New Year traditions around the world

| Read time: 5 minute(s)

No matter where you live, January 1 is the day to celebrate. It is the start of a new year, a year full of hope and good luck. And no one wants to start it on a negative note. That’s why cultures and communities around the world celebrate this day differently. And though most of the countries follow the Gregorian calendar, there are a few which celebrate their New Year on different date than January 1. Let’s read on to know different traditions associated with the New Year across the world… Estonia Traditionally, people eat seven, nine, or twelve meals a day with the goal of having abundance in the next 365 days. You can never go hungry here! Denmark In Denmark, people shatter their unused dishes and plates, as well as climb on top of chairs and literally jump into New Year’s Day at midnight to bring good luck. Zimbabwe This country hosts a 3-day extravaganza for the New Year with big crowds at Jameson Vic Falls Carnival. Entertainment includes fire dancers, stilt walkers, and the continent’s biggest waterfall. Scotland It’s considered good luck if the first person to enter a house on New Year is a tall, handsome man with dark hair. It’s better if he gets you a gift! Germany German families melt lead by holding a flame under a tablespoon. They pour it into a bucket of water and the pattern is said to predict the coming year. A heart/ring shape means an upcoming wedding, a ball means luck will roll your way, and a pig means you’ll have plenty of food. Australia Australia New Year celebrations are famous for its fireworks. In Australia, they celebrate New Year’s Eve while the sun is shining bright. Fireworks mark the end of the new year, the most elaborate occurring at midnight in Sydney Harbor. Mexico People throw buckets of water out the window and open the front door to symbolically sweep out the old year. Families toss coins onto the ground and sweep them back into the house to encourage a prosperous future. Peru The custom involves putting three potatoes under a chair. One is peeled, one is partially peeled, and the other has all its skin. At midnight, a person chooses a potato with their eyes closed. If you get the one with skin, you’ll be prosperous, the one that’s partially peeled means you’ll have a normal year, and the one with no skin means you’re destined to have no money.

No matter where you live, January 1 is the day to celebrate. It is the start of a new year, a year full of hope and good luck. And no one wants to start it on a negative note. That’s why cultures and communities around the world celebrate this day differently. And though most of the countries follow the Gregorian calendar, there are a few which celebrate their New Year on different date than January 1. Let’s read on to know different traditions associated with the New Year across the world…

  1. Estonia
    Traditionally, people eat seven, nine, or twelve meals a day with the goal of having abundance in the next 365 days. You can never go hungry here!
  2. Denmark
    In Denmark, people shatter their unused dishes and plates, as well as climb on top of chairs and literally jump into New Year’s Day at midnight to bring good luck.
  3. Zimbabwe 
    This country hosts a 3-day extravaganza for the New Year with big crowds at Jameson Vic Falls Carnival. Entertainment includes fire dancers, stilt walkers, and the continent’s biggest waterfall.
  4. Scotland
    It’s considered good luck if the first person to enter a house on New Year is a tall, handsome man with dark hair. It’s better if he gets you a gift!
  5. Germany
    German families melt lead by holding a flame under a tablespoon. They pour it into a bucket of water and the pattern is said to predict the coming year. A heart/ring shape means an upcoming wedding, a ball means luck will roll your way, and a pig means you’ll have plenty of food.
  6. Australia
    Australia New Year celebrations are famous for its fireworks. In Australia, they celebrate New Year’s Eve while the sun is shining bright. Fireworks mark the end of the new year, the most elaborate occurring at midnight in Sydney Harbor. 
  7. Mexico
    People throw buckets of water out the window and open the front door to symbolically sweep out the old year. Families toss coins onto the ground and sweep them back into the house to encourage a prosperous future.
  8. Peru
    The custom involves putting three potatoes under a chair. One is peeled, one is partially peeled, and the other has all its skin. At midnight, a person chooses a potato with their eyes closed. If you get the one with skin, you’ll be prosperous, the one that’s partially peeled means you’ll have a normal year, and the one with no skin means you’re destined to have no money.

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