new years

New Years Customs and Traditions Around the World

New Years Customs and Traditions Around the World

It’s universal to hear church bells ringing, people shouting and making lots of noise, and throwing confetti at the stroke of midnight. This stems from ancient practices of driving evil spirits away from the New Year. Here are some New Years customs and traditions from around the world.

General Traditions

  • Getting dressed up.
  • Making a resolution.
  • At midnight:
    • Making noise and lighting sparklers to keep bad luck and evil spirits away.
    • Kissing someone you care about to insure you’ll see them throughout the year.
    • Drinking champagne and toasting the New Year.

Ancient Rome

The practice of exchanging gifts on New Year’s Eve began in Rome. In the beginning, symbols of good luck were given. This developed into coins with Janus (the god of new beginnings) stamped on them. A friend would also receive a glass jar filled with dates and dried figs, soaking in honey and a bay leaf so their year would be sweet and full with good fortune..

Argentina

Rose, born in Argentina now living in Australia, said that on New Year’s Eve people go out to visit relatives and neighbors, kissing and toasting the beginning of a New Year. Cars honk their horns. On some streets, the neighborhood gets together for drinks and dancing all night long and goes house by house to greet people. It’s a tradition to have drinks and cakes to offer to visitors. Some people wear fancy dresses and masks.

Australia

Jan Male from Australia reports that New Year’s Eve is a night of celebration. People gather at a friend’s homes or in major venues in their hometowns. There’s entertainment, dancing, and fireworks. At midnight, everyone joins hands and sings “Auld Lang Syne.” They have the tradition of making a “New Year Resolution.”

Austria

Pork is the traditional food because the pig always roots forward. Even sweet candy pigs are on the menu. Conversely, lobster is avoided as it moves backwards and might cause setbacks in the New Year.

Brazil

The streets of Brazil are decorated with bright colors and an abundance of bells and flowers. People wear white for good luck. After midnight, a late meal is served. Lentils are usually included as they symbolize good luck. Dancing and partying goes on until dawn. In Eastern Brazil, people go to the beach. At midnight, people run into the waters with gifts of flowers and candles for the goddess Lemanja.

Bolivia

Little dolls made of wood and/or straw are hung in the doorway for good luck.

British Columbia, Canada

People plunge into the ice-cold water of Vancouver in the traditional Polar Bear Swim.

Ecuador

Karima Oglesby from Philadelphia, PA, said families burn a scarecrow and a will for the New Year, representing the year’s short comings.

England

Prior to the 19th century, gloves and pins were the traditional gifts for the New Year. Today, people crowd into Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square in London, awaiting Big Ben to announce the start of the New Year. The “first-footer” or the first person to set foot in the house will determine the luck of the New Year.

Susan Haley from Cornwall, UK, said: We put coal and silver coins just outside our door before midnight and bring them in after midnight to ensure that warmth and prosperity will enter our house all year round.

France

Families gather and exchange homemade gifts and greeting cards. Gifts to friends and associates might include bonbons, flowers, and fresh or candied fruit.

Anne Meha from France said: Gifts of money are given to children or service people, like the postman.

Germany

Onions are used to predict the weather for the coming year. Six onions are cut in half, and the cut side is salted. Each half is designated as one month of the year. They are left alone for an hour or so, then predictions for the new year are made. Onions where the salt has dissolved will be a wet month, but if the salt is still there, the month will be dry. Other traditions include eating pork and fish for riches.

Greece

January 1st is also the Festival of St. Basil, founder of the Greek Church. Vassilopitta or St. Basil’s Bread is served. Small trinkets are baked inside the bread. People who find the trinkets in their pieces will have good luck. Greek children leave their shoes by the fireplace in hopes that St. Basil will fill them with gifts. The “Baby New Year” is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. During the Feast of Dionysus, the god of wine, a baby in a basket was taken about representing the rebirth of the land.

Holland

The Dutch consume lots of wonderful food on New Year’s Eve and drink spicy warm wine as they “eat out the old year and eat in the new.”

Italy

A sprig of mistletoe is hung over the front door to ensure good luck. At midnight, old pots and dishes are tossed out windows to bring good luck. A popular sweet treat is chiacchiere, a fried ribbon or balls of dough that’s dusted with powdered sugar.

Japan

Called Shōgatsu, The New Year is celebrated for three days. New clothes are worn and straw ropes and fans are strung across the front door to bring happiness and good luck. House entryways and may be decorated with pine for youth, longevity, and strength of character; bamboo for luck; and plums for virtue and courage. The New Year brings a fresh start and often Bonenkaior or “Year Forgetting Parties” are thrown. On New Year’s Eve, everyone gets a chance to ring the bell in the Buddhist temple until it has rung 108 times, the number of earthly temptations believed to cause human suffering. Everyone laughs at the stroke of midnight to ensure good luck in the coming year. Craftsmen clean and honor their tools. Food plays an important part. Rice is always served, usually as mochi, a cooked glutinous rice cake shaped into a round ball.

Korea

Girls put three carnations in their hair. If the top flower dies first, the girl’s later years of life will be arduous. If the middle flower dies first, her earlier years will bring her the most grief. If the bottom flower dies first, the girl will be miserable her entire life.

Latin America

  • Wearing yellow underwear will bring good luck or fortune in the new year. Red underwear will bring love. Wearing black underwear will bring back luck.
  • Walking around a suitcase or the block will bring opportunities to travel in the new year.
  • Handling silver to bring good fortune.
  • Hang a toy woolen lamb from the front door for good fortune.
  • Throwing a bucket of water out of a door or window for renewal and getting rid of the past. The water is supposed to represent year’s tears and suffering.

Philippines

Vada said that families get together, usually at someone’s home and eat a midnight dinner. They also set off fireworks as a sign of happiness for the New Year. Children jump ten times when the clock strikes twelve to “grow taller.”

Peru & Columbia

Three potatoes are tossed under the bed: one peeled, one partially peeled, and one unpeeled. At midnight, one is picked — the first one your hand touches is it. If the peeled potato was chosen, there will be financial hardships. Partially peeled, things will continue as usual, and the unpeel potato means good fortune.

Poland

Justyna said that people stay up until midnight. Then they drink champagne and wish each other well. People go outside and watch the fireworks. They spent the rest of the evening sitting and talking and the kids play games, listen to the music, and dance.

Romania

It’s believed farm animals talk on New Year’s Day. However, if one hears them talk, it’s bad luck.

Russia

Grandfather Frost and Snow Girl shake jingle bells on New Year’s Day, when toys and cakes are given to children. The yolka, the New Year’s Tree, is decorated.

Scotland

Called Hogmanay, cakes and pastries are favored. In some areas, large barrels of tar are set on fire to burn out the old year. The first-footer or the first person to set foot in the house will determine the luck of the New Year.

Spain

“If you eat grapes on New Year’s Day, you will have money the whole year.” At midnight, the Spanish each eat twelve grapes, one for each month of the New Year.

Thailand

In Thailand on the morning of New Year Day, people get up earlier, go to Buddha’s temple, offer food, and do activities. Then, they visit their parents and have a party in the evening. Nowadays, people prefer to travel on this long weekend.

Wales

Children go door to door singing and wishing people a Happy New Year. They receive mincemeat pies, fruit, and coins in return. In Pembrokeshire, special buns are given to children.

United States

People gather on New Year’s Eve and wait for the stroke of midnight, when bells ring, noisemakers whirl, and people shout, “Happy New Year.” People kiss, toast the New Year with champagne or sparkling apple juice, and sing “Auld Lang Syne.” Most everyone makes a New Year resolution. The idea of a New Year resolution is believed to have started in Babylon. It’s the promise to do something to better oneself or to get something accomplished.

Pasadena, California

Early New Year’s Day, the Tournament of Roses Parade begins. Large elaborate floats covered with flowers, nuts, and seeds are marveled at by a large crowd of spectators. The parade began in 1886 when carriages were decorated simply with flowers. The Rose Bowl, a football game, traditionally follows the parade.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

On January 1st, people dress in intricate costumes, then parade and dance down the main streets in the Mummers’ Parade—a tradition since 1901.

New York City, New York

On New Year’s Eve, thousands crowd into Times Square to watch the “ball drop.” A large ball covered with lights “drops” from the top of a skyscraper precisely at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Newport News, Virginia

J. Hicks from Newport News, Virginia, reported that during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, older people, particularly women, did not want a woman or a girl to visit their homes on New Year’s Day. If a female came to their homes, they considered it a great insult because it would bring bad luck for the whole year. A man or a boy could visit their homes; they believed their visits would bring them good luck and success for the coming year.

Southern U.S.

Hoppin John, a black-eyes peas and rice dish, is eaten to bring prosperity in the New Year. It’s served with greens (which symbolize money), cornbread (which symbolizes gold), and pork (which symbolizes luck). One tradition is to leave this plate with three peas to ensure that their New Year will be filled with luck, fortune, and romance. Another is to count the number of peas in your fork to predict the amount of luck or wealth you’ll have in the coming year.

According to The Farmers’ Almanac, a Southern expression is “Eat poor on New Year’s, and eat fat the rest of the year.”

Geneva Dole from Alabama reports that clothes are not washed on New Year’s Day. If you do, you’ll wash a loved one away.

Aloner Fontenot Nicks fromVille Platte, LA, said, “Since I was a child, a fictitious lady by the name of Toulouse would come during the night as we slept and leave an article of clothing, fruits, candy, and gum. I believe she was to be a modern day Mrs. Santa Claus. Some in this area also call her Madame Grand Doigt. I am of French heritage. Being born and reared in Southern Louisiana could explain this tradition.”

Aloner Fontenot Nicks fromVille Platte, LA, also said that on New Year’s Day, families get together and have a wonderful dinner. The dinner must have of pork (for health), green cabbage (for wealth), black-eye peas (for luck), and fruit salad for prosperity.

Virginia

Ninna from Virginia said, “New Years is celebrated by doing a dance called El Gid. We spin in circles with many people.”

Cynn from Virginia said, “The first visitor always had to be male. I don’t know why, but women were not allowed in as guests until a male had visited the house on New Year’s Day. My father got up very early and went to knock on the doors of all the homes on our road to be the first visitor.”

⇴ image purchased from vecteezy

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