I was raised with the tradition that you had to have your house clean on New Year's Day - because if you didn't, you house would be dirty all year. We also believed in the "First Foot," a British tradition. If a dark haired man carrying a 'bottle' (of booze) was the first person to cross your threshold on New Year's Day you would have good luck all year. No longer observe either since both parents passed many years ago. Now the only tradition we observe is to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day to bring good luck for the year. I usually make Hoppin John with black eyed peas on New Years.