New year's day
 

We will be in London on New Year's Day. What can we expect in terms of closed businesses? What do the British do on New Year's Day? We Americans eat Black-Eyed Peas and watch football on the TV! Do you think Markets will be open? Borough in particular. I think most museums will be open.

I am getting so excited about this trip!

Can;t comment on Paris - but have never heard of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day - or at any other time of year for that matter. Is this some sort of regional festival?

I believe the black-eyed peas tradition is a Southern (Dixie) thing

http://www.londontown.com/London/New_Years_Day_Dining

I love this site, it is great for trip planning.
There is a Parade on New Years Day. Do not count on stores being open and a lot of restaurants are closed too.
I hate black eyed peas! They make my teeth feel gritty :(

What do we do on New Year's Day?

Many of us nurse sore heads, then buy up the contents of out-of-town box stores, which typically don't open till late.

But, as I suspect is really the case in the US though no-one ever dares admit it (do 300 million people really watch TV football at once? In fact do ratings ever get higher than 15% of the population?), we're a nation comprised of individuals and, bar sleeping, there is no one activity that more than a handful of the population will ever be engaging in at one time.

Most museums are closed. There is a parade in Central London, designed to get us to come in and shop (larger shops open later as well: sometimes not till midday). Almost all of us resist the invitation and most reports of the parade explain why. Virtually all ethnic restaurants are open, and most smaller shops outside the tourist ghettoes are closed. The day is a public holiday, as well being a Saturday, so most ordinary businesses are closed.

Precise details of what is actually on change from year to year. The Christmas/New Year edition of Time Out gives pretty comprehensive listings, and your plans really should stay very flexible till you've got a copy of this.

The Borough Market website implies (but doesn't state) that it's open. But it also implies it's open on Christmas Day, which I can't believe. I can, however, easily believe they've just worded their site sloppily. Check with the management on [email protected]

>.. have never heard of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day

Go to http://members.aol.com/RSRICHMOND/hoppingjohn.html
and you will be enlightened.

In the south on New Year's Day we eat black eyed peas for luck and greens for money during the coming year. This year we'll be in north east Wales and we have tickets to a Cinderella panto, don't know what we'll eat.

I HATE blackeyed peas...its like having a mouthful of beebees... See Scarlets' post above. That said, I know that a big pot full is supposed to welcome largesse and abundance... I compromise with split pea soup made with the holiday ham bone.
And not all American's watch football..(snoooze...) I love the day to get mushy, retrospective, and read

McMom? Have a Happy New Year! You're lucky.

To all the UKer's... what are the food traditions?

As for the parade, when i was there on NY Day 2003 it was the first or second year of it - and they had invited many American band groups, etc., trying to make it a Rose Parade type thing. I didn't get up in time to see it but the papers the next day scorned it, saying there were more participants than viewers! I went to some museums i think and it seemed like a normal Sunday. Take the British Eye if nothing else to do, that will be open. That year Mayor 'Red' Ken also cancelled New Years Eve festivities in central London, or de-emphasized them and advised people NOT to come into central London that night. I saw on tele the usual gathering at Big Ben, again looked subdued. Papers the next day were lamenting the fact that London celebrated NY Eve with a whimper, unlike robust celebrations in Paris, etc. and especially in Edinburgh, the Hog-a-mony (?) exuberance where thousands jam the streets and bands play, etc.

Food traditions for New Year's Day? For a lot of people, Alka Seltzer.

Otherwise, there may well be some families where the traditional greeting for New Year's Day lunch is 'Haven't we got rid of that bloody turkey yet?' or 'Not another mince pie - please'.

And there will be some where there is a grim-faced resolve to start The Diet. How long it lasts is anybody's guess.

"We Americans eat Black-Eyed Peas" - is it any wonder we get crazy ideas about other countries when an American can make such a generalization about their home country? I dare say not more than 20% of Americans eat (or have ever eaten) black eyed peas.

Sort of like saying all Brits eat black pudding on New Years . . . . . .

As some of the others say - treat Jan. 1st as a sort of quiet Sunday. Some things/sites will be open and many will be closed. You will find something to do - but that week's Time Out will give you the best info.

I think that as an American, I am free to generalize about Americans. Most people do generalize based on their personal experiences. My family is from the South, hence my generalization.

WHy must a light-hearted statement generate such a response from you. This is a friendly board. I was trying to be friendly.

We eat black-eyed peas and put a shiny new dime in the bowl. The one who scoops it up is supposed to have good luck the whole year. Just be careful you don't crack a tooth on it.

Basically wake up take aspirin and whatever else we can stomach - head to my cozy local pub and have some "hair of the dog" - a decent meal - it's pretty low key and i try to explain American football as we watch some on satellite tele..

mcmomx4,

I'll be in London on New Year's Day too...and you've reminded me to bring my own "black eyes" (my U.S. southern relatives would never forgive me if I abandoned the tradition).

But on New Years Day, I'm skipping the Americanized London Parade and taking a day trip out of town.

As for New Year's Eve, just a follow-up to confirm that the fireworks at the London Eye seem to be "on". Also, there will be large TV screens set up in Trafalagar Square and Parliament Square to show a New Year's countdown (and to project video images of the fireworks that "live" just a short distance away).

David White
[email protected]

er....

project video images of the fireworks that ARE "live"...

mcmomx4, Hello!!! It seems to me there are a lot of posters ready to argue about anything and everything lately.
Don't take it personal.

I was born and raised in California and have lived here all my life so to my knowledge have never eaten a black eye pea. Or if I did I did not know it.

But I have known many families from the south that moved to California and always have black eyed peas for NY Days. Isn't it sort of a "good luck" thing? That was my impression anyway.

America is so large and so diverse that I guess the problem is saying "we Americans". Probably better to just say our family, or our part of the US or something like that.

Very typical among Mexicans and now nonMexicans to have tamales on Christmas Eve. This started in California many years ago because of the Mexican immigration to California. But NO, not all Californian's for sure, not the majority certainly.

BTW, having a London born grandmother we always had primerib, Yorkshire pudding and plum pudding for Christmas dinner. Not the typical Christmas dinner for sure.

This is what, IMHO, makes America so great. All the different customs brought from all over the world to our beautiful melting pot.

I can imagine how excited you will be to be spending New Years in London. Lucky you! Have a beautiful trip and wishes for a happy holiday season.

I also don't like black-eyed peas. In fact as a child my mother would try to bribe me by offering $1 per pea if I would eat them. I would only eat 3 and was quite happy to get $3...I would eat more now if I were to be offered $1 again. Mom and Dad are no longer around to make the offer and my husband justs thinks I was stupid not to eat more when I was a child and he definitely would not offer me any money to eat something he likes.

Ack! I was raised in NC and black eyed peas were awful to me. I have no wish to taste one again.
But my grandmother, who was born here (US)of English parents, had Plum pudding every Christmas and made scones and tea for me every afternoon.
That is New Years food to me :)

Oh Scarlett, did you like plum pudding. I sure did! Have not had it in years. I do not like tea though. But plum pudding, yum!

And lovlondon, you were quite lucky. I would not eat just regular peas. My adorable uncle one night at dinner offered me 50 cents for every pea I ate. I happened to look up and see my dear Dad looking at me and being a smart youngster knew if I took my uncle up on his fantastic offer I was stuck eating peas the rest of my life. So declined. No mention again of my ever eating peas.

Than in Italy, had risotto with peas (Veneto). Thought I had died and gone to heaven. Wish uncle had been around to pay me the 50 cents per pea. And to this day that is the only place I eat peas (in risotto of course).

Aren't taste buds funny? Still do not know whether or not I have ever eaten black eyed peas. Guess not. Would I have known?

Yes, LoveItaly, they are little beige beans with a black spot on them.
I did like plum pudding. :)

OK Scarlett, beige with black spots. Am sure I have never eaten that. Sounds like an insect! LOL

My family will be in London for New Years parade.We're from Ohio,and son is in a marching band thats participating in the parade.I just wanted to say,that the group we're with is very excited about coming to London.Watch out,because our group alone is about 450 strong-between the band,chaperones,local dignitaries,parents. I feel from reading some posts the parade isnt a big deal.But our group is excited.It is such a privelidgeto be invited.Anyway,sorry.
Where would anyone suggest doing New Years Eve,family friendly? We'll be staying at Thistle Kennsington GArdens hotel. Any other suggestions regarding things to see,besides the obvious,would be helpful.Are the flea markets in Camden/Notting Hill worth checking out?

<i>&quot;We Americans eat Black-Eyed Peas and watch football on the TV!&quot;</i>

I knew that had to be a southern thing - my dad is from Alabama and my mom is from Ohio. Dad is the only one in the family who likes black-eyed peas, and since he doesn't cook, he rarely gets them. Our New Year's traditions include pork and sauerkraut (for good luck - must be a German heritage thing) and watching the Rose Parade on TV. :)

It should be fun experiencing a different holiday tradition when in London. No matter what you end up seeing, doing, eating, it will be a nice memory on future New Year's Days. Have a great trip!

ttt

I don't think we have any national New Year's Day traditions in the UK.

If anything, it's the last day of the holiday season when it may be customary to call round at people's houses to wish them happy new year, but I think people are just as likely to:

(a) spend the whole day fighting the crowds in Ikea as you can never have too much shelving
(b) watching football, live in the freezing cold or on telly in a nice cozy pub (soccer, naturally)
(c) hitting the 'January' sales only to discover that all the best stuff went on Boxing Day, when the January sales really started.
(d) lie under a duvet cover on the sofa, nursing a hangover, watching something like the Sound of Music or a James Bond film, or some kind of &quot;Review of the Year' programme
(e) meeting friends down the pub for a new year drink (but only if (d) doesn't apply).
(f) eating cold turkey, or a roast dinner if Mum can be bothered to cook, or
(g) having a take away curry or chinese because (1) Mum can't be bothered to cook and (2) because we're fed up with roast dinners and cold turkey.

There is a 10k race at 11 am in the north east area of Hyde Park. There's isn't any race day registration, but runners will always appreciate more cheering!

There also may be ice sakating rinks open.

You can buy black eyed peas in the UK. We know rice and peas as a West Indian dish.

Black eyed peas are not eaten by many Londoners, we tend to go for jellied eels with liquor.

As an ex-Londoner, I'd be willing to bet more Londoners have eaten black eyed peas than have eaten jellied eels !!

I think most British people would start with the dried beans, though, rather than canned. And unless of West Indian origin, we call them black eyed beans.