As the clock strikes midnight on December 31, people around the globe say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one, full of optimism and aspirations. If you are looking to try something new this coming New Year in the hope of getting off on the right foot, check out these unique customs and traditions from around the world.
- Brazil: Wear white for a year of peace and tranquility
On New Year’s Eve, you can find Brazilians partying the night away decked out in entirely white ensembles. This tradition has its origins in the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé, in which the color white represents peace.
- Lithuania: Pour milk on the doorstep
If you happen to be in Lithuania on December 31 and find that someone has poured milk on your steps, consider it a sign of good luck and an act of generosity! Lithuanians call the custom “white magic,” and believe it will bring good fortune and friendship in the coming year.
- Denmark: Jump into the New Year
Families in Denmark set out chairs and stools so they can jump off them together into the new year as the clock strikes midnight. This year, take a leap with the Danes to see if your luck in the correlates to how high you manage to get in the air, just as the superstition states.
- Spain and Latin America: Eat grapes for good fortune
Big bowls of grapes can be found at every New Year’s Eve celebration in Spain and Latin American countries. According to tradition, to ensure a prosperous year, you must eat one grape for each stroke of the clock at midnight, for a total of twelve per person. Just as people in the U.S. flock to Times Square to watch the ball drop, Spaniards often plan a trip to Puerta del Sol in Madrid to eat their twelve grapes together.
- Panama: Let the past go up in smoke
A unique tradition Panamanians take part in is the burning of life-sized effigies. Whether it’s a collective experience or a personal one, people in Panama believe in the cathartic ritual of setting fire to the negative experiences of the past to make a fresh start for the New Year.
- Italy: Eat lentils for financial luck
Italians believe in symbols, and a lentil’s round shape is the perfect representation of round coins—something most people hope is in store for them in the coming year. That’s why people in Italy enjoy steaming bowls of lentil soup at their New Year’s Eve parties.
By Kelli Drummer-Avendano
Also read:
9 New Year’s Eve Traditions from around the World
