This time of year, an orange sold in a fruit-stand can be priced three or four times as steep and every tradition bearing Boholano still buys it, as if it’s alright. So, don’t sour your new year, let traditions rock but let the new year roll. This time too, prices of most round fruits follow the same spiked trend and people still flock to the stands like crazy, after all, completing a 12 round fruit centerpiece for the new year promises more good fortunes for the family. In the preparation of the new year, Boholanos, as with most people who have kept Spanish-introduced or Chinese influenced traditions put up 12 smooth round fruits-one for each month. Recently, round fruits morph into a much harder search: round and sweet fruits. And don’t ever mess with those fruits that are sour or those with spikes lest the new year be similarly a downer.

That means no to whole durian fruit, rambutan, guyabano, jackfruit and atis. Roundness signify continuous blessing while the sweetness is believed to bring in sweet fortunes. Now, prices of oranges, chicos, grapes (ubas), off-season star-apples, lanzones, guavas, mangosteen, watermelon, cantaloupe, pomelos, pomegranates and cherries are all spiked, but the seasons of goodwill unusually calms the all too eager buyer. In a place where 12 round fruits may be too tough to complete, the rule of everything goes, become the next rule of thumb. For want of the 12, even non circular fruits get into the list: apples, mangoes, papayas, avocados, pears, qumquats (kikiats) or Chinese golden oranges, coconut fruits and even atis, guyabano and bananas become fair game.

For the smarter: 12 purple grapes in a bunch will do, they said. In the Philippines when the last day of the year is a holiday, it sets the stage for one of the most festive seasons in a year, especially the midnight table. New year’s eve, commonly the Bisperas sa Bag-ong Tuig is the perfect season to pick everything right to step into a prosperous new year. Here, the new-year’s eve is an occasion calling for a special food preparation. Eyeing a year of long life, new beginning, attracting and allowing fortunes to stick is common in the menu. For this, pancit or noodles in any preparation is common. Most preferred are egg noodles, which are believed to signify new beginnings, although noodles generally signify long life. While lechon (roast pig) still rates high among those who can afford, some believe pig or pork on new year’s eve does not auger well; a belief commonly held, due to a pig’s lifestyle.

Best options: carabeef for hardwork.

Fish and chicken are also downers: these endlessly scour for food the whole year and are obviously not as good for the family. In Bohol, a new year’s eve would not be complete as well, without the traditional delicacies, those especially made from glutinous rice. Malagkit: biko burned upside, biko, suman pilit: tam-is or budbod and calamay are perfect to let fortunes stick throughout the year. Sweet smelling food is also good: ripe langka (jackfruit) or durian, are commonly chosen to attract good fortunes. Then there is queso de bola, hamon and wine. But whatever it is, a true fare for a thanksgiving meal never has any strict menu.