You might have heard of the lemon pig, the World’s newest New Year tradition.

For luck in the New Year, a Lemon Piglet is a must!

At the end of 2019, one of our friends discovered them, so we all made them and shared our photos of the cute little luck-bringing oddities.

As it turned out, 2020 was not an auspicious year, and the shrivelled totem sat on the shelf, mocking our fortune.

A dried out but intact lemon pig

The desiccated lemon pig

I refused to just throw him away, because I felt that the only appropriate fate for such a cursed artefact was to destroy it with fire. The beginning of 2021 didn’t feel like an optimistic time, and even at the end of the year, the signs and observances of covid were still all around. It wasn’t yet time that I could feel hope.

But 2022 was better. My life was more enjoyable. Thus, as we ended last year, in optimism that we could finally put Long 2020 to rest, I assembled the equipment for the sacrifice: stuff to burn, and an old can of beans to burn it in.

The lemon pig next to lighter fluid, matches, and an empty food can half full of shredded paper

The equipment is assembled

As midnight approached, I set light to it, and we watched it burn.

The lemon pig is burning in its can pyre

The lemon pig is given up to the flames

To be honest, though, the end result looks even more cursed. Let’s hope not.

A blackened husk remains. Ears, eyes, and mouth are still discernible.

It is done

Happy new year to you!