10 Weird New Year’s Traditions All Over the World
Goodbye, 2024; hello, 2025! Well, at least for a couple more days. If you already have plans for how to welcome the new year, lucky you! But have you ever thought about how the rest of the world celebrates the new year? Or are there any weird, interesting, and unusual new year’s traditions they follow before the new year? We’ve rounded up some of these traditions and beliefs, and maybe you could try one when the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2024.
New Year’s Traditions All Over the World
Eating 12 Grapes
The Spaniards try to eat 12 grapes during the 12 strokes of midnight to bring good luck, according to Spain’s official tourism website. The 12 grapes symbolize the 12 months of the coming year. If they eat all 12 grapes before the clock stops chiming, tradition says they will have good luck for the whole year. Be careful, though, when trying to do this—you might end up choking on a grape!
Wearing Polka dots, Shopping for 12 Round Fruits, etc.
Filipinos have numerous traditions during New Year’s Eve, even more than when they welcome Christmas. Even in these modern times, the Filipinos still adhere to the following quirky new year’s traditions:
- Wearing polka dots: The polka dots symbolize coins. The more dots equal more coins.
- Shopping for 12 round fruits: The 12 fruits are for the 12 months of the coming year. It’s also to attract prosperity and fortune. Some even add one more fruit to make it “lucky 13.” The fruits must be round, like oranges, watermelons, grapes, etc. Thorny fruits are avoided at all costs during this time since thorns symbolize obstacles and challenges.
- Jumping high during midnight: This one is for those who want to be taller when they grow older. However, adults who stopped growing are still doing this.
- Eating certain foods and avoiding others: Filipinos also eat noodles during New Year’s Eve because it symbolizes long life. They also eat sticky rice to strengthen family bonds. They don’t prepare chicken since chickens tend to peck their food one at a time and it symbolizes scarcity.
- Fireworks, open lights and windows: Fireworks drive away evil spirits and open lights and windows invite good fortune.
Hanging Yellow and Red Underwear and Burning Dolls
Before the new year, Ecuadorian outdoor markets hang yellow or red underwear. Yellow signifies good luck and prosperity while red symbolizes passion. They also buy a “monigote” a large doll that signifies the past year. Some families even make their own “monigote,” taking old clothes and filling them with straw or other flammable materials.They then burn this doll throughout the day and night of New Year’s Eve, per Culture Trip.
Eating Lentils and Pomegranates
In Brazil, eating lentils on New Year’s Eve is a tradition. Brazilians believe it attracts money and fortune, and that it’s the first food you should eat after midnight. Aside from lentils, you can also ensure you’re extra lucky next year by eating pomegranate. The fruit’s numerous seeds are considered an analogy for abundance in life. Some believe that you should eat the fruit and keep the seeds in your wallet to attract money, according to Street Smart Brazil.
Wearing Bear Costumes
If you happen to be in Romania when the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2024, don’t be alarmed if you see people dressed up as bears roaming around and dancing. This tradition is rooted in the belief that the bear was a sacred animal. Centuries ago, the tradition included real bears on leashes, who would dance and chase away bad spirits from the previous year. Thankfully, the tradition now only involves bear costumes, rather than real animals, per The Guardian.
