Let’s find some unique traditions of celebrating the New Year from different countries, which can help you explore different cultures and gain good fortune.
The New Year celebrations are noticeable all around the world as citizens from different countries also want to welcome the year with happiness and celebrations. There are many traditional ways of starting the New Year for every country, and a lot of them also decide whether the coming year is going to be good for you or not. Whether you really believe you want to find out your luck or not, these traditional ways of starting the year can be a fun and unique experience for all. Let’s find the celebratory methods of different countries on New Year’s Eve.
- Watch a Comedy Show – Iceland
People in Iceland believe that shared laughter is the best way to find shared joy, and so, they celebrate New Year’s Eve by watching their favorite comedy show. The families in Iceland mainly gather to watch Áramótaskaup, which is an Icelandic comedy show that offers a recap of the biggest events of the year. This is quite a unique tradition for New Year’s Eve, and you can do this by watching your show or a stand-up comedian.
- Jump off Furniture – Portugal
While you might be afraid of jumping off a cliff, jumping off a chair surely sounds fascinating. This is a pretty unique tradition followed by the Portuguese people, which they consider as leaping into the new year or the next year. Therefore, most people in Portugal keep a chair or a table ready on the 31st night to make sure they can jump off when the clock strikes midnight. This signifies leaving the old year behind and moving on with new hopes.
- Light Oil Lamps – India
Oil lamps in India are quite famous, which they call ‘Dia’, and lighting them is one of the traditional ways to start the New Year. Although Indians light them on most occasions and then their traditional events like Diwali, oil lamps can also be a part of New Year celebrations. The warm glow of fire is a symbol of brightness that can drive away all darkness. Lighting the old lamp shows a new beginning with bright light and no evil spirits.
- Surf over Seven Waves – Brazil
Brazil is a country by the ocean, and surfing is a famous sport here, other than football and crazy bike stunts. There is a Brazilian tradition of starting the New Year by crossing over seven waves on your surfboard. It is believed that your luck can rise this year if you are able to jump over seven waves while surfing, as the seven waves represent divine spirits of the Umbanda religion. This fun and adventurous tradition has a deep cultural influence and offers a meaningful way to welcome the New Year. This tradition is more recommended for beach lovers who are willing to spend their NYE at the coastline along with some good time with their mates.
- Time for Extra Dotted – Philippines
Filipino people are quite hardworking and fun-loving. They also have many traditional rituals and a unique way of celebrating the New Year. They believe that wearing more dotted clothes or clothes with polka dots can help bring good fortune for the New Year. The more dots you have in your cloth, the better chances of getting your luck fixed with positivity. This is not just a unique but also a stylish idea to slay in polka dots, and also provides a fine opportunity to embrace your outfit on New Year’s Eve. Stand out among everybody and gain some good vibes.
- Color-coded Underwear – Colombia
Just like your outfit, your undies are also quite important on New Year’s Eve, and people in Latin America believe they can also help to bring good fortunes and gains in new life. They claim that the color of your New Year’s Eve underwear can help to shape your fate for the coming year. Every color can depict some kind of emotion, such as red symbolizes love, yellow brings luck, white invites peace, and there are many other notions. You need to be intentional with your choice based on what you are seeking in this New Year, and you might be able to set the right tone with the right color-coded undies.
- Coin in Dessert – Greece
Other than the mythology and the beautiful Gods, Greek people are also enthusiasts of desserts, and they like to embark on their New Year with a big dessert that is shared among all the guests, family members, or friends. There is a Greek tradition of hiding a coin in the dessert and then sharing it among everyone. One lucky person among everyone will get the coin with their slice, and that fortunate person is destined to have a lucky year ahead. The choice of dessert is vasilopita in this case, a traditional and special Greek dessert which tastes like a cake or a sweet bread.
- Throw Water from the Window – Puerto Rico
Puerto Ricans are fun-loving people, and Bad Bunny is the biggest example of that. They have a unique way to welcome the New Year, where they throw water from their windows with the wish that it will cleanse the time. They believe that water can guide away the evil spirits from the last year and it will help to bring the good charm to the New Year. Some people also sprinkle a little bit of sugar to make a sweet start to the year. Be mindful of the fact that these traditions are for fun, and you are not supposed to waste water like a mindless person.
- Sing and Get the Candy – Norway
The Norwegian people have made their New Year tradition into a light-hearted Halloween, which is called ‘nyttårsbukk’. In this tradition, kids will sing carols and visit door to door for candies. They have omitted the dark and ghostly costumes and focused on a musical celebration, which is quite wholesome and enjoyable for everyone. This tradition is quite impactful and engaging for the kids as well, and it is highly recommended for parents who have kids. It is pretty delightful, isn’t it?
- Sip Your Burnt Wishes – Russia
Everything has to get notch higher when it comes to the Russians. They are hardcore people, and their New Year traditions sound quite hardcore, too. The Russian people write down their New Year wishes on a piece of paper, then they burn it. The burnt ash of the wish is then poured into the champagne to chuck it down. The idea is that this has to be done between the first and last drink before midnight. Now, that is definitely a Russian way to kick-start the year with good fortune. Try it and your wishes may come true!
- Mistletoe for Love – Ireland
If you are seeking a romance straight out of the rom-com movies, perhaps you need to start the New Year in the Irish way. People in Ireland believe that your future partner will come in your dreams if you place a mistletoe, holly, or ivy under your pillow while you sleep after celebrating New Year’s Eve. It is quite a charming tradition for romantic people, and the best part is that anyone can do it. Do not drink too much, or else you will forget even if you see a person in your dreams.
- Smash the Pig – USA
The people in America have many different traditions to welcome the New Year, and one of the most popular ways is to smash peppermint pigs. It is often seen in Upstate New York, where guests will take turns to smash the pig one by one, using a hammer to do it. Since the pig is nothing but a peppermint candy, it breaks with small shards, and each guest will consume the small pieces to bring good fortune in the coming year. It is also a tasty way to start the year with everyone if you have a sweet tooth for mint candies.
- Finnish Fortunetelling – Finland
It is not possible to know your future, but you can always try to predict it with traditional fortune-telling techniques. People in Finland start their New Year with fortune-telling traditions where they melt tin on fire or a stove to get a glimpse into the future. This is weird yet fun in its own way, as you can check whether your resolutions for the coming year will work out or not.
- Dinner for One – Germany
Everyone has their favorite movie for New Year’s Eve, and for most people, it is like the comfort movie that they will watch every year, and slowly it becomes a tradition. Something like that happened in European countries such as Germany and Austria, where people are very keen to watch a black-and-white British comedy sketch which is known as ‘Dinner for One’. This movie has become a staple for Europeans, and some families even go the extra mile by arranging a four-course dinner, as shown in the sketch. It is quite a fun idea if you have not watched the sketch yet.
- Father Frost – Russia
Father Frost, or Ded Moroz, belongs to Russian folklore and is considered to be a winter spirit from Slavic culture folklore. A lot of people call the spirit Russian Santa Claus. Much like Santa, Father Frost also arrives at the time of winter and brings gifts for the kids who behaved well for the whole year. You can start your New Year with Father Frost, who does not wear red but a white and blue cloak along with a sack of gifts. If you want some gifts as well, try to behave nicer this year!
- Champagne Shower – Paris
Staring your New Year in Paris sounds quite fascinating. Well, even though you are unable to visit them physically, you can still have a taste of their celebration by following the traditions. In France, New Year’s Eve is referred to as “Réveillon de la Saint Sylvestre.” They highly enjoy the combination of some good champagne with foie gras, which is a highly popular French delicacy that is made from the liver of a duck or goose. Drinking champagne on New Year’s Eve originally started here, and now, it has become a global tradition.
- The Soup Joumou – Haiti
Ever thought about how Haitians celebrate their New Year? This small country is best known for its resilient people and cultural traditions that kept its unity intact. They embark on the New Year by eating soup joumou, which is also known as Haitian Independence Soup. The soup is highly delicious, and it is made from pumpkin or squash. This soup has a lot of cultural and historical influence, as it was an exclusive dish for the Haitian colonial masters. After the country received its freedom from France in 1804, the soup became a symbol for the freed slaves, and now, it is cooked every year to commemorate the hardships they have gone through. You can also try this soup to feel the emotions related to it.
- Let’s Go for Ice Fishing – Canada
Canadian people are the nicest and most polite people in the whole world, and during the winter, this huge country stays frozen in many parts. If you are looking forward to enjoying some New Year’s games and activities, you should definitely follow the Canadian tradition of ice fishing. Although the temperature remains below the freezing point, Canadians embrace this tradition on New Year’s Day with their families and friends. Families will rent heated huts and cooking equipment so they can enjoy ice fishing in the holiday spirit. You do not necessarily have to live in Canada for this, as you can do this in other cold and icy places, too.
- Hanging Onions – Greece
People in Greece stand out with their unique traditions, and you might like this one. Greek people like to hang onions in front of their houses as they consider it a good luck charm. This Greek custom on New Year’s Day is considered to bring growth and fertility, and the practice is followed on the Church Day of the New Year. You can also hang a bag of onions in front of your main door and let people be curious.
- Clean Your Place – Puerto Rico
There is no better way to start your year than cleaning your house to start the New Year in a tidy and organized way. In Puerto Rico and many other countries, you will find the phrase “out with the old, in with the new” to be pretty apt as they clean their house before the grand celebration. It is a way to start the coming year with a positive note of cleanliness, where you drive away dirt and past memories. Considering all the other traditions, this one is quite practical and should be followed by every country to start the year with a ‘Clean’ slate.
- Iconic Ball Drop – USA
If you ever get to celebrate the New Year at New York’s Times Square, you will see millions of people gather at midnight just to witness the iconic ball drop moment. Those who cannot reach the crowd tend to enjoy the moment from their homes and on their television, where everyone can count down together. Being the heart of the city, even freezing cold temperatures cannot stop people from enjoying this iconic moment. This New Year’s tradition was started in 1907 by New York Times owner Adolph Ochs to spotlight the Times‘s new headquarters. And the tradition is still followed due to its high popularity among the New Yorkers.
- Smash Plates – Denmark
Well, the Danish tradition of New Year’s celebration comes with a fair share of destruction. People in Denmark like to welcome the New Year by smashing plates and dishes, which sounds quite fun. It is normal to feel why someone throws plates and dishes that they bought carefully, spending money. The key here is to smash the dishes that are discarded, not functional, broken, or in some dispute. Therefore, you can break them without any guilt. According to tradition, you are supposed to affectionately smash in front of your friends’ houses to drive away the evil spirits.
- Drench Your Friends – Thailand
The Thai people are humble, fun-loving, and best known for their cultural celebration. People in Thailand like to welcome the New Year by throwing water at friends. So, if you are following this tradition, you might have to wear your swimsuit. It is a drenched carnival where people come out in the streets and spray water at each other. This is not the typical English New Year celebration but the Songkran Festival, which takes place from April 13 to 15. Although pouring water on someone might seem offensive, only for this celebration, it has become fun, and it symbolizes washing away your bad luck.
- Burn Your Grievances – Ecuador
People in Ecuador have found a very unique way to welcome the New Year, where they believe in burning their past and adversities. The locals here celebrate ‘Los Años Viejos,’ which means “the old years.” It’s a unique way of burning your past demons where people create dolls, scarecrows, sinister posters just to burn them all away as midnight hits. This fiery celebration takes place in the front yard of most houses to make sure everyone can see and participate in the act of burning. This tradition is definitely darker, intriguing, and enjoyable for everyone. They believe that the amber of fire can bring away evil spirits and bring in the good spirits in the New Year.
- 12 Grapes, 12 Seconds – Spain
How about trying some weird Spanish tradition of the New Year that can also make you choke? The locals in Spain will praise you on New Year’s Eve celebration if you are able to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. The Spanish people believe that the last 12 seconds of the past year can determine the future for the next year. It depends on how many grapes you eat in this small duration. The more grapes you can eat, the better your luck will get in the next year. However, a lot of people fail to finish this challenge. Do it for fun and do not choke on the graves.
- 12 Round Fruits – Philippines
Filipino people have diversified traditions for the New Year celebrations, and one of them includes arranging 12 round fruits. It’s not size or color or texture that matters, but rather shape. Therefore, you are free to choose any kind of fruit that is round in shape. The round shape of the fruit is associated with the currency, and it is considered that these 12 fruits can also bring more wealth in the coming year. The more circles you get, the more money you will earn. Most locals will attempt to get to 12 round fruits, each representing a month of the year. Let’s begin the money heist!
- Ring the Bell 108 Times – Japan
The Japanese culture has always mesmerized people, and that goes for their New Year celebration traditions as well. This can be one of the best traditions from Japan, which is based on your Zodiac Signs. The Buddhist temples here ring the bell 108 times at the beginning of the year to bring more cleanliness to the soul. This is no materialistic thought but rather a spiritual practice that speaks of a cleansed heart, mind, soul, and body. This concept is known as ‘joya no kane’ in Japanese culture, and the number 108 expresses the earthly desires.
