West Virginians come from a variety of places and cultural backgrounds. It’s a state that’s surprisingly varied in its internal culture, and that’s gone on to feed a series of superstitions and local legends that give the community a bit of color. Depending on where you go in the state, you’ll find different traditions about the best meal to eat in celebration of the New Year. Growing up in West Virginia, locals have a strange way of knowing how the world works, and if you’re looking for a way to herald the new year with a bit of a punch, then you’ll want to make sure you check out these New Year’s superstitions in West Virginia. Sure, some folks may consider these thoughts as simple lore and local legend. But what if they work? Leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and all of your West Virginia superstitions.
In areas with German heritage, you’ll often find a meal of cabbage and pork for the New Year.
WikiMedia Commons/Fir0002/Flagstaffotos Green cabbage leaves symbolize money to come in for the year ahead. The cabbage sometimes takes the form of sauerkraut, with the long shreds of cabbage symbolizing a long life. The pork symbolizes the pig’s tendency to root forward when looking for food, and the idea of moving forward to leave the old year behind. It’s a true West Virginia tradition, born in Europe and carried on stateside.
Spanish immigrants brought with them a custom of eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Day.
WikiMedia Commons/Ianpegg Each grape symbolized a month of luck for the year ahead.
The American South has developed a traditional meal of lucky foods, which is enjoyed in parts of West Virginia.
Flickr / Carmen The meal includes pork to symbolize moving forward, collard greens for green money, black-eyed peas to symbolize coins, and cornbread to represent bars of gold. A solid (and delicious) West Virginia tradition, if there ever was one.
One little West Virginia community has a different tradition all their own.
WikiMedia Commons/David Monniaux The tiny community of Lenox in Preston County has served oyster stew every New Year since 1924. No one is sure why this tradition got started, but it would surely be unlucky to stop now. You can take part in the tradition at the community building at noon on New Year’s Day.
Let’s hope 2020 is a pearl of a new year! Does your family celebrate any of these traditions? Did you experience any when growing up in West Virginia? Or what other New Year’s superstitions in West Virginia do you implement?
WikiMedia Commons/Fir0002/Flagstaffotos
Green cabbage leaves symbolize money to come in for the year ahead. The cabbage sometimes takes the form of sauerkraut, with the long shreds of cabbage symbolizing a long life. The pork symbolizes the pig’s tendency to root forward when looking for food, and the idea of moving forward to leave the old year behind. It’s a true West Virginia tradition, born in Europe and carried on stateside.
WikiMedia Commons/Ianpegg
Each grape symbolized a month of luck for the year ahead.
Flickr / Carmen
The meal includes pork to symbolize moving forward, collard greens for green money, black-eyed peas to symbolize coins, and cornbread to represent bars of gold. A solid (and delicious) West Virginia tradition, if there ever was one.
WikiMedia Commons/David Monniaux
The tiny community of Lenox in Preston County has served oyster stew every New Year since 1924. No one is sure why this tradition got started, but it would surely be unlucky to stop now. You can take part in the tradition at the community building at noon on New Year’s Day.
For more traditions in West Virginia, take a look at these 11 customs that people from other states might not understand.
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New Year’s Superstitions In West Virginia November 09, 2019 Meghan Kraft Are there any other superstitions in West Virginia? West Virginia is tucked deep in Appalachia, which means that there are all sorts of superstitions that hide away in the hills. Some believe that disease and death were caused by a devilish god, others by a conjuring human. Eerie as it is, this spawned the idea that shingles can be cured by rubbing the sores with blood from a black cat’s tail, which is then nailed to the door until the patient is healed. West Virginia is carried by folklore, and it makes for a fascinating state history. What are the most popular traditions in West Virginia? Perhaps some of the most popular traditions in West Virginia are the quietest. Folks from the ol’ WV will refer to their home county as opposed to their town, and deer hunting during Thanksgiving week is an absolute must. Pepperoni rolls began in the West Virginia coal mines and continue to be a state favorite. And June 20th should be celebrated like the birthday it is. It heralds the day West Virginia became a state, after all. What is the most bizarre superstition in West Virginia? One of the most bizarre legends tossed around in West Virginia is that if you point at a graveyard, your finger will rot off. Yep, West Virginian’s learn this eerie superstition at a very young age, and it definitely makes a point. No mocking death, folks. Because death? Will have the very last laugh.
The OIYS Visitor Center
New Year’s Superstitions In West Virginia
November 09, 2019
Meghan Kraft
Are there any other superstitions in West Virginia? West Virginia is tucked deep in Appalachia, which means that there are all sorts of superstitions that hide away in the hills. Some believe that disease and death were caused by a devilish god, others by a conjuring human. Eerie as it is, this spawned the idea that shingles can be cured by rubbing the sores with blood from a black cat’s tail, which is then nailed to the door until the patient is healed. West Virginia is carried by folklore, and it makes for a fascinating state history. What are the most popular traditions in West Virginia? Perhaps some of the most popular traditions in West Virginia are the quietest. Folks from the ol’ WV will refer to their home county as opposed to their town, and deer hunting during Thanksgiving week is an absolute must. Pepperoni rolls began in the West Virginia coal mines and continue to be a state favorite. And June 20th should be celebrated like the birthday it is. It heralds the day West Virginia became a state, after all. What is the most bizarre superstition in West Virginia? One of the most bizarre legends tossed around in West Virginia is that if you point at a graveyard, your finger will rot off. Yep, West Virginian’s learn this eerie superstition at a very young age, and it definitely makes a point. No mocking death, folks. Because death? Will have the very last laugh.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
West Virginia is tucked deep in Appalachia, which means that there are all sorts of superstitions that hide away in the hills. Some believe that disease and death were caused by a devilish god, others by a conjuring human. Eerie as it is, this spawned the idea that shingles can be cured by rubbing the sores with blood from a black cat’s tail, which is then nailed to the door until the patient is healed. West Virginia is carried by folklore, and it makes for a fascinating state history.
What are the most popular traditions in West Virginia?
Perhaps some of the most popular traditions in West Virginia are the quietest. Folks from the ol’ WV will refer to their home county as opposed to their town, and deer hunting during Thanksgiving week is an absolute must. Pepperoni rolls began in the West Virginia coal mines and continue to be a state favorite. And June 20th should be celebrated like the birthday it is. It heralds the day West Virginia became a state, after all.
What is the most bizarre superstition in West Virginia?
One of the most bizarre legends tossed around in West Virginia is that if you point at a graveyard, your finger will rot off. Yep, West Virginian’s learn this eerie superstition at a very young age, and it definitely makes a point. No mocking death, folks. Because death? Will have the very last laugh.
