Before thousands came to Raleigh to watch a copper acorn drop, before confetti flew and fireworks boomed, black-eyed peas and collard greens marked the beginning of a new year.
"Well it's a great southern tradition that began hundreds of years ago," said Lee Warren, register of deeds in Cumberland County.
Sixteen years ago Warren got together with friends to begin hosting a lunch for the community featuring the staple New Year's foods - black eyed peas and collard greens.
Today, hundreds of Fayetteville residents were treated to the free lunch inside the Crown Expo Center. Still, no one quite new what each of the foods represented.
"The collard greens are supposed to bring you some money I think," Nero Coleman said wearing big 2009 glasses. "The black eyed peas have something to do with peoples and I could be wrong."
Chrysostom Manuel sat eating the meal with people from his church and offered quite a different perspective.
"(The food is) good for my stomach," he said, bringing the table to laughter.
No matter what the foods traditionally mean, most said the dinner was more about fellowship with the people in the community and hoping the next year is better than the last.