In The Community
The New Year is all about new beginnings and starting over, and expecting to make a few changes in your life. Many Latinos like to give those changes an extra oomf with a few New Year’s Eve and Day traditions, even if some feel or look a bit ridiculous. Lest we be jinxed and end up loveless and moneyless, we’re all about putting on calzones amarillos for money or stuffing our mouths with 12 grapes.
Does it work? Who knows, but if it doesn’t help, it certainly won’t hurt. So here we go:
Get Under a Table
Looking for a relationship is as hard as it gets, and a global pandemic didn’t help. Not to mention our mamás who are constantly asking to see their future daughters and sons in law. So of course Latinos have a cure for that and it’s pretty simple – just get under a table as the clock strikes 12 to get lucky with a future partner.
Sad Happy Hour GIF by MOODMANGiphyWrite on 12 Pieces of Paper the 12 Wishes you Want to Accomplish
Wishful thinking has never been quite as literal as this. In some countries, like Colombia, writing down 12 wishes on a piece of paper and then burning those pieces of paper will make every wish or goal happen
Run Around the Block with a Suitcase
Getting to travel is a dream for us all so this is definitely a popular one. We’re going to do whatever it takes to help make our travel dreams happen even if it means pulling up several suitcases exactly at 12 midnight and running around the block in the freezing cold. Running around the house works too but word has it, the further you run, the more exotic the location and we’re not trying to end up at the local Six Flags, so we’re taking those suitcases as far as they need to go.
Put Lentejas in your Purse or Wallet
We all want more wealth, don’t we? So it’s safe to say that we’ll be stuffing our purse, pockets and anything at hand with lentejas is the way to go. It’s supposed to help with abundance, so if you want to give our bank account a boost, get to stuffing those lentils in there.
Sweep Your House from the Inside Out
Pick up that broom and make sure you sweep everything outside. Besides having a nice and tidy house in the New Year, which is good every day of the year, this ritual will sweep away any bad vibes that are lingering and get that bad luck out of your space and outside where it belongs. Visualize ending up with a nice clean slate with only good vibes left for a solid 2022.
Robin Williams Cleaning GIF by Hollywood SuiteGiphyDo you know any more? Which ones are you doing? We’re doing every single one because 2022 needs all the help it can get. Let us know on Twitter @luzcollective.
While millennials have popularized the idea of plant parenthood, our Latinx community has always had a green thumb. Our parents and abuelos have always had lush gardens or indoor plants that they care for. It’s no coincidence that while many have used plants as a way to cope with all the traumatic events of last year, our parents and abuelos have been doing the same for generations.
The correlation between caring for plants and improvement in mental health has been proven and this leads us to believe that our community has been onto something for years. While many immigrants have moved from rural and green spaces to more urban and compact cities in the United States, their practices of caring for plants remained the same. We have known our families to have indoor plants that fill our living spaces and those with yards tend to start growing trees that will bear fruit.
In honor of our community and to encourage the improvement of mental health, we’re giving you a list of classic plants that many grew up seeing in their homes.
Pothos Plant
One of the easiest plants to care for is a Pothos plant. It is also known for being one of the best plants to improve indoor air quality, it can be styled many ways including on tables, bookshelves, or hung to show off its vines. It’s no wonder it makes an appearance in nearly every Latino household.
Aloe Vera
Many know Aloe Vera as a medicinal plant. It is a lowkey plant that grows best in dry conditions and well-lit spaces. The nostalgia of Aloe Vera plants will have you remembering the ways in which your mom used it to treat sunburns and even face masks.
Ferns
Quickly recognized for their divided leaves, these plants do well in shaded areas making them the perfect indoor plant as long as you keep them in cool and open area spaces.
Cacti
Best known for how easy it is to care for them and long life, cacti are perfect for any home. They’re aesthetically pleasing and require very little maintenance!
Snake Plant
This plant always makes the easy-to-care-for lists. It doesn’t need much water, in fact, during the winter months and if there is decent humidity, it only needs to be watered once or twice during the entire season.
Peace Lily
This plant hails from Central and South America and Southeastern Asia, making it a no-brainer that it ends up in so many Latino households. The white flowers add a little pop to the green and with its ability to survive in little to moderate light and very little water, it’s perfect for new plant parents.