A New Year's Tradition

When I was growing up, my father had his own New Year’s ritual that, as far as I knew, none of the other families in the neighborhood did.

Each year, just before midnight, my father would go out the back door of the house and walk around to the front door. As soon as the new year had arrived, he’d come in the front door and throw change on the floor, so as to insure prosperity in the year to come.

My own contribution to the celebration was to take my trumpet or French horn out into the front yard and add my sound to that of the neighbors beating pots and pans and setting off fireworks.

May everyone have a happy and prosperous New Year.