UPDATE: This giveaway is now over! The winner was chosen using Random.org. Congratulations to Jackie W! Jackie, please send your mailing address and choice of book to cindy@cindywoodsmall.com.

The 2012 Amish-made Quilt Contest has ended, and we have a winner. Congratulations to Sharon Dummitt, the 2012 winner of my annual quilt giveaway! Sharon has won the quilt pictured below. 

Now that our many holiday traditions and celebrations are behind us for a while, I thought I’d share a few things with you about how the Amish bring in the New Year.

Cultures around the world have specific foods they prepare for New Year’s Day. Some feel it brings good luck to the upcoming year. Whether you believe in luck or not, people often begin certain things as superstitions and then they turn into fun traditions that remind us of our childhood days, good times, or easier seasons of life.

Last week, I shared a bit about the foods that cultures such as the South, the Mediterranean, and the Spanish eat on New Year’s Day. Click here to read more.

The Pennsylvania Dutch have a unique New Year’s tradition, as well. They enjoy a meal of pork and sauerkraut each New Year’s Day.

Pork and Sauerkraut

1 (about 4 pound) pork loin roast
Brown or yellow mustard
Sauerkraut

Rub a little brown or yellow mustard on the outside of the pork loin roast. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan (about an inch and a half), then cook by the method of your choice. The pork can be roasted in the oven or cooked in a slow cooker or pressure cooker.

The sauerkraut may be poured on top of the roast and cooked together, or it can be heated separately on the stove top.

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and apple sauce.

New Year’s Day is often another opportunity for a family gathering. Since Amish families are usually quite large, it can be very difficult to gather everyone together. If the family didn’t have the chance to gather on Christmas or Second Christmas, they often celebrate Christmas on New Year’s Day.

Click here to learn about more Amish holiday traditions.

Giveaway

In honor of the New Year, I’d like to give away an embroidered wall hanging of wise words to live by this year. In addition, the winner will also receive one autographed book of her or his choice. The quote on the framed-art says:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

If you would like to enter for a chance to win the framed embroidered saying and a book of your choice, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post on my website.

If you are reading this anywhere other than my website, such as on Facebook, in an email, or on Goodreads, please hop on over to my website and leave a comment at the bottom of my post to enter the giveaway. Go directly to this post by clicking here: https://www.cindywoodsmall.com/2013/01/08/new-year-2/.

Only comments left on my website will be entered into the giveaway. (It’s just too hard to track down all the comments left in various places, and that means it’s too easy to miss some of the comments.)

The deadline for this contest is Monday, January 14, 2013, at noon. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be contacted privately, as well as announced on next week’s post.