It’s that time of the year again, a time for fireworks, resolutions we won’t keep, and hopes for a better year. But while some of us just hope to have a good year, various New Year traditions are actually practised for good luck. From chucking plates to gulping grapes, here are some of the most unique New Year rituals from around the globe. Prepare to be amazed and adopt any of these for a banger year ahead.

1. Jumping seven waves

In Brazil, the beach is the place to be on New Year’s Eve. To attract good fortune, Brazilians jump over seven waves, one for each day of the week. Each leap comes with a wish for the year ahead. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to start the year with a bit of seaside magic?

2. Smashing plates for luck

If you’ve ever broken your mummy’s favourite teacup, you might not believe that smashing crockery could bring good fortune. But in Denmark, on New Year’s Eve, Danes throw plates at their friends’ doors. The more broken crockery you find outside your house, the luckier you’ll be in the coming year.

3. Eating grapes at midnight

If you have watched Modern Family, you know what I’m talking about. In Spain, as the clock strikes twelve, Spaniards quickly eat 12 grapes, one for each chime. Each grape represents a month of the year, and if you can manage to swallow them all in time, you’ll be blessed with good luck.

4. Colour-coded underwear

In Mexico, what you wear underneath your New Year’s Eve outfit is just as important as the outfit itself. Red underwear promises love, yellow ensures wealth, and white symbolises peace. Choosing the right pair could shape your destiny for the year ahead so choose wisely.

5. Año viejo

Forget fireworks; in Ecuador, they prefer a flaming effigy. Locals create scarecrows filled with paper, dress them in old clothes, and set them ablaze at midnight. This fiery ritual is meant to cleanse the negativity of the past year and usher in fresh beginnings. ‘Año viejo’ literally translates to ‘old year’. Bonus points if you model the scarecrow after someone who annoyed you in 2024.

6. Tossing water out of windows

In Cuba, New Year’s Eve involves a literal fresh start. People throw buckets of water out of their windows to wash away bad vibes and negativity from the past year.

7. Hanging onions

Onions are a symbol of fertility and growth in Greece, so families hang them on their doors to bring prosperity in the new year. The next morning, parents gently tap their children on the head with the onion to wake them up. It’s a charming way to start the year.

8. Lead pouring

Germany celebrates the new year with Bleigiessen, or “lead pouring”. Since lead is toxic, people now use alternatives like tin or wax. A figurine is melted over a candle flame and tipped into cold water, where it solidifies into shapes open to interpretation. A dragon might mean luck, while a whistle-blowing rabbit could spell trouble.

9. Writing wishes and drinking them

In Russia, wishes are taken so seriously that they’re written down and burnt, and the ashes are mixed into a glass of champagne. Revellers then drink the concoction before midnight. It’s an unusual way to make your dreams come true, but it’s certainly memorable.

10. Banging bread

In Ireland, to banish bad spirits and ensure a year of good fortune, people bang loaves of bread against the walls of their homes. It’s a noisy and floury ritual, but who’s to argue with the promise of good luck?

11. Dropping ice cream

Switzerland’s New Year tradition for good luck might mean bad luck for dessert lovers. They celebrate by purposefully dropping a dollop of ice cream on the floor. It brings abundance they say, but surely it’s also a test of self-control.

12. Apple fortune-telling

In the Czech Republic, apples hold the secrets to the future. After cutting an apple in half, people examine the core to predict what the year will bring. If the seeds form a star shape, good luck is on the way. If not, well, better luck next year.

13. Smashing pomegranates

In Turkey, the smashing of a pomegranate is a popular New Year’s tradition. The more seeds that scatter when the fruit is broken, the more prosperity and abundance you can expect in the coming year. But please don’t try this if you live with your mother. Nobody knows about good luck but you’ll certainly get a good amount of gaaliyan.

14. Eating soba noodles

Japan celebrates New Year’s Eve with a bowl of soba noodles, known as toshikoshi soba or “year-crossing noodles.” The long noodles symbolise longevity and resilience. Slurping them up is not just encouraged but believed to bring good luck for the year ahead.

Which New Year traditions would you try for good luck? Let us know and have a smashing New Year, hopefully not involving your crockery.

Featured Image Source

Related: Top Christmas Markets In Delhi NCR To Celebrate A Very Merry December 2024