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Bobbing for apples is a tradition based on love

All of the good holidays have traditions that we can look forward to. Whether it’s fireworks on the Fourth of July or turkey on Thanksgiving, every tradition has to start somewhere, and as it turns out, even Halloween’s bobbing for apples has a history. This year, as you plunge your head into a cold bucket of water in attempt to bite through the flesh of an apple, consider that the origins of this bizarre tradition are nearly 2,000 years old. Apples were once considered a symbol of love. In Scotland, the legend goes, a maiden would sit alone in a room and eat an apple in front of a mirror, whereupon the face of her husband would appear. In Montenegro, if a bride successfully threw an apple on the roof of her husband’s house, their union, it is said, would be blessed with children. In Greek mythology, Paris was tasked…

17 Lucky New Year’s Traditions from Around the World

This New Year’s Eve people all around the world will clink glasses and toast to the coming year. In the U.S., Midwesterners will cook pork and sauerkraut, while Southerners will feast on black-eyed peas and collard greens. Traditions like these vary around the world, but all have one thing in common — wishes for good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Here are some other fun ways folks will hope to find good fortune with the turn of the calendar. Spain: Grapes In Spain some revelers will celebrate the New Year by eating twelve grapes at midnight. Each fruit is said to represent 1 month of the year, so for instance, if the second grape is sweet, February will smooth sailing. If the third grape is sour, March could get rocky. Italy: Lentils Since lentils resemble little coins, it’s thought eating them on New Year’s will bring wealth and prosperity.…