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- Mallory Moench
- Times Square ball drop. Some version of the famous ball has been dropped in Times Square in New York City on New Year’s Eve since 1907, although the history of using a ball on a pole to notify ship captains of the time dates back to the 1800s.
- Jumping waves and wearing white. In Brazil, revelers often wear white and go to the beach to celebrate the new year. At the ocean, some practice the tradition of making offerings to Iemanjá, or Yemanja, an ocean goddess from traditional Afro-Brazilian religions Candomblé and Umbanda.
- First footing. One tradition in Scotland, where New Year’s Eve is known as Hogmanay, is “first footing”—literally the first foot to enter someone’s home after midnight.
- Ringing bells 108 times. In Japan, Buddhist temples ring bells 108 times on New Year’s Eve. This is because in Buddhism, it is believed that there are 108 types of earthly desires, and each strike of the bell will remove one desire.
- Spain: Eating Grapes For Good Luck. In Spain, locals will eat exactly 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to honor a tradition that started in the late 19th century.
- Scotland: First Footing. In Scotland, the day before Jan. 1 is so important that there's even an official name for it: Hogmanay. On this day, the Scottish observe many traditions, but easily one of their most famous is first footing.
- The Netherlands: Chowing Down On. The reasoning behind this Dutch New Year's Eve celebration is odd, to say the least. Ancient Germanic tribes would eat pieces of deep-fried dough during the Yule so that when Germanic goddess Perchta, better known as Perchta the Belly Slitter, tried to cut their stomachs open and fill them with trash (a punishment for those who hadn't sufficiently partaken in yuletide cheer), the fat from the dough would cause her sword to slide right off.
- Russia: Planting Underwater Trees. For the past 25 years or so, it has been a Russian holiday tradition for two divers, aptly named Father Frost and the Ice Maiden, to venture into a frozen Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, and take a New Year Tree—typically a decorated spruce—more than 100 feet below the surface.
- Victoria Doudera
- Make Some Noise. Making a lot of noise and light—from fireworks to gun shots to church bells—seems to be a favorite New Year’s pastime across the globe.
- Eat Lucky Food. Many New Year’s traditions involve food. Here are a few: In Spain, people attempt to eat 12 grapes during these 12 strokes of midnight! Tradition says that if they succeed before the chimes stop, they will have good luck for all 12 months of the coming year.
- Have a Drink. Although the pop of a champagne cork signals the arrival of the New Year around the world, some countries have their own beverage-based traditions.
- Give a Gift. New Year’s Day was once the time to swap presents. Gifts of gilded nuts or coins marked the start of the new year in Rome. Eggs, the symbol of fertility, were exchanged by the Persians.
Dec 27, 2023 · To bring some good luck to 2024, borrow these New Year traditions and superstitions from around the world, including ideas on what to wear and what to eat.
- Marisa Lascala
- 2 min
- marisa.lascala@hearst.com
- Eat 12 Grapes. In Spain, there’s a tradition that involves eating grapes on New Year’s Eve. The goal is to eat a dozen grapes by the time the clock finishes its midnight chimes.
- Celebrate Hogmanay. Invitation inspiration: Festive Shimmer Stripes Invitation. Hogmanay is the old Scottish word for the last day of the year, and it’s a time of celebration in Scotland.
- Watch a Fireworks Show. For the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year, families and friends in China often gather to set off firecrackers or watch a fireworks show.
- Hang an Onion on Your Door. This New Year’s Eve tradition from Greece involves hanging an onion on your door. This traditional Greek custom symbolizes rebirth and the coming of a new year.
Nov 19, 2023 · Join us on a captivating journey around the world as we unveil 30 fascinating New Year’s Eve traditions, each a testament to the rich tapestry of human culture and the enduring spirit of new beginnings. 1. Spain: A grape-tastic countdown
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Dec 30, 2023 · These 40 New Year's Eve traditions include certain colors to wear, food to eat and other ways to ring in the new year, having fun with family and friends.
