By Randi Locke
New Year’s Day is a spiritual holiday for African Americans. On December 31st, 1862, both freed and enslaved African Americans waited anxiously for the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect at midnight. This day according to the Smithsonian is known as Watch Night. Though the name is seldom heard, the traditions are still alive from making greens and pork on New Year’s Day to listening to gospel and going to church. These traditions are a staple in the community. For people like myself, it has been hard. I have ADHD and with that comes difficulty with time time management and focus. Causing me to scramble till the very last second to fulfill some of these traditions. While our traditions are rich they can also be a lot for someone with ADHD. Here are some traditions that can curb you from a loop and how to make them work for you.
Cleaning the house new years eve
While cleaning the house before New Year is not solely an African American tradition, its origins are steeped in African Spirituality. In practices like hoodoo, cleaning eliminates negative energy and invites positive energy. This tradition is believed to set the tone for the rest of the year. Unfortunately due to the time constraint, this tradition can be daunting for someone with ADHD. It is believed that if one cleans on New Year’s Day, they could remove people from their lives. Cleaning a whole house in a day sounds daunting. However, cleansing the house does not have to take place in a day. After the chaos of Christmas subsides start cleaning one room at a time. Save the sweeping and mopping for New Year’s Eve. If you cannot fully clean the house for New Year’s Eve, try spiritually cleansing the house by using herbs like sage (avoid white sage) and saying prayers or affirmations.
Foods for prosperity
One of the most notable (and most labor-intensive) of the new years traditions is the food., Each dish has its meaning and purpose. According to The Smithsonian, each dish has ties back to Watch Night. The most common dishes featured are Black-eyed Peas, Collared Greens, cornbread, pork, and fried fish. Black-eyed peas represent good luck and coins, collared greens represent dollar bills, pork comes from the tradition of preparing leftover parts of the pig during slavery, and cornbread represents gold. Black-eyed peas have the longest history out of all Black Eyed Peas were the only dish known across the diaspora. Hailing from West Africa, Black-eyed peas represent wealth and good fortune according to Cuisine Noir. West African Culture believes they warded off spirits because they resembled an eye. One of the most popular ways to cook them is to combine them with rice and grains. This dish is known as Hoppin John and the recipe is derived from the Gullah Geeche. These dishes that are rich in history can also come with lengthy cooking times. As someone who has spent the last few holidays cooking holiday dinners until dark, trying to make dinner and enjoy the holidays is a balancing act. This is where pre-made foods come in handy. Whether ordering a plate from your favorite soul food spot or using jiffy mix, it’s okay to utilize a few shortcuts.
Watch night
Though the term Watch Night is not widely known, its practices are not unfamiliar. Celebrating Watch Night includes attending the New Year’s Eve Church Service. Before the Emancipation Proclamation, it was illegal for seven or more slaves to come together to worship. To continue this tradition, churches will often host services on New Year’s Eve to bring in the New Year. Instead of a traditional sermon, the majority of the service would consist of performances, baptisms, and fellowship. These services can take up to 3 hours. For someone with ADHD, three hours can feel like a lifetime. Instead of giving in to the temptation to scroll on Instagram, here are a couple of ways to enjoy the sermon without growing bored. The first is to bring something small to fidget with. Items like sensory keychains and mini Rubix cubes are perfect to slip into a bag or pocket. Another thing to do is bring a notepad. Write down goals for the year and pair them with scriptures that align with them.
Switch things up.
For people with ADHD sometimes traditions can blur together. The same traditions every year can feel stale for some. Instead of getting rid of these traditions try adding something new. For example, some people go to a movie on New Year’s Day because of the discounted tickets. Others try to expand traditions to include family and friends.
Photo by Stas Knop: https://www.pexels.com/photo/yellow-tri-spinner-fidget-toy-on-blue-tabletop-1330638/
