Unique New Year Traditions From Around the World
Celebrating diverse global customs, 2024 ushers in with myriad unique New Year traditions from around the world, each reflecting cultural richness and distinctiveness.
The Roman new year is celebrated at the midnight of 31st December around the world but every country celebrates it differently. Every country follows their own new year tradition, making each of their styles of celebration unique from one another.
Let's take a look at how different countries celebrate new year:
1. Brazil
Brazilians wear all white, enter the sea and make 7 wishes while jumping 7 waves at midnight. The tradition is to honor Yemanja, their goddess of water, and request her to fulfill their 7 wishes.
2. Spain
The Spanish people eat 12 grapes (one for each month) at midnight to bring good luck and ward off evil every month of the year. The tradition is often carried out in communal gatherings outdoors.
3. Japan
The Buddhist temples in Japan ring their bells 108 times at midnight to dispel the 108 evil desires in everyone and to cleanse the sins of the past year. This tradition is known as Joyanokane. It is also traditional to eat Soba noodles at midnight in Japan.
4. Finland
The Finnish people make predictions for the new year by casting molten tin into a container of water and then interpreting the shape it forms after hardening. A heart or ring means a wedding, a ship predicts travel and a pig declares there will be plenty of food.
5. Denmark
In Denmark, the new year tradition involves throwing old plates & glasses against the main doors of the houses of friends and families to banish bad spirits off them and wish luck. People of Denmark also stand on chairs and jump together at midnight to ‘leap’ into new year with good luck.
6. Philippines
The families in the Philippines serve 12 ‘round fruits’ like apples, grapes, plums, etc. because they believe fruits’ round ‘coin-like’ shape increases prosperity. Each fruit represents one month of the new yea
7. Greece
The Greeks hang bundles of onions on their front doors after the first church service of the new year’s day (1st Jan) as a symbol of rebirth in the new year. In Families with children, the parents wake up their kids by tapping an onion on their heads.
8. Colombia
The Colombians place 3 potatoes - 1 peeled, 1 not, and the last 1 only partially peeled under the bed of each family member. At midnight each person tries to grab one with closed eyes and depending on the potato they grabbed, they can either expect a year of good fortune, financial struggle, or a mix of both.
9. Italy
It is customary in Italy to wear red underwear on 31st December. The red color is associated with fertility & good luck in Italian culture. Therefore, people wear red underwear with the hopes of being able to conceive and being lucky in the new year.
10. Russia
The Russians follow the tradition of writing their wishes for the new year on a piece of paper, burning it with a candle and then drinking the ashes in a glass of champagne at midnight in order to have them fulfilled.
11. Estonia
The Estonians on the new year day (1st Jan) eat food 7 or 9 or 12 times a day. These numbers are considered lucky in Estonian culture and it is believed that the more they eat the more plentiful food will come in the new year.
12. Chile
In Chile, new year’s masses are held in cemeteries rather than at churches. People decorate tombs and sit around the graves of their deceased friends & families to include them in the new year festivities and prayers.
Which one is your favorite new year tradition, from these? Tell us through comments. And, ISH wishes you all a very happy & prosperous new year 2024!
