20 unique New Year Traditions from all over the world

To drink ashes to break grenades is the way other countries introduce the new year.


The New Year's Day can start the second that the clock strikes midnight on January 1st in most countries, but the celebrations companies inUsher in the new year In different corners of the globe could not be more unique. Take the equator, for example: there, the citizens scroll around the city with scarecrows constructed to resemble popular politicians and cultural icons - and at the midnight race, said the scarecrows are burned to clean the new year of all evil. And in Brazil, it is customary to light candles and throw white flowers into the water as an offering for Yemoja, the Queen of the Ocean. In this case, we have traveled the world, at least - to gather some of the world's most creative and culturally unique world's eve traditions of the world. Continue reading to find out how other countries will celebrate and advise on your promise for yourself, discoverThe most important resolution of the New Year's resolution that everyone does.

1
Spain: Eat grapes for good luck

Young woman eating grapes
Martin Novak / Shutterstock

In Spain,The inhabitants will eat exactly 12 grapes At midnight, honoring a tradition that started at the end of the 19th century. Back in the 1800s, the winemakers of the vine in the region of Alicante have resulted in this tradition as a way to sell more grapes towards the end of the year, but the sweet celebration quickly became. Today, the Spaniards we eat a grape for each of the first 12 bell strikes after midnight in the hope that it will bring about a year of good fortune and prosperity. For more fascinating trivia, check50 most interesting facts about the world.

2
Scotland: First foot

Front door at night
Yongkiet Jitwattanatam / Shutterstock

In Scotland, the day before January 1 is so important that there is even an official name for this: Hogmanay. That day, the Scottish observes many traditions, but easily one of their most famous isfirst foot. According to Scottish beliefs, the first person who crosses the threshold of your home after midnight on the New Year's Day should be a black-haired man if you want to have good luck in the next year. Traditionally, these men carry gifts of coal, salt, shortery and whiskey, which contributes more and more to the idea of ​​having a good fortune.

But why men with black hair? Back When Scotland was invaded by the Vikings, the last thing you wanted to see at your door was a light-haired man wearing a giant ax. So today, the opposite-ablack-haired Man symbolizes opulence and success.

3
The Netherlands: Falling on Oliebollen

Platter of oliebollen
Nancy Beijersbergen / Shutterstock

The reasoning behind the tradition of the Nova New Year's Eve is slightly strange, to say the least. Old Germanic tribes would eatThese pieces of fried paste during the yule so that whenGermanic goddess Perchta, Better known as Perchta, the belly tried to cut the open stomachs and fill them with a trash (a punishment for those who did not have sufficiently gone in the joy of yuletide), the fat of the dough would cause his sword to slip directly. Today, Oliebollen is appreciated on the eve of the New Year and you would have trouble finding a Dutch food supplier in winter that does not sell these donut balls. For more wisdom to share with your friends, check125 facts that will make you feel instantly smarter.

4
Russia: Plant underwater trees

Lake Baikal in Russia, frozen over
Katvic / Shutterstock

Over the last 25 years, this has been a Russian holiday tradition for two divers, named Father Frost and the girl of ice, to venture intoA Baikal frozen lakeThe largest freshwater lake in the world and take a new year tree - typically a decorated spruce, more than 100 feet below the surface. Although the temperature is normally well below the Gel in Russia during New Year's Eve, people travel from all over the world to participate in this jelly holiday.

5
Brazil: Throw white flowers in the ocean

Young woman dropping white flowers into ocean
Bruno Amado / Shutterstock

If you are in Brazil for New Year's Eve, do not be surprised to find the oceans littered with white flowers and candles. In the country of South America, it is common for citizens to take the coast of the New Year's Eve in order to doYemoja offers, a great divinity of water that must control the seas to arouse its blessings for the coming year.

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6
Italy: Wear red underwear

Red underwear drying on line
Stuar / Shutterstock

Italians have a tradition ofwearing red underwear ring in the new year. In Italian culture, the red color is associated with fertility and people wear it under their clothes in the hope that it will help them design over the next year.

7
Greece: Suspended onions

Red onions hanging from a green door
George Green / Shutterstock

No, the tradition of New Year's Eve has nothing to do with vampires. Greeks believe rather than onions are a symbol of rebirth, and so they havepiquancy on their doors to promote growth throughout the new year. Greek culture has long associated with this food with the idea of ​​development, seeing that all odor onion never wants to plant its roots and continue to grow. And for the customs that headed for the United States, discover20 traditions "American" that we totally stole other cultures.

8
Chile: Cool in cemeteries

Graveyard in Santiago, Chile
Natalia Ramirez Roman / Shutterstock

In Chile, the New Year's masses are not held at the church,but in cemeteries. This landscape change allows people to sit with their family-deceased family members and include them in New Year's festivities.

9
Japan: Soba noodle slurping

Soba noodles with tempura shrimp
SASAKEN / SHUTTERSTOCK

In Japanese culture, it is customary to welcome the new year with a bowl of soba noodles in a ritual known asToshikoshi Sobaor noodles through a year. Although no one is quite sure where Toshikoshi Soba came, it is believed that the slim form of Soba and the long length are supposed to mean a long and healthy life. Many people also believe that because the buckwheat plant used to make Soba's noodles is so resilient, people eat pasta on New Year's Eve to signify their strength. If you want to make a bowl of New Year's Eve noodles for yourself on December 31, then discover the bloggerNamiko ChenThe recipe of 'here. And for the trivia that will make you Gigrainer, check40 facts so funny are difficult to believe.

10
Denmark: Plates

Broken plates on concrete
ASWPHOTOS134 / SHUTTERSTOCK

In Denmark, people are proud of the number ofbroken dishes outside their door at the end of New Year's Eve. It's a Danish tradition of launching China at the front of your friends and neighbors on New Year's Eve - Some say it's a way to leave any aggression and a bad will behind the new year begins - and It is said that the greatest your stack of broken dishes, the more chance you will be in the next year.

11
Equator: Burning scarecrows

Burning scarecrow
Green / shutterstock

In Ecuador, the New Year's New Year's Eve festivities are lit (literally) by joy fires. In the center of each of theseFires of joy are effigies, most often representing politicians, pop culture icons and other figures from the previous year. These burns of "Año Viejo" or "old year", are organized at the end of each year to purify the world every day of the last 12 months and make room for the good to come.

12
Greece: Pummeling grenades

Cut pomegranates on wooden table
Webwaffe / Shutterstock

In ancient Greek mythology, the grenade symbolizes fertility, life and abundance, and the fruit is associated with good fortune in modern Greece. Just after midnight on the eve of the New Year, it is customary forGreeks to break a grenade Against the door of their house - and we say that the number of grenada seeds that end up scattered is directly correlated with the amount of good luck to come.

13
Germany: Pour the lead

Melting led over a candle
Simone Andress / Shutterstock

In Germany, the whole center of the New Year festivities around a fairly unique activity known asBleicießen or officer. Using the flames of a candle, each person melt a small piece of lead or tin and pouches it into a cold water container. The shape that forms of lead or tin reveal the destiny of a person for the next year, not contrary to the tascyph.

14
Japan: Ring bells

Monastery bell at a Buddhist temple
Maxim Tupikov / Shutterstock

One hundred and eight. How many timesBuddhist temples in JapanRoquez their bells on the New Year's Eve at 107 times on New Year's Eve and once the clock strikes midnight. This tradition, called Joyanokane, is intended to dispel the 108 diabolic desires of each person and to clean the previous year of past sins.

15
Russia: Drinking ashes

Group of friends toasting with champagne flutes
G-Stock Studio / Shutterstock

Before you escape, rest assured that the Russians do not consume human ash or any kind. Rather in Russian culture, it is the tradition of New Year's Eve for people to write their wishes on a piece of paper, burn them with a candle andDrink the following ashes in a glass of champagne.

16
Czech Republic: Cut apples

Red ripe apples and cut apples on the cutting board
Marigold-Y / Shutterstock

The Czech prefers to predict their future fortune on the eve of the New Year with the help of an apple. The night before the new year begins,the fruit is cut into twoAnd the shape of the nucleus of the Apple is said to determine the fate of everyone around it. If the Apple core looks like a star, everyone will soon meet in happiness and health - but if it sounds like a cross, a person at the New Year's Day should expect to get sick.

17
Estonia: Eat many meals

Table of food
G-Stock Studio / Shutterstock

If breakfast, lunch and dinner are sufficient enough for you, you will then want to celebrate the New Year's Eve in Estonia. There, people believe that eatingseven, nine or 12 meals will result in good things in the coming year, see that these figures are considered lucky throughout the country. And if you can not finish your food, do not worry: people often leave food on their plaques to feed their family members visit - those of the spiritual form, that is to say.

18
Armenia: Cook the bread "good luck"

Armenian pita bread
Elena Shi / Shi / Shuterstock

When the people of Armenia cook bread on the eve of the New Year, they add a special ingredient in their dough: luck. Of course, they do not do itliterally Add an ingredient called luck in their batter, but it's tradition for good metaphorical wishes to be kneaded inEach batch of bread cooks on the last day of the year.

19
Turkey: Jump salt

Salt shaker spilled on wooden table
INEWSFOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK

In Turkey, it is considered a good luck toSprinkle with salt on your door As soon as the clock hits midnight on New Year's Day. Like many other traditions of New Year's Eve around the world, it would have dilad to promote peace and prosperity throughout the new year.

20
Ireland: Sleeping on the mistletoe

Mistletoe tied with red ribbon
OLEKSANDR RYBITSKIY / SHUTTERSTOCK

In Ireland, it's customary for simple girlsSleep with a mistletoe under their pillow On the night of the New Year. So-saying, sleeping with the plant helps women find their future husbands - in their dreams, at least.


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