In a few days we will experience the last of four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11--and that's not all.

Take the last two digits of the year you were born and the age you became this year and the result will add up to 111 for everyone!!!!

This is the year of MONEY. Apparently, according to those who study this, that's due to the rare fact that October had 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays & 5 Saturdays.

Those who know say this happens only once every 823 years! And these particular years are known as 'Moneybag' years.

The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends, money will appear in the next four days, as is explained in the Chinese Feng Shui.

Those who don't continue the chain, won't receive. It's a mystery, but it's worth a try. Good luck to you. This opportunity only happens once in 800 years!

WOW! This is so cool! Love numerology sequences!

I've been wondering how many people were raised with New Year's Eve superstitions? If yes, are those childhood omens still influencing current behaviorism? Example: My adoptive womenfolk believed eating smoked herring on New Year's Eve brought good luck. And they lived long, properous lives. Any of U exposed to similar superstitiousness?

Hi Jabber,

Eating herring for luck on New Year's Eve is a new one for me, but I have heard of some other similar food traditions - some for luck, others for health.Eating greens, for example, to bring wealth.

And a check of Google found a forum where your family's herring tradition was discussed. Apparently this is a tradition among Germanic and Polish people, which would make it a popular tradition in my home state of Wisconsin - especially in Milwaukee, where those cultures are well represented.

Anyone else have more light to shed on this?

Hi Anne,
I looked at your link. Then I got to thinking my folks must've been onto something for this reason: Every year around New Year's Eve supermarkets stock packages of Smoked Herring. And I can't remember seeing it that much any other time of year. Mom was born in 1903 and of course grandma in the late 19th century.
They both lived long, properous lives. So I guess it worked for them. Personally, I can only eat a small amount of the stuff. But according to the link you provided, some people actually Smoked Herring. I liked it better when I was a kid.

My Dad is half Norwegian, a quarter English and a quarter German. He loves to eat herring, and always serves it along with cheese and Ry-Krisp when we have hors d'oeuvres.

For being 81 and a half, he's in superb shape, mentally and physically. 'Course he also walks regularly and has an active social life. But there just may be something to the smoked herring aspect...

There ya go!