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New Year in West Virginia is marked by traditional events. Actually the New Year celebration begins with the Appalachian Coal Town Christmas and Light Festival held in Beckley, West Virginia. Lacy's Lights at Fayette Co. Park, Little Beaver State Park, Nicholas County Veterans Memorial Park, Holiday of Lights Festival at Bluefield's Lotito City Park and Tamarack display spectacular lightings.
The main events of the Appalachian Coal Town Christmas include Lights & Decorations, Theatres by West Virginia and Community Church Groups & Choirs, Bonfire with Marshmallow Roasting, Arts, Crafts and Food Vendors, Horse & Buggy Rides, Appearance of Santa Claus, Underground Coal Mine Tours with Light Displays and exhibition at the Youth Museum. Have a glance on the various New Year traditions of West Virginia.
One among the many New Year traditions in West Virginia is the New Year baby. The tradition of using a baby to signify the New Year originated in ancient Greece where a baby was used as a symbol of rebirth. It was the Germans who brought the image of a baby with a New Year's banner to early America.
Spending the New Years day with black-eyed peas, rice, and stewed tomato is customary to the people of West Virginia. They symbolize something like luck, friends, and money. It is believed people of Virginia first started having black-eyed peas during the Civil War when the town experienced scarcity of food while under siege, and the inhabitants were lucky enough to discover cowpeas.
The tradition of taking New Year resolutions dates back to the early Babylonians, whose most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. Modern New Year resolutions include promises to loose weight or quit smoking.
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