New Year Celebrations Around The World !

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New Year Celebrations Around The World is what I will be sharing today with you. It’s an old article I have dug out 🙂 No matter how good or bad the past year has been, there is just so much excitement and hope for the coming New Year!Sure, say it says it’s nothing big, simply a date change. But does it not make all the difference? I feel it’s a fresh start! A new lease of life…full of plans, hopes, and new promises  🙂 Face it, New Year is special and a Big Deal!Almost all over the world, there is some special tradition/way to usher in this day! Here have listed my top favorite 16 fun traditions!

#1 Fight your Foes:

Now, this is pretty straightforward. I don’t like you, you don’t like me. BAM! Fight out your differences and start the New Year on a Fresh note. That’s how we roll fellas! This is the Takanakuy Festival of Peru. Adrenaline rush alert!

#2 Money in Your Shoe!

In many countries including Brazil, it is said we should keep money in our shoes to bring in prosperity! The energy enters our body through our feet and thus the tradition! I am definitely trying this one!!

#3 Wearing Red Underwear!

In Turkey and some Latin countries including Italy and Spain, red is considered the color of good fortune. People wear red undies under their New Year clothes. In fact, this tradition is so popular, that stands to sell red underwear; crop up all over towns overnight.  In fact, some people say, that it must be done at the stroke of the midnight! I wonder how they accomplish that!!Still, I think it’s a really cool way to ring in the luck. I am all for it: p In Bolivia, there is different colored undergarments for luck in different aspects life. Red for love, yellow for happiness and money, green for prosperity and white for peace. I would say go for all these colors 😉

#4 Eat your Beans!

In Argentina, people eat beans, just as the clock strikes 12! It is beloved that this would bring good fortune to you career-wise. Also, carrying around a suitcase in the house is recommended if you wish to travel more!!

#5 Burn Evil Effigies!

In Ecuador, family members make effigies /scarecrows out of waste material. These effigies are then burnt as the clock strikes 12, symbolizing the destruction of all the past evils-año Viejo or the past year! This tradition started way back in 1895 after a yellow fever epidemic, where coffins with clothes of the deceased were burnt as a purification rite.

This tradition has beautifully moved with modern times, to include pop culture icons and even cartoon characters! BDW how much fun that would be for the kids :p

#6 Lead Pouring

In Austria lead is poured in a water bowl. The soothe sayer then predicts the fortune of next year based on the shape the lead ball takes! What a creative and fun way to know the fortune!! The lead looks very beautiful and is kept like a memento 🙂

#7 Children Write Best Wishes!

In Belgium, there is a tradition that children collect money throughout the year to buy the decorative paper. In this paper, they write best wishes and prayers for everyone. They further decorate these with beautiful ribbons and bows. In the morning, the entire family gathers around, and they read out loud their greetings. How cute is that!!

#8 The Onion (not The Ball) Drops!

Unlike the Ball Drop in Times Square, an ONION, yes a big Onion drops in Hamilton’s Old Town.

#9 Eat 12 Grapes for Luck

Now, this is a really healthy one 😉 It is said you should eat 12 grapes, one for each month. If you make a wish after eating each grape, your wishes will come true. I am running to my local supermarket-like right now!

#10 Throw out your old furniture!

This tradition is very popular in South Africa. People throw out old chairs and tables from their windows. While this is a great fun thing to do, I don’t recommend walking out on the streets there. Some New Year that would be 😛

#11 Make Some Noise!

In Canada, loud clapping and roaring are advised, just at the stroke of the midnight. It is said that this expels all negative energy. Personally, I feel this is the easiest to do, hoot everyone!!There is an also a tradition called First Footing in Canada. If a young male enters the house, dot at midnight, it is said that luck and prosperity enter the house with him!

 

#12 Viking Balls of Fire!

In Scotland, men dressed in their traditional Kilts, parade the street…throwing BALLs of Fire!! What a show it must be!! Bright and macho 😉

#13 Throw those Dishes!

This one sounds like too much fun!! In Denmark, people break dishes on their friend’s doorstep for good luck. People also jump on chairs/sofas. It is beloved that jumping off will ward off the evil spirits!!

#14 Darling you Dance like a Bear!

Try saying this to someone normally and you would literally have a huffing puffing angry bear at your hands. But believe it or not, in Romania it is considered good luck to dress up as a bear or in Bearskin. Dance away to glory and great luck!

 #15 Dropping Ice Cream on the Floor!

This one is painful for sweet lovers!! In Switzerland, it’s considered good luck to drop ice cream on the floor when the clock strikes 12. Seriously, not the awesome Swiss Ice Cream!! No no nooo!!

 

#16 Sleepover in the Cemetery

Now, this is a really spooky one! In Chile, people sleepover in the Cemeteries to be closed to their deceased loved one. I cannot pinpoint if it is scary or sweet? Jittery new year’s eve that one 😛

Do you have a special New Year’s tradition that you follow? Let me know what special you did for this new year!!!