New Year Traditions
around the World
If you do a little research you will come to know that be it the
western or the eastern part of the world, New Year is celebrated with equal
enthusiasm everywhere. However as the year in the calendar marks a transition,
the various New Year Traditions and Customs followed during the period remain
as it is. Here's a list of some of
the interesting ways to celebrate the New Year across the globe:
England: The English custom for welcoming New Year is full of hospitality
and warmth. They believe that the first guest for the year would bring fortune
for them. He should be a male, should enter through the front door and bear
some traditional gifts like loaf for the kitchen, drink for the head of the
family and coal to light the fire, otherwise he is not allowed. They believe
that these bring good luck throughout the year.
Denmark: In Denmark, residents keep a pile of dishes, all broken, in front
of the door. For this they save old dishes and People usually throw these on
the friends’ doors during New Year. This symbolizes friendship and brotherhood and they believe the
one with maximum dishes outside, has the most friends. Some Danish are found to
leap some chairs during midnight.
China: The Chinese have a unique way of celebrating New Year, where every
front door of a house is painted in red which symbolizes happiness and good
fortune. They hide all the knives for the day so that no one cuts oneself,
because that may actually cut the entire family good luck for the coming year.
However that doesn’t make any difference to the feast they have during time.
Brazil: Brazilians believe that lentils signify wealth and prosperity. So
they serve food items made up of the legume like soup or rice on the New Year.
On New Year’s Eve, the priestesses dress up in blue and white for an auspicious
ceremony celebrated for the water goddess. Also a sacrificial boat filled with
jewelery, candles and flowers from the beach of Rio de Janeiro is pushed to the
ocean that brings health, wealth and happiness for them.
Austria: Austrians find good luck charm in Suckling pigs. They serve it on
the dinner table with edible pigs and the peppermint ice creams are served as
desserts for fortune.
German: Lead is considered to be auspicious here. They pour molten lead
into cold water and the shape that is taken after, predicts the future. Heart
shapes symbolize marriage whereas round shapes denote good luck; anchor shapes
tell that you need help however a cross signifies someone’s sad demise.
Belgium: They call the New Year eve as Saint Sylvester Eve. They believe in
throwing family parties, where everyone kisses, exchanges fortune greetings
apart from raises toast to welcome the New Year in their own manner. Children
usually save money to buy decorative so that they can write and gift New Year
greetings to elders.
Egypt: Egyptians believe that the New Year begins only when the new
crescent moon is visible in the sky. They create and extremely festive
atmosphere all around and celebrate the New Year with happiness and joy. The
official announcement is made in the city of Cairo in a holy mosque, and the
religious leaders do the needful.
Greece: they call it a St. Basil's Day, one of the forefathers of the
Greeks Church, because it is also celebrated as his death anniversary. They
bake some special bread, where a coin is buried inside the dough. The procedure
of serving the bread is very unique. They offer the first slice to God, second
to the bread winner of the house, and the third is meant for the house. If this
one contains the coin, spring will hit early that year. Also whoever get the
slice with the coin, is supposed to be blessed with extra good luck.
Wales: In Wales, during midnight, at the initial toll, the back door of
the house is first opened and then immediately shut. This symbolizes releasing
the old year and locking out all the bad luck it brought. At the 12th toll of the clock, the door is re-opened to
welcome the New Year will all its goodness, luck and prosperity.
Japan: Japanese New Year or Oshogatsu is meant for celebrations with
family and it begins with proper decoration of the home to welcome luck and
fortune. They clean the entire house, get themselves off from every financial
liability, and resolve all issues before the New Year hits. They follow
traditions of three things: a pine branch, called kadomatsu, denotes longevity;
a stalk of bamboo symbolizes prosperity, whereas a plum blossom shows nobility.
Before the clock strikes 12, they ring 108 bells to show that the all 108
troubles have been eliminated.
Philippines: They believe that every round thing is
auspicious. So they consume grapes, have coins, wear polkas dotted dresses, as
they have faith that circular things attract more fortune and money. They also
throw coins as New Year begins to increase wealth and prosperity.
Spain: The Spanish, eat 12 grapes at every toll of the clock during the
New Year. This they believe will bring good luck and happiness for the coming
12 months.
Puerto Rico: People throw buckets of water out of their
window and also clean their homes properly. This they believe will clean the
odds of the last year as well as get the spirits out of the home.
The Netherlands: Bonfires are burnt of the Christmas trees on
the New Year eve, on streets, by the Dutch. This purges out the old and greets
the new.
Chile: people go for mass in the New Year apart from visiting graveyards.
They make seating arrangements there and wait for New Year to come, along with
the dead bodies.
Rome: The celebrations last for three days where the Romans decorate
their houses with greenery and colorful lights, they choose gifts for their
loved ones very carefully like Gold, silver, for prosperity, honey for
sweetness etc.
United States: They believe kissing during midnight as the year approaches, is an
auspicious gesture that purifies everything that is evil.
Cultures and traditions vary in different parts of the world but
almost all of them are meant to bring happiness, prosperity and good luck in
the New Year. So if you think you can be a little more traditional this New
Year, you can try any of the above.
