parade him down the main road where the rest of the citizens pin watch faces onto his clothing. By the time the elderly man finishes his trek, his clothing could weigh upwards of 300 pounds! I’d hate to see what they do to their youngest inhabitant.
5) Residents of Brazil dress all in white on New Year’s Eve to ward away bad spirits, then gather at the beach to toss flowers into the water to appease the goddess Yemaja. I’m all for living anywhere that I can be on a beach on January first.
6) In Columbia, you’d walk around your neighborhood carrying an empty suitcase to encourage traveling in the new year. Not sure what destiny a full suitcase would bring.
7) The Japanese ring a bell exactly 108 times, and they believe it is good luck to begin the new year laughing. This should be easy for us all!
8) Every year on Christmas Day, people in a small Peruvian village engage in fist fights to settle all of their differences so they can begin the new year with a clean slate. I think this is where Festivus came from.
9) The first Scot to cross a friend or neighbor’s threshold bearing gifts of food, whiskey and money is called “First Footing”. But what would happen if I’m visiting my friend and she’s out visiting someone else?
10) In South Africa, they throw old appliances out of their windows to ring in the new year. Must be a pretty dangerous place for a stroll.
Okay, my challenge to you: Only one of the above ten facts is NOT TRUE! In your comment below, give me the fact number that you think is too outlandish to be true. I’m putting comments on moderation to hide them from the rest of you, because peeking! So don’t worry if your comment doesn’t show, it’s there. Probably.
Everyone who’s right will get one of my handmade Christmas ornaments pictured here »
just in time for you to pack it away for next year! (sorry) So leave your shipping address in the comment, I’ll keep the comments hidden so they won’t show for anyone but me.
Everyone who comments will be put in a drawing for the winner’s choice of a digital backlist title. Good luck, and enjoy! After you comment, click this big purple button to visit the next author’s site. You won’t want to miss this:
Happy New Year!
It’s number 4. My step father went there when he was boy. Everyone wears colored clothing due to the festivities. Even the women who constantly wear black.
You’re right! It was number 4! I’ve got your address, will be sending you an ornament early this week. Thanks for stopping by!
Happy New Year, Alanna/Olivia!
Happy New Year Gem!
Number 10 it just seems to strange. Happy New Year
Number 10 does seem strange, but I read it on the internet!
So yeah. Maybe I should have verified my sources, who knows how true it is. Since the quiz wasn’t very scientific, I’m sending an ornament to anyone who wants one, but you’ll have to email me your mailing address!
I have no idea. lol A few I hear of and others I haven’t. 🙂 So I’ll go with #4 for a guess.
Happy New Year!!
Good guess, Karen! I made #4 up 🙂
I hope you have a very Happy New Year, Alanna, whichever time zone you’re in. 😉
Thanks,Siobhan! As long as I’m not the last one stuck in the old year lol!
Don’t forget to leave your mailing address in the comment if you want an ornament! I’ll delete all personal info, I promise.
That’s why comments aren’t publicly showing, but I can see them. I’ve got a few correct answers already!
#4
These addresses won’t be posted later, correct? Happy new year!
Nope! I’ve edited all the addresses out. #4 is correct! Be looking for your late Christmas present 🙂
#10
Jean, according to some random blog post I read, #10 is correct! I made up #4…but as I said above, who knows if the blogger I read made #10 up, I didn’t verify further. Sooo… I’ll send you an ornament also if you email me your shipping address! alanna@alannacoca.com
Several of these are HUH? You’ve got to be kidding! The least likely is throwing out old appliances in South Africa. Mainly because it wouldn’t be a very old tradition not to mention even more wasteful than broken dishes! And who would like to clean up those doors in Denmark?
Thanks for the fun contest. If I’m right, don’t worry about the ornament, I’m participating in the blog myself and having fun reading everyone else
Mona, I agree. And with my wise-cracking friends, I’d probably get dishes thrown at my door all night long. That would scare the crap out of me! But according to the random blog I read, that’s what they do.
I’m glad you had fun! We should do it again soon 🙂
My guess is #2 =)
If you´re OK with me being International, I´d love to win one of your ornaments <3
Thanks for the giveaway & Happy New Year!
//Linda
Linda, the answer was #4! Even though you weren’t right, I’ll check how much it would cost me. I tried to send a paperback book to Sweden once and they wanted $80. The book only cost me $6!
Sorry I’m so cheap, but we’ll see. I’ll email you whatever I find. Thanks for stopping by! I’m a big fan of Sweden. (do you have a guest room??)
Sorry for not responding sooner, I had no idea this was available here LOL And guest room? Have to check what that is =)
I think it is the last one #10
Aww! It was #4! But if you email me your physical address, I’ll still send you an ornament: alanna@alannacoca.com
Happy New Year!
i think # 4
You got it, Jennifer! I’ll pack up an ornament and send it your way. Thanks for joining in our blog hop!