New Year’s Traditions Around the World
by Krista S.
A new year marks a new beginning. As midnight strikes, people around the world celebrate the new year. In America, the crystal ball in NYC drops and there are fireworks, but what about in other parts of the world? This is an interesting question, so let’s explore the New Year’s traditions of different countries.
In Spain, twelve grapes are eaten to celebrate the new year. The grapes represent the twelve months of the year. Not eating these grapes in a timely manner is said to bring bad luck. But if you do, expect twelve months of good fortune.
On the other hand, in Denmark, broken dishes symbolize good luck. Dishware is broken and spread on doorsteps of their friends. More broken dishes near the door mean more good luck.
In Greece, hanging onions is a sign of positive changes and evolution. They are hung on New Year’s Eve, and then on New Year’s Day, children are tapped on the head with the onion when waking up. Over there, onions are symbols of fortune and longevity.
Round shapes bring good luck in the Philippines, and some people eat twelve round fruits at midnight. Each fruit represents coins, resembling prosperity and affluence.
Speaking of fruit, it has been said that pomegranates are symbols of the human heart and resemble life. Pomegranates are opened in Turkey on New Year’s Eve as a way to be signified prosperity and luxury. Meanwhile, pomegranates are thrown around in Armenia, with the amount of success depending on the number of pieces and how far the seeds are scattered out.
A bell is rung 108 times as a Buddhist tradition in Japan. It is rung 107 times on New Year’s Eve and once on midnight on New Year’s Day. Each sound dies down before another ring strikes.
In Brazil, some people jump through seven waves and make seven New Year’s wishes in the process. As you may know, seven has been said to be the lucky number. Hence why you’re supposed to jump seven waves.
These are just some of the New Year’s traditions worldwide, and some countries have multiple traditions. People celebrate in different ways, but for many, a new year means starting over with a new perspective. What are some ways you ring in the new year?
