New Year’s Eve Around the Globe

Bubbly. Counting down the final seconds. A kiss at midnight. “Auld Lang Syne.” While our New Year’s Eve traditions are familiar to our own culture, the ways in which people around the world bring in the new year are diverse. From eating grapes in Spain to smashing plates in Denmark, these customs provide a fascinating glimpse into the various ways we celebrate transitioning from one year to the next. No matter your locale, the desire to usher in a fresh start is universal, and every culture has its own unique way of doing so. Here is a look at some of the most intriguing New Year’s Eve traditions from around the globe.

Spain: A Grape for Good Luck

In Spain, counting down to the new year is accompanied by the unique tradition of eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Each grape represents a month of the year, and eating the whole dozen is believed to bring good luck in the coming year. The key is to eat all 12 grapes prior to the clock’s final chiming. Each grape symbolizes a different hope for the coming year.

Denmark: Smashing Plates for Prosperity

The arrival of the new year in Denmark is greeted with the sound of crashing plates! Instead of clinking glasses, Danes believe smashing old plates or dishes on the doorstep of friends and neighbors brings good fortune, removing any bad spirits. The more broken shards the better the luck for the coming year. This quirky custom reflects the Danish concept of hygge, which centers around fostering warmth, coziness and togetherness, despite a few broken dishes along the way.

Japan: Welcoming the New Year with a Clean Slate

In Japan, New Year’s Eve centers around deep spiritual reflection, with many traditions rooted in a sense of cleansing and renewal. The Japanese practice of osoji involves cleaning the house thoroughly before New Year’s Day to wash away bad luck and usher in a fresh start. At midnight, many families visit shrines for prayer and meditation, reflecting on the year past and wishing for a prosperous year ahead. In the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, people also send nengajo (New Year’s cards) to friends and family, acknowledging the connections that bind them. These traditions encompass a serene, peaceful celebration filled with reverence for both past and future.

Italy:  Wearing Red for Love and Luck

In Italy, New Year’s Eve is a passionate affair — quite literally. The wearing of red underwear on Dec. 31 is believed to bring good luck and love in the upcoming year. The color red is traditionally associated with happiness, passion and vitality in Italian culture, so why not bring in the year with a little extra luck? At midnight, lentils are often served symbolizing wealth, abundance and the hope that money will be as plentiful as the small legumes. If you’re in Italy, don’t forget to give a kiss at midnight; just as red symbolizes luck, kissing loved ones is thought to ensure strong relationships in the year to come.

Scotland: A Night of Hogmanay and “First Footing”

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay and is celebrated with much vigor and merriment. One of the most cherished traditions is “first footing,” which involves the first person to enter
a household after midnight bringing gifts to ensure good luck for the coming year. The night is filled with dancing, toasts, fireworks and, of course, the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” to bid the old year goodbye.

Brazil: The Sea, White Clothes and New Year’s Wishes

In Brazil, New Year’s Eve celebrations are particularly vibrant, with people gathering at the beach to celebrate the réveillon. Garbed in white clothes, symbolizing peace and renewal to Brazilians, it’s believed that wearing this attire will attract good luck in the new year. Brazilians also pay homage to the Afro-Brazilian goddess of the sea, Yemanjá, by offering flowers and floating them in the ocean at midnight in small boats. The ritual is believed to ensure blessings for the coming year. Fireworks illuminate the sky and the festive energy on the beaches is expressed through music, dancing and revelry throughout the night.

Ecuador:  Burning the “Año Viejo”

In Ecuador, the New Year’s Eve celebration takes on a fiery twist. At midnight, many Ecuadorians burn effigies called años viejos (old years), composed of old clothing, straw and fireworks. The effigies symbolize the prior year, with all things negative associated with it. Burning the año viejo is a way of letting go of the past and embracing the new year. It’s a dramatic yet cathartic ritual in which families, friends and even neighborhoods often compete to create the most impressive año viejo effigy transforming the streets into a spectacle of fire and celebration.

Mexico: Grapes and Fire

As in Spain, many people in Mexico eat 12 grapes at midnight — one for each chime of the clock. Each grape symbolizes a wish for each month of the coming year. In addition, many Mexicans drop a gold ring into their glass of bubbly wine. As long as they do not remove the ring before hugging everyone in the room and finishing their glass, they will supposedly enjoy good luck in love and financial affairs.

In With the New Out With the Old

As the clock strikes midnight and the world rings in the new year, it’s fascinating to see how cultures across the globe celebrate this annual milestone. Whether through fire, food, music or the sharing of wishes, New Year’s Eve symbolizes a collective desire for hope, renewal and good fortune. These traditions create a connection to the past while generating excitement for the future — a reminder that no matter where we are in the world, the arrival of a new year is a time to come together, reflect and celebrate.

Consider embracing one of these fascinating global traditions — or create one of your own. After all, making new memories is what it’s all about!