1. The Midnight Kiss: The reason you are supposedly supposed to kiss someone at midnight, is because otherwise it is believed that the rest of the year means you will face a year of coldness and lack of affection.

2. Food: Some believe that if you eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day it will attract good luck and fortune. Some also eat ham hocks, collard greens or even cabbage to bring in “luck”.  The food to stay away from? Chicken or turkey. It is believed that eating poultry will bring misfortune.

3.  New Clothes: It is believed that if you do not wear new clothes on January 1st, you will not be receiving many new garments in the new year. Red clothing is preferred for New Year’s Day since red is considered a happy color, and is sure to attract a brighter future for the wearer.

4. Making Noise At Midnight: On New Year’s Eve when the clock strikes midnight people blow on horns, cheer, set off fireworks. Why? It is believed that the loud noise scares away evil spirits. So, not only are you ringing in the new year but you will be starting the new year free from evil.

5. Direction of The Wind: The direction of the wind on New Year’s morning is said to predict prophesies about the coming year. Wind from the south, expect money and happiness. Wind from the north, foresees a year of foul weather. Wind from the east brings famine and bad luck, while wind from the west brings milk and fish, but the death of someone important. No wind = joy and prosperity throughout the year.

(Photo: Google Images)

10. Miranda Kerr’s dog Frankie Kerr is often photographed with the model, and has been in many of her photo shoots.

(Photo: Google Images)

9. Jesse James’ dog, CinnamonBun went missing but luckily, due to the amount of media frenzy around his owner, the pup was found safe and sound.

(Photo: Google Images)

8.Chloe, Lauren Conrad and Lo Bosworth’s dog, has already starred in a TV show with the reality stars, The Hills.

(Photo: Google Images)

7. Samantha Ronson’s dog Cadillac Ronson is adorable, but was also convicted of murder earlier this year since he killed a neighbor’s small dog, Tiger.

(Photo: Google Images)

6. Miley Cyrus’ dog, Mate Cyrus, has gotten so big he weighs more then the singer.

(Photo: Google Images)

5. Paris Hilton’s Tinkerbell Hilton is one of the heiresses favorite accessories.

(Photo: Google Images)

4. Although sadly she was snatched by coyotes last year, Jessica Simpon’s dog Daisy Simpson became such a media frenzy when she went missing she was one of the top searched items for a while. May she rest in peace.

(Photo: Google Images)

3. Carrie Underwood’s dog Ace Underwood is so important to the country singer that he doted a hot pink tuxedo in her wedding.

(Photo: Google Images)

2. Perez Hilton’s dog, Teddy Hilton. The pup even has a website named after him, TeddyHilton.Com, where the celebrity blogger writes about animal rights.

(Photo: Google Images)

1. The “First Dog”, the Obama’s dog, Bo Obama. Bo is a male Portuguese Water Dog and was chosen because of Malia Obama’s allergies.

Fame can be exhausting, and in relationships which are equally testing and complicated, doubling that fame can have perilous effects.  As a result, many celebrities have chosen to enter into unions with non-celebrities. Here are a few of our favorite couples that have found love, and made it work.

Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham started the celebrity/non-celebrity dating trend back in 1986 displaying the success and genuine love in their relationship ever since.  Although the duo are not married, she told Barbara Walters that they are still very much a couple and that he is the man of her life. She said, “Every time we showed up in public, there’d be an explosive story, so I made a conscious effort to pull back on my public appearances with Stedman.” She then referred to him as, “the love, the lover, the man, the partner, the mate.”

Matt Damon and Luciana Barrosa: The sexy actor met Argentine-born bartender and interior designer while filming “Stuck on You” on Miami Beach in 2003.

Julia Roberts and Daniel Moder: The gorgeous Julia Roberts met the camera man while on the set of “The Mexican” in 2000. They married two years later.

Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink:  The Grey’s Anatomy actor met his wife, Jillian, while receiving a haircut from her.  Now a makeup artist and mother of 3, Jillian also founded Delux Beauty.

Kara Dioguardi and Mike McCuddy: The general contractor proposed to this beautiful American Idol judge on her 38th birthday in Mexico.  They met a year and a half before, while he worked on the house next door to Kara’s.

Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth:  After a few serious relationships with some well known actors, Reese began dating Jim Toth, a successful entertainment agent in January, 2010.  The couple married this past March.

Jerry Seinfeld and Jessica Seinfeld: It was quite a controversy when Jerry started dating Jessica, as she met the comedian right after coming back from her 3 week honeymoon! However, the duo were meant to be and are still together to this day.

1. Recycle the Ribbon – Gently untie the bow and tuck it away for next year!

2. Wrap Presents with Decorated Grocery Bags – Not only does this get rid of that growing pile of grocery bags under your sink, but it will help save the environment. This also a fun activity with children, who can decorate the Christmas gifts with magic markers and stickers.

Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ Covered By Vazquez Sounds

3. Look for Locally Made Gifts – Local craft fairs and artisan shops have great gifts which are locally made and don’t have a large carbon footprint.

4. Decorate a Tree…For the Birds – Not only will your children have fun watching the birds come to your backyard, but they will have fun creating home made bird feeders! Place seeds and, suet and pine cones with peanut butter one of the largest trees in your backyard.

Ryan Seacrest Dishes A Melt-In-Your-Mouth Brisket Recipe

5. Homemade Cards – Nothing says you care like a personal card. Store bought cards may be elegant but they also consume a large amount of natural resources for a throw-away times. Cut out sections of past cards or pictures from magazines, and create a fun beautifully decorated card.

6. Try to Avoid Purchasing Gifts Which Need Batteries –  According to the EPA, about 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season!  Discarded batteries are a huge environmental hazard. Naturally-powered toys are healthier for our planet.

Black Friday’s Top 9 Electronic Deals & Steals [LIST]

1. Eat a healthy breakfast before Thanksgiving dinner – This will help you not binge on unhealthy foods.

2. Drink 8 Glasses of Water – This will help fill you up so you can establish if you are actually hungry or just having cravings.

4.  Work Out Before or After the Meal – Go on a jog or take a walk around the block. This will help you digest all of that yummy food you will or already have consumed.

5. Eat Slowly – We know you can’t help but eat fast because the turkey and those sides so delicious, but it takes your body about 20 minutes to know it is actually full. If you continually fill your mouth with fattening foods, you will be full before your body really gets the message.

6. If you are attending a potluck make your contribution a healthy one – This will help you stay on track as you are reaching for that second piece of pumpkin pie.

7. Don’t Loiter Around the Buffet – You are more likely to consume food if you are hanging out by the buffet table. Socialize with people who aren’t so close to the table!

8. Skip the Condiments – Skip the gravy and heavy dressings. Instead, use some of your favorite seasonings (cinnamon) to give it that extra satisfaction!

Connie Seacrest Shares Oyster Casserole Recipe For Thanksgiving [PHOTO]

Don’t forget to enjoy your meal and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

In Spain it is customary to eat grapes at midnight.

If you chose to be a little cultural this year and celebrate New Years in a different way, here are a couple of traditions that take place all over the world on the 31 of December.

South America - Residents all wear brightly colored underpants. Those who wear red, are hoping for love in the new year. Those who chose to wear yellow, are wishing for money.

Denmark - Many Danish leap off chairs at midnight, hoping to ban all bad spirits in the new year. They also have a very loud and destructive way of celebrating the new year- they break dishes. People throw their old dishes on their friends’ doors on New Years and the one with the most dishes outside their door, usually has the most friends.

Philippines - It is a tradition in the Philippines, that Filipinos focus on all round things. They consume round fruits such as grapes and wear clothing with round shapes such as polka dots. The round shape reminds and celebrates the roundness of coins, as they hope for prosperity in the new year.

Spain - At midnight, Spaniards consume 12 grapes and try to consume all of them by the time the clock stops chiming.

Belarus - In Belarus, unmarried women compete at games of skill to determine who will get married first in the new year. One game involves setting piles of corn and a rooster before each of the single ladies. Whichever pile the bird approaches first, is believed to be the one who is to be married first.

Germany and Austria - Germans and Austrians  pour lead as a tradition, which includes using molten lead like tea leaves. The lead pieces are pour into a bowl filled with water, leading the lead to form shapes which predict what is going to happen in the new year. If the lead forms a ball it means good luck, if it looks like an anchor it means you will need help in the new year and if it’s a cross it means death.

Ecuador - Usually when you burn someone’s picture it means bad break up. However in Ecuador, the fiesta includes all the locals gathering together with pictures that represent something you do not want in the new year from the last year and burning it.

Chile - In the city of Talca in Chili, people participate in a mass on New Years Eve and then they all go visit the graveyard, to set up their chairs and wait for the year to arrive with the dead.

Puerto Rico - When it’s New Year’s Eve in Puerto Rico, they throw buckets of water out the window to “clean” the old year out. They also clean their homes and decorate them, as it is supposed to symbolize the “cleaning” of the spirit.

(Image: 20th Century Fox)

Ladies, although it seems as if the holidays is the time in which it would be perfect to be in that perfect relationship with that perfect someone let me tell you something….you can have a perfect and delicious holiday all on your own! For all those who fear facing Christmas solo, here are 7 things you can do during the holidays which will possibly make you even a little grateful that you are attached to anyone.

1. Invite all your girlfriends over to bake cookies and watch The Holiday

Get a slumber party of your best girlfriends to come over to watch holiday movies. Although it may depress you and make you a tad bitter that Jude Law isn’t drunkingly showing up at your doorstep, it will remind you to hold out for a hot British guy and not run back to that emotionally unavailable idiot who cheated on you.

2. Purchase a gift for yourself.

Why should you have to spend all that money on others? Time to be a little selfish and purchase something for yourself. It’s your Christmas too after all!

3. Holiday Party

Have a holiday party at your house and be shameless- invite everyone on your Facebook friends list. Don’t be afraid of people reading into it for after all, it’s the holidays, you are supposed to be warm and inviting. Be sure to also have Christmas inspired drinks such as Cookie Cocktails, or taking shots in candy cane shot glasses.

4. Go Caroling and Terrorize Your Neighborhood!

Time to get back at that neighbor with the loud dog! Get a bunch of friends together, make some hot coco, and go out and sing some of your favorite Christmas carols.

5. Feed the Homeless

You think being single is a big problem? Help out people who don’t know where their next meal is going to come from. It will not only be comforting to know how good you have it, but give you a new perspective on what is important.

6. Go On An Adventure

Get out of town and go on a crazy adventure! Log on to a travel site and if you are on a budget, book the cheapest flight you see to a random destination. You never know who you are going to meet!

7. Make A Vision Board

Get a bunch of old magazines and a bulletin board and decide all the things you want in the new year. By setting goals and making a plan, you will feel like you have something to look forward to.

(Image: © Thinkstock Photos/ Getty Images)

I will admit to one thing- I am not a huge fan of Christmas songs. In fact, by the 20th, I am so sick of hearing “Jingle Bells” that I contemplate ways to convince my family to get rid of the tree. Now, before you call me Scrooge and label me as evil, I’ll admit there are some Christmas songs which are so I even rock out to them in July. Here is a list of my favorite Christmas songs, which are not so Christmas-sy.

1. “Last Christmas” – Wham!
This song is perfect for all the bitter singletons to rock out to. “Last Christmas I gave you my heart, the very next day you gave it away/ This year to save me from tears, I’ll give it to someone special…” could this song be any more perfect?

2. “This Christmas” – Christina Aguilera
Christina actually wants to make you hang out with your family and see your relatives in this song.

3. All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
Okay seriously, how could anyone hate this song? This is one the best Christmas songs every written.

4. “Christmas Tree” – Lady Gaga
Trust Lady Gaga to make a sexy Christmas song for her little monsters with lyrics such as, “Ho ho ho, under the mistletoe/ Yes, everybody knows/ We will take off our clothes,” anyone can get in the mood for Christmas.

5. “Christmas Day” – Dido
This soothing Christmas jam will make you want to sit by the fire, drink hot coco and play Scrabble.

6. “All My Bells Are Ringing” – Lenka
This is the perfect song to play while getting ready for a party. It will make you feel like you are in the beginning of Christmas love story.

7. “Santa Baby” – Eartha Kitt
A classic for all the ladies who want to be spoiled this Christmas.

8. “Merry Christmas” – The Ramones
Perfect song for trying through the snow….or through bad holiday traffic.

9. “Valley Winter Song” – Fountains of Wayne
This song is too cute! Perfect to play in the background during a holiday party.

10. “A Little Love In Your Heart” – Jackie Deshannon
I guess the whole meaning of Christmas wrapped up into one song- put a little lovein your heart, (and a little liquor in your drink) and you’ll get through it Scrooge!

"A razor? Really Mark!? REALLY!?"

It happens. Grandma buys you something that you would have liked when you were twelve, or it’s something which supposedly is “in fashion” but you just can’t love it. Here’s what to do if you don’t like your Christmas present:

1. If There Is A Gift Receipt, Return It: If it’s an item of clothing, it’s easy! Just tell the person who gave you the gift, “as much as I love it, it just doesn’t fit me correctly.”

2. If There Is No Gift Receipt, Donate It: It is a bad karma to regift a gift, especially if you don’t like it enough to keep for yourself. If it is a gift from someone you rarely see, then you don’t have anything to worry about. Just wear it once, or rave about it the next time you see them and after six months, donate it to Salvation Army.

3. If It’s Jewelry From A Loved One (boyfriend, husband): Lie. Say that someone at work that you don’t like, has the exact same one or make up a white lie for example, “this is silver and I mostly wear gold pieces. As much as I love this, it just doesn’t match with everything I have.”

4. If You Already Own It: Don’t lie, and tell them and make it a compliment. Simply say, “look how well you know me! I already have this and bought it for myself!”

5. If It’s A Gift Certificate To Somewhere You Don’t Shop: First, find out when the certificate expires and save it to regift to someone who you know shops there, and the next time you see the person who gave it to you, lie about what you purchased. You can also keep it for yourself. You never know if you’ll need it to purchase your next Halloween costume.

6. Throw A White Elephant Gift Party: Have a party with some friends or at work, depending on a perfect location to avoid the bad-gift-giver, and tell them to bring the gifts they want to get rid of . Not only will it be fun but it will just be another reason to have a party.

Don't procrastinate fellas!

Did you know that 56% of Americans sing holiday carols to their pets or that a traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard? Here are seven facts about your favorite holiday, that you did not know:

1. 53% of Americans plan to “re-gift” this year.

2.  1.76 billion candy canes are produced every year.

3. Kris Kringle really does live in the North Pole, but  does not drive a sleigh with reindeer or deliver toys. In fact, Kringle drives a 1984 Ford Tempo and delivers Pizza.

4. Spoilt leftovers are responsible for 400,000 cases of post Christmas associated illnesses.

5. Christmas shoppers be warned: statistics show that you will be elbowed at least three times while shopping.

6. During the holiday season, you will walk an average of 5 miles between the parking lot and stores.

7. It was once believed that woman who went under the Mistletoe was not kissed, would not get married the following year.