New Year’s traditions vary widely by culture, including eating 12 grapes in Spain for luck, smashing plates in Denmark, burning effigies in Ecuador, and wearing colorful underwear in Latin America. Other traditions involve making noise with fireworks or bells, eating specific foods like noodles or round fruits, and making symbolic gestures such as jumping waves in Brazil or throwing water out the window in Puerto Rico.
Did you know these New Year’s food and drink habits?
- Spain: Eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each stroke of the clock, for good luck in the coming year.
- Japan: Eat toshikoshi soba noodles for longevity.
- Philippines: Displaying round fruits is believed to bring prosperity.
- Italy: Wear red underwear for good luck.
- Greece: Hide a coin inside a cake; the person who finds it is guaranteed good luck.
- Turkey & Armenia: Throwing pomegranates on the doorstep symbolizes prosperity.
Did you know these New Year’s rituals?
- Denmark: Smash plates on friends’ and neighbors’ doorsteps as a sign of good luck. Stand on a chair and jump to the floor at midnight to jump into the new year for good luck.
- Ecuador: Burn effigies of famous people to burn away the old year’s bad luck.
- Latin America: Walk around the block with an empty suitcase to ensure travel in the new year.
- Puerto Rico: Throwing water out the window is thought to drive out evil spirits.
- Scotland: The tradition of “first-footing” involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a home after midnight.
- Brazil: Jump seven waves at the beach for good luck.
- Japan: Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times to cleanse the 108 earthly temptations.
Did you know these New Year’s decoratiing and clothing traditions?
- China: Decorate with red items, such as painting front doors red or hanging red lanterns, to bring good luck.
- Philippines: Wear polka-dotted clothing, as the round shape symbolizes coins and prosperity.
- Brazil: Wear white to symbolize peace and good luck.
- India: Decorate homes with colorful rangolis and light lamps.
Did you know these New Year’s traditions?
- Thailand: Firecrackers were once used to scare away evil spirits.
- Australia: The most popular New Year’s tradition is large firework display.
- United States: A well-known tradition is watching the ball drop in Times Square.
- South Korea: Go to a high place to watch the first sunrise of the year.