3, 2, 1… Happy New Year! This iconic countdown is heard across the globe, but everything that happens after the clock strikes twelve varies from one tradition to another. From eating grapes in Spain to leaping off sofas and into the new year in Denmark, every country has its own way of saying goodbye to the past year, and hello to the new one. The midnight kiss, the Times Square ball drop, the fireworks are all classics in America, but how exactly does the rest of the world celebrate this momentous time?
The first New Year’s celebrations we know about began over four thousand years ago in Babylon, where the new year was celebrated in spring with the Akitu festival. Other ancient civilizations, like Egypt, coincided their new year to natural events, such as the Nile’s flooding. The early Roman calendar, created in the eighth century B.C., initially had 10 months, with the new year starting at the vernal equinox. Later, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar making Jan. 1 the first day of the year to honor the god Janus. Romans celebrated with sacrifices, gifts, and parties.
Today, New Year’s celebrations vary vastly across the world, with each culture adding its own unique touch to its festivals. Eating lucky foods is a common tradition in Spain, Portugal and Latin America, where twelve grapes or raisins are eaten, while in Italy, twelve spoons of lentils are enjoyed. France indulges in pancakes, Germany in marzipan, Netherlands in ring-shaped food, and the Swiss have whipped cream as their treat of choice. Scotland celebrates Hogmanay where people sing “Auld Lang Syne” and swing giant fireballs on poles. In the Philippines, people wear polka dots, while in Brazil, people wear white and jump over seven ocean waves to make wishes.
In Mexico, people walk around with an empty suitcase to hope for travels in the new year and in Cuba, they throw a bucket of water out the door to get rid of bad spirits. In Greece people hang pomegranates and smash them for luck, while Russians have 12 seconds of silence before midnight to reflect over the past year. In Denmark, people jump off chairs at midnight and break plates, and in Italy and Spain, wearing red underwear for luck is a common tradition. In Japan, people visit temples to exchange lucky charms, while in Ireland, an extra place is set at the table for loved ones lost during the past year. In India, people would create a sculpture of an “old man” to represent the old year and burn it at midnight, as a way to move towards the new year.
New Year’s celebrations around the world are diverse, but they all share the common goal of saying their goodbyes to the old year and looking forward to the new one with new wishes. From unique foods to wearing special clothes, these festivities are a way for people to connect with their cultures while expressing their excitement for the next year.
www.almanac.com/new-years-traditions-around-world
www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years
www.afar.com/magazine/new-years-traditions-from-around-the-world
