By Oluwatomiwa Awonaike

The New Year festivities are one of the many things celebrated all over the world. Many countries, cities and states, either on New Years Eve or on the first day of January, try to remove bad luck and wish prosperity and happiness for the coming year. However, many places share this excitement with fireworks, countdowns and being with friends, family or even lovers. All countries celebrate the coming of a new year in an interesting and special way according to their different beliefs and cultures. As we delve into the festivities of this coming year, let’s see how others celebrate, around the world, bringing a wonderful and joyous year.

1.Spain – Eating 12 grapes

In Spain, the stroke of midnight comes with eating one grape each time. Popularly called by the natives ‘Las doce uvas de la suerte’ or ‘The Twelve Grapes of Luck’. Spaniards attempt to eat one grape at each chime of the clock totaling 12 grape, which is thought to bring good luck in each month of the year ahead. It’s also believed that swallowing the grape either too early, or too late, is considered bad luck. If you want to try this, make sure you can chew and swallow quickly, so you don’t choke!

2. Brazil – Jump seven wave 

Back in Brazil, commonly done in Rio de Janeiro’s, Copacabana beach, people jump off waves on New Year’s Eve to bring in good luck. They wear white shorts as a sign of peace, they do this in collaboration with giving flowers to the Goddess of Sea, Iemanja, who is known to bring prosperity and bless mothers and children.

3. Ireland – Bang bread

The Irish love to celebrate with drinks – that’s one thing we know. However, they go beyond the drinks on New Year’s Eve by banging walls with bread. This is done to chase away evil spirits and bad luck and as good luck that they get a lot of bread which symbolises wealth and prosperity in the coming year.

4. Denmark – Plate smashing

As someone who got yelled at for smashing plates growing up, I should have probably done that on New Years Eve so I can have better luck next year! The people of Denmark see broken or chipped glass as a sign of good luck and smash plates on the last day of the year. So if you’re in Denmark and see broken glass on your front door, consider yourself lucky and if there’s a lot, you’re popular too!

5. Scotland – First footing

A common Scottish tradition is called the “First Footing”. Scottish natives believe that the first person who crosses a house’s entry after midnight can be the ideally dark-haired man, which is known to bring forth a really lucky coming year! 

6.Colombia – Carrying empty suitcases

Have any travel plans for the new year? For more luck, you should join the Colombians carrying empty suitcases around their block. It is considered a good practice to brings more travelling for the coming year!

7. Armenia and Turkey – Throw pomegranates

Pomegranates are one of the fruits you should be stocking up before the year ends! Pomegranates are known to be lucky fruits in Turkey and Armenia. They say the wider the pomegranate seeds spread the better year you’ll have. In their culture, the fruit is used as a metaphor for the human heart because of the size and colour and is also a symbol for health, fertility and life.  

8. Chile – Spending the night in cemeteries

Much like how Mexico celebrates the day of the dead, families in Chile spend New Year’s Eve in cemeteries, close to their family members. This is done to bring peace for the deceased and ensure that they have a prosperous new year as well. This celebration involves food and drinks and people light a small fire near their family members’ graveyard to include them in the festivities.

9. Romania – Dress up as bears and dance

In Romania, Halloween 2.0 begins on New Years Eve. People dress as bears and dance in order to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. Bears are considered significant animals according to Romanian beliefs. Fun fact: these costumes can weigh up to 50kgs. Isn’t that crazy?

10. Latin America – Colourful underwear

Saving the most intriguing for the last, one’s wishes can be shown by the colour of your underwear which to me is crazy. In terms of meaning: wear red for love, wear yellow for money or wealth and wear white for peace and harmony. This is a very popular New Years tradition in Brazil, Mexico and Bolivia. People can choose the colour they want for the new year.

New Year traditions across the world, regardless of where you’re from, are something that should be celebrated. Not just to symbolise the end of the year, but as a symbol of hope that maybe next year will be better. From banging bread on people’s doors to carrying empty suitcases through your street. These traditions show us that universal desire for renewal, hope, and connection. These remind us that although our beliefs in welcoming the year ahead may be different, the emotions that lie within them are all the same. As we go into the new year let us carry gratitude, celebration and unity for the years we have lived and will live and foster a world that thrives on its beautiful differences and common aspirations.

Photo Credit to Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels