As with many holidays, different countries and cultures have unique and interesting traditions that are incorporated into the celebrations. And New Year's Eve is no different.
Popping a bottle of champagne while watching a giant ball slowly descend in Times Square is pretty much the norm for Americans. However, folks in other countries partake in things like hanging onions on their doors or wearing red underwear as a way to coax in some extra luck in the upcoming months.
Yes, some of the New Year's Eve traditions in other countries are a bit odd, but after the past few years of sketchy juju that the world has encountered, doing a little extra to boost your good luck, as weird as it might be, may not be a bad idea.
Check out some of these unusual, and unique, traditions from around the world:
When the clock strikes midnight, people in Spain will eat exactly 12 grapes to honor a tradition that began in the 1800s. The grapes not only signify the midnight hour, but also the twelve months of the year.
One of the more odd traditions takes place in The Netherlands where people eat pieces of deep-fried dough. The eating of the dough really isn't the odd part, it's the reason behind it that is slightly frightening. The tradition was started by Germanic tribes as a way to protect themselves from the goddess Perchta, also known as Perchta the Belly Slitter. Perchta was known for cutting open the bellies of the naughty and filling them with trash. However, it was believed that the fat from the dough would cause Perchta's sword to slide off their stomachs.
Another of the more odd traditions comes from Russia where two divers, referred to as Father Frost and the Ice Maiden, make their way into the frozen freshwater Lake Baikal to "plant" a decorated tree 100-feet under the water and ice.
For the Japanese, enjoying some soba noodles on New Year's Eve is thought to bring good luck. The soba noodles' thin shape and long length signify a long healthy life.
While most neighborhoods would frown on seeing piles of broken plates stacked at the doors of houses, people in Denmark welcome it. The tradition of throwing plates at your friends' and neighbors' door signifies the release of any aggression or ill-will before the New Year begins. The bigger the pile of broken dishes outside your door means the more good luck you'll have in the upcoming year.
Another odd, yet interesting, tradition from Russia is the of drinking ashes. While Russians aren't downing the ashes of humans or animals, they are drinking down the ashes of their wishes. People in Russia will write their wishes on a piece of paper, burn the paper with a candle, add the ashes to a glass of champagne or other beverage and down the hatch it goes.
Foodies will want to pay attention to this next tradition. In Estonia, eating many meals is thought to bring about good fortune. And I'm not talking about three main meals and a couple of snacks. No, the people of Estonia will eat seven, nine or 12 meals (all considered lucky numbers in the country) on New Year's Eve to help prepare for a prosperous year.
An easy tradition that you may want to adopt as your own is that of the people of Turkey. In Turkey it is customary to sprinkle salt on your doorstep as the clock strikes midnight. The act is thought to promote peace and prosperity throughout the year.
For ladies looking to get lucky in the New Year, following the Irish tradition of sleeping on mistletoe might help if the dating apps have proved to be failures. Single women in Ireland place a piece of the plant beneath their pillow on New Year's Eve as a way to bolster their chances of finding love in the New Year.
Our neighbors up north in Canada gear up for some ice fishing as a way to celebrate the New Year. Families and friends will rent heated huts for the day and cook their catches right on site.
Placing three potatoes under each family member's bed has been the tradition of households in Columbia. One of the potatoes is peeled, one is not and the third potato is only half peeled. At midnight, with eyes closed, each person grabs for a potato. Depending on the one they snag, it could mean a year of good fortune, financial struggle or a mix of both.
Other traditions include:
- Cooking a fish dish. Fish are considered good luck because they only swim forward, like the movement of time.
- Dress in dots or wear all white.
- Stand on a chair and "leap" into the New Year at midnight.
- Buy a new lucky charm to carry with you each day.
- Don a pair of yellow undies for good luck, red for love or white for peace in the New Year.
- Ask everyone to write down a wish, resolution or goal and put it in a jar. At the next New Year's Eve, read the notes and see how everyone fared.
- Sprinkle some sugar outside of your door to attract good luck.
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