Brunswick Today Newsletter: New Year's superstitions and looking forward to 2024

Renee Spencer, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·2 min read

Greetings and welcome to this week's newsletter, brought to you by me, StarNews reporter Renee Spencer.

Today marks the first day of a new year. In my house, that means watching bowl games (Go Liberty Flames!), eating the traditional New Year’s meal (collard greens, black-eyed peas, pork, and cornbread) and steering clear of the washer and dryer. That’s right. In my house, we don’t wash clothes on New Year’s Day.

My husband says I will use any excuse to avoid housework, and while that is true, this one is rooted in superstition. When I was growing up, my family always told me not to wash clothes on New Year’s Day.

“If you wash clothes on New Year’s Day, you’ll be washing a dead person’s clothes by the end of the year,” they said.

I don’t know where this superstition originated, and for many years, I have tried to trace its origin with no luck. Most people I know have never heard this, and the few that have heard it grew up in families that made their living farming.

Needless to say, I will not be washing clothes today. I see no need to test things, and my husband's right: I will take any excuse to avoid housework.

If you're not a fan of football, and you're looking for something to do today, you can always hit the road and check out some of Brunswick County's often-forgotten landmarks. Reporter Cheryl Whitaker compiled this list, and as someone who's seen most of them, I can say they really are special.

Regardless of how you are celebrating today, all of us here at StarNews wish you a Happy New Year, and we look forward to bringing you the news in 2024.

Here we grow again

A major subdivision has been proposed near an elementary school. Brunswick County reporter Jamey Cross has the details.

The dish with Port City Foodies

StrEAT Side Take Out is at 524 N Howe St., Southport, N.C.
StrEAT Side Take Out is at 524 N Howe St., Southport, N.C.

Chef Rhonda Uhlmann is serving up delicious soups, salads, and bowls at her Southport eatery. Dining reporter Allison Ballard has the details on Uhlmann’s approach to cooking and what you can enjoy at her restaurant.

Getting to know: Musette Steck

86-year-old Southport resident Musette Steck talks about the tours she gives Tuesday Nov. 21, 2023 in The Old Smithville Burying Ground in Southport, N.C. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
86-year-old Southport resident Musette Steck talks about the tours she gives Tuesday Nov. 21, 2023 in The Old Smithville Burying Ground in Southport, N.C. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS

A native of Enfield, North Carolina, Musette Steck moved to Brunswick County in the 1990s. Since her arrival, she’s been involved in several projects, including preserving the Old Smithville Burying Ground in Southport. She’s also been a champion of civil rights. Learn more about her here.

Let’s get social

For more news about what’s happening in Brunswick County, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BrunswickToday.

Have a great week!

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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Year's superstitions and looking forward to 2024