This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Put these statements in the right order.

(A) A woman tries on a dress.

(B) A woman buys a hat.

(C) A man buys a dress.

(D) A woman returns a dress to a store.

(E) A man gives his wife a present.

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Once a month, a special post will be published with something related to the given month.  With the start of a new year just around the corner, it seems appropriate to look at a New Year’s tradition of many Americans.

A traditional southern dish is prepared by many families.  It is called “Hoppin’ John,” and is eaten in the southern United States on New Year’s Day.  The dish dates back to the 1800s, and the main ingredients are black-eyes peas (cow peas), rice, and pork (usually ham or bacon).  Additional sides may include collard greens and corn bread.

By preparing and eating this dish, one hopes to experience luck in the year to come.  Some families may eat the dish on New Year’s Eve while most will enjoy it on New Year’s Day.  

Some of the ingredients of “Hoppin’ John” carry symbolic importance.

• Black-eyed peas:  represent coins
• Collard greens:  represent greenbacks (dollars) or cash
• Corn bread:  represents gold
• Pork:  recalls cheap cuts of meat provided to enslaved people

One customary act is to eat all but three of the black-eyed peas on one’s plate.  This will promise a trio of benefits:  luck, wealth, and romance.

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

C, E, A, D, B