New Year’s Eve Traditions Around the World

Across the USA, residents look forward to the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve. As the countdown ensues, a Waterford crystal ball drops from its perch in New York’s Times Square to the delights of millions of onlookers in the street and millions more watching on television. The spectacular ball is a geodesic sphere covered with 2,688 crystal triangles and measuring 12 feet in diameter. It weighs 11,875 pounds and has more than 32,000 LED lights. Known worldwide, this beloved tradition dates back to 1907. Around the world, New Year’s Eve traditions vary, and some provide interesting entertainment.

Out With the Old

The centuries-old custom of having a clean slate in preparation to start the New Year takes many forms across the world. The countdown to midnight in Cuba signals that it’s time to rid the home of bad spirits and negative energy from the past year. As a public service tip for tourists in Cuba, pack a rain jacket in case you happen to pass someone’s front door as the countdown begins. Those bad spirits are tossed out in a bucket of dirty water, and no one wants to carry that into the new year on their clothes!

Ireland handles this tradition in a couple of ways. Banging bread on the doors and walls of the home is believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the home and community from bad luck. If bread is not available, pots, pans, or wooden spoons will accomplish the task. The Irish also do a spring cleaning in December to start the new year fresh.

In Scotland, starting the new year off fresh begins with ridding the house. This involves a deep cleaning of the house, from the front door to the kitchen cabinets, and especially cleaning out old ashes in the fireplace.

In an unusual twist, Russia incorporates ashes into the festivities. On New Year’s Eve, Russians write a wish for the coming year on a piece of paper. Then, they set fire to the note, reducing it to ashes. Those ashes are dropped into a glass of Champagne. Participants must drink the ash-filled Champagne before one minute past midnight for the wish to come true.

Communing with Cows

Farmers in the rural communities of Belgium take to the pastures to wish their cows a Happy New Year. Romanian farmers also attempt to communicate with their cows. However, in Romania, the farmers hope the cows don’t talk back because if they do, bad luck follows. Here’s wishing Romanians everywhere an evening of silent cows.

Punch Out Your Differences

The annual Takanakuy festivals, held in Peruvian villages between Christmas and New Year, offer an outlet for dealing with the previous year’s frustrations: fistfights. Residents engage in bare-knuckle brawling, overseen by the local police, to settle differences. However disturbing the fights sound, they serve as a way to settle differences and start the new year with a clean slate.

More than fighting, the festival involves food, drinks, music, and dancing. Entire towns gather to watch members of the community fight one another. With no limitations as to age or gender, you never know who you’ll see duking it out. Fighting grandmas, perhaps?

It’s All About the Undies

In many South American countries, choosing the right underwear for New Year’s Eve makes all the difference in the coming year. Seeking increased prosperity? Be sure to wear yellow underwear. Looking for love? Red is your go-to color for New Year’s Eve. And, if you are hoping to travel in the coming year, be sure to carry a suitcase around with you as you celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Wishing You Joy as you Celebrate Your New Year’s Eve Traditions

Whatever New Year’s Eve traditions you choose to honor this year, may you find love, prosperity, and a suitcase to take you away. Open those doors, throw out the dirty water, and choose your undies wisely. That should serve as an ideal kickoff to 2025. Happy New Year!

 

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