One of my favorite observances during the holidays is a ceremony called Tashlich, the ceremonial casting of the sins. For this ceremony, we gather together at a body of water to throw away our sins of the past year and make some commitments for the new year. Part of the tradition is to throw old bread in the water.

The type of bread you choose to throw has its own significance. For example, for complex sins we throw multi gran bread; for tasteless sins – rice cakes; for sins of indecision – waffles; for sins committed in haste – matzah. You get the point. Of course, this part is a little bit of a joke but it is part of the tradition.

This year, however, we were asked not to throw bread. Apparently, the bread was working well for the fish in the small pond we visit but the ducks and geese were apparently getting sick from all of the carbs. So, this year we threw cracked corn.

I still really like this tradition but somehow the corn changed the whole vibe.