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The conversation began with the connection of Hoppin' John to New Year’s celebrations in the Southern United States. According to Twitty, the tradition involves eating field or black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, which symbolize both financial change and changes in fortune. This custom is a clever play on words since collard greens—often served alongside—represent cash. Twitty elaborated that while the practice might have European origins, the actual ingredients and their cultural significance are rooted in African heritage.