{"id":64463,"date":"2022-12-13T11:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T16:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.www.smartertravel.com\/2015\/12\/16\/12-new-years-traditions-from-around-the-world\/"},"modified":"2022-12-13T11:13:27","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T16:13:27","slug":"12-new-years-traditions-from-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/12-new-years-traditions-from-around-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"12 New Year’s Traditions from Around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New Year\u2019s Eve is a big deal all around the world. Families and friends come together to party, count down to the new year, and maybe even get that lucky kiss at midnight. But some cultures have their own unique traditions, from fortune telling to tossing crockery out the window (or at your neighbor\u2019s door!). Here are twelve unique ways that people around the world ring in the new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating 12 Grapes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Madrid,
IKGM | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Spain, the last moments of each year are spent\u00a0eating grapes<\/a>\u2014one for each chime of the clock during the countdown. These final seconds are often filled with laughter as Spaniards struggle to chew and swallow one grape after another, a task made even more difficult depending on how many drinks they\u2019ve already celebrated with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make a Wish on Your Suitcase<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Man
nmtdtrk | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hopeful travelers can learn a lot from this tradition that occurs in many Latin American countries, most notably\u00a0Ecuador,\u00a0Colombia, and\u00a0Mexico. Many believe that taking\u00a0an empty suitcase<\/a>\u00a0for a walk around the block (or even leaving one by the door) will bring travel in the coming year. You might feel a little odd when your neighbors see you taking your suitcase for a walk, but they\u2019ll be totally jealous when you\u2019re on your way to the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baking a Coin into the Bread<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Greece, New Year\u2019s Eve is celebrated by baking a traditional bread known as\u00a0Vasilopita<\/a><\/em>\u00a0that comes with a special surprise: a \u201csweet coin\u201d baked into the bread (or cake in some cultures). It\u2019s a coin wrapped in tin foil and dropped randomly into the bread; whoever gets the lucky piece will have good luck for the next year. The tradition honors St. Basil, who came up with the idea to bake coins into bread when he knew the poor people of his church would be too proud to accept charity.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The Best Single-Dish Restaurants in the World<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Throwing Stuff Out the Window<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"fragment
Rusinka | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Heads up! If you plan to spend New Year\u2019s Eve in Italy, you might want to find some cover because Italians like to ring in the new year by chucking dishware, appliances, and sometimes even furniture\u00a0out the window<\/a>. But it\u2019s not just a lot of ruckus; the act symbolizes letting go of the past. By chucking their possessions out the window, Italians cast out the old troubles and welcome hope for a new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearing New Underwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Young
hbpro | Shutterstock\n<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you intend to welcome the new year in Brazil, you\u2019ll have to follow a dress code. Brazilians traditionally\u00a0wear white<\/a>\u00a0on New Year\u2019s Eve, but that\u2019s not all. They also believe you should wear brand new underwear and that the color of the underwear will represent what you wish to attract in the new year\u2014yellow for money, green for health, and red for love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking Dishes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Broken
mitifoto | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This tradition is best celebrated in its native countries, as it involves breaking plates against your neighbors\u2019 doors. In countries like Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, it\u2019s popular to\u00a0throw dishes<\/a>\u00a0against other people\u2019s homes as a sign of good luck and camaraderie. In fact, the more pieces of broken glass you have on your door-step, the more well-liked you are!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating Seven Times<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

New Year\u2019s Eve in Estonia never ends on an empty stomach. In this small Baltic country, they eat\u00a0seven times\u00a0to celebrate the new year. Eating so often is a wish for abundance and strength in the coming year, and seven is one of the country\u2019s lucky numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

5 Bubbly and Beautiful Champagne Tours to Take<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ringing a Bell 108 Times<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Temple
M.SAI | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Buddhism, it\u2019s believed that there are a total of\u00a0108 earthly desires\u00a0that cause suffering. At the stroke of midnight on New Year\u2019s Eve in Japan, temple bells will toll 108 times\u2014one for each desire. This\u00a0ritual\u00a0is called\u00a0Joya-no-Kane<\/a><\/em>, it\u2019s all about purification and encouraging a fresh start for the new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dropping Ice Cream on the Floor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ice
SAYAN MOONGKLANG | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If your ice cream falls to the floor in Switzerland, there\u2019s no need to be upset. In fact, the Swiss\u00a0purposefully drop their ice cream\u00a0on the floor on New Year\u2019s Eve to bring on a year of abundance and (hopefully) more ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything Is Round<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Jan
Kim David | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the Philippines, the new year is celebrated with roundness. Part of the fun of the day is coming up with 12 different round fruits\u2014one for each month of the year. For Filipinos, roundness is a symbol of health and also signifies prosperity and wealth (because coins are also round). Women will often wear polka-dot dresses to add even more roundness to the big day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Predicting the Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On New Year\u2019s Eve in Finland, people have a tradition of fortunetelling. They\u2019ll melt small tin horseshoes in a pan and then pour the liquid metal into a bucket of cold water. The tin solidifies instantly when it hits the water, resulting in random shapes. The shapes are then interpreted to\u00a0predict their future<\/a>\u00a0for the coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

A Taste of the Sweet Life in Slovenia<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hitting the Walls with Bread<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Sliced
Rrrainbow | Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Ireland, bad luck must be driven out of the house before midnight, and the quickest way to get bad spirits out of the house is apparently with a loaf of Christmas bread. The Irish will smack the walls and bang on the doors with bread to chase out the bad and welcome in the good spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for a new tradition? Be inspired by what other cultures do to celebrate the New Year!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":446512,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"stpt_category":3742,"stpt_post_tag":0,"stpt_st_article_types":0,"stpt_st_travel_types":0,"stpt_st_campaign":0,"stpt_st_providers":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/ef387a4f-36f7-4c29-8f80-3dad3afa70f7\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/bf876bff-4e0d-4692-8f7e-b346ff586531\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/260840d5-387f-4439-8ff2-9810110809ec\"]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[2367,3742,3829],"tags":[2338,2344],"smartertravel_exclude_from":[],"st_article_types":[3721],"st_travel_types":[],"st_providers":[],"audience-tags":[185295,185487],"destination":[],"departure":[],"all_publish_dates":["2015-12-16","2019-12-20","2022-12-13"],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/AdobeStock_547894118-scaled-e1670610304212.jpeg","yoast_head":"\n12 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