Coins to Ensure a Wealthy New Year

As we prepare for the coming of 2013, many of us have probably prepared coins to be thrown inside the home to bring wealth to the household. Many Filipinos also believe that coins, along with paper money, should be jingled inside the pocket as the clock strikes midnight to ensure good luck. Here are some of the coins I have to welcome the New Year.

Fruits for a Fruitful New Year

Filipinos celebrate the coming of the New Year by filling their tables with food for the media noche or midnight meal. It is recommended that there are 12 different round fruits to represent prosperity in each of the coming year's 12 months.

When it comes to completing the fruit list, we practice flexibility in quantity - the number 12 may be exceeded. Following is a picture of the fruits we served on a bilao and a clay tray.

Toy Guns to Welcome the New Year

A few hours from now we will welcome 2013. Noisemaking and revelry is a traditional part of Filipinos' celebration with the belief that the noises would scare evil spirits away. With this in mind, the New Year will be started auspiciously.

Considering the damage brought by firecrackers, it is suggested to use horns or play loud music. In our household, we have toy guns that will produce noise loud enough to contribute to the auditory blast.

The plastic toy gun at the left portion of the picture is labelled "KG-9 PERFORMANCE COMBAT AMMO." Marketed as a "realistic sound blaster," actuating the trigger will produce a "loud rata-tat." On the other hand, the wooden toy gun at the right portion of the picture probably figured in many Filipinos' childhood memories. The protruding portion near the butt is cranked to generate the characteristic sound.