20 New Year’s Good Luck Traditions in the World
The years 2020 and 2021 were extremely challenging for the entire world. But as things have started to change a bit, we hope we will ring in the new year with lots of positivity. We also hope the year 2022 brings love, peace, prosperity, and good fortune to everyone across the globe. And don’t forget about the traditions you have been following for decades. From a midnight kiss done right when the clock strikes 12 to setting off fireworks and making noise, here are New Year’s good luck traditions you can follow right from where you are sitting.
1. Eat Round Fruit
If you reside in the Philippines, you are well aware of the importance of eating round fruits at the stroke of midnight. And if you live somewhere else, let’s tell you that round fruits like peaches and apples are believed to attract wealth in abundance. Apart from that, other round-shaped objects such as coins and polka dots also signify good luck according to some Filipinos.
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2. Burn an Effigy
People in Ecuador have a belief that burning a scary effigy can dispel all the negative energy from the past year and bring in good vibes. Such effigies are usually made from sawdust, stones, paper, etc., and could be given the face of a witch or any negative figure.
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3. Eat Fish
Chinese culture gives importance to wordplay and food and this is why many New Year’s customs are linked with these entities. For instance – people there believe that the words for both ‘fish’ and prosperity are pronounced as ‘yu’. That means eating fish on New Year is believed to bring prosperity to those who opt for this practice.
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4. Ditch Everything That’s ‘Old’
Italians believe that ditching old household stuff on such as auspicious day drives out bad omens. They follow this old New Year’s tradition by throwing broken glass, old crockery, and other items from their windows.
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5. Eat Enthusiastically
In France, people love to relish multi-course meals with their loved ones on New Year’s Eve. The meal called ‘le réveillon’ consists of oysters, bore, turkey, foie gras, and champagne. Desserts may involve a Yule log, a log-shaped cake flavored with coffee, chocolate, or chestnut.
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6. Kiss at Midnight
This well-known New Year’s tradition is followed by people around the world. People drench in the joy and welcome the year by kissing their special someone as the clock strikes midnight. They believe by doing so their love will continue for the entire year.
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7. Get a Gift from Stranger
In Scotland, receiving a gift from a tall and handsome stranger on the day is said to bring good luck. This tradition is popularly referred to as ‘first footing’ and involves the gifting of silver coins, food, and whisky.
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8. Keep Leaves under Pillow
To be lucky in love, Irish singles keep ivy leaves under their below on the night of New Year’s Eve. This practice is believed to create a dream of the person that individual will marry in the future. Today, the followers of this tradition use sprigs of mistletoe and even bay leaf instead of leaves of ivy.
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9. Consume a Dozen Grapes
Spanish people say that eating 12 green grapes, one on each stroke of the clock till the clock strikes midnight brings good luck for the year ahead. This practice of eating a dozen grapes has been followed since 1909. At that time, the principal grape-growing region ‘Alicante’ experienced a huge grape harvest. The tradition was then passed to new generations. So, eat 12 grapes at midnight and try to finish them in time to embrace luck all year.
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10. Don’t Forget to Pray
Nigeria, one of the most diverse countries in the world is home to several religions and ethnic groups. No matter what their beliefs are, all Nigerians gather at local mosques and churches to pray for the upcoming year. Apart from praying for the auspicious event, they take a pledge to give up bad deeds for the next 12 months.
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11. Don’t Wash Hair
Just like many countries in the world, Korea is an extremely superstitious nation that believes that washing hair on New Year’s day brings bad luck. They believe so because the day marks the new beginning when everyone is inviting good luck and washing hair rinses all that luck away.
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12. Walk Around with Empty Suitcase
In Colombia, there’s a tradition to stroll around the neighborhood with an empty suitcase. This is done so as to enjoy a fun-filled and adventurous year ahead with lots of traveling journeys. Well, the walk can be for a few minutes in the neighborhood or around the house. Many people simply put their luggage bags on the front door of their house to ensure their chances of traveling abroad.
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13. Put a Ring in a Glass of Wine
In Mexico and many other countries, people welcome New Year with a bubbly glass of wine. They take a gold ring or object and submerge it in the wine glass before raising a toast. This is done to attract wealth, fortune, and prosperity.
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14. Fill Cupboards
Bare cupboards on New Year’s Day signal hardships and poverty. This is why many people residing in different parts of the world stuff their cupboards with groceries, clothes, etc. well in advance to mark the beginning of the New Year.
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15. Keep Wallet Full
If you want to enter into a year full of financial prosperity, then fill your wallet with cash before New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Also, pay all your debts and don’t give out money that day to enjoy financial success in the months to come.
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16. Don’t Cry
No crying for whatsoever reason on January 1. If you feel like crying, save your tears for the next day because shedding them on New Year’s Day could signal sadness for the next 12 months. So, more tears on New Year, please!
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17. Make Some Noise
There are reasons why people burst firecrackers at midnight. First, noisemakers and crackers are a way to welcome the New Year. Second, it is believed that making loud noises at midnight will scare those bad omens and evil spirits.
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18. Wake Up Early
You might have heard that walking late on the morning of January 1 will make you lazy for the rest of the year. So, if you want to achieve your goals and don’t want to snooze the alarms, wake up early on New Year’s Day. Even if it’s the weekend!
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19. Toss Dishes at Neighbor’s Home
This Danish tradition is usually followed as a part of a contest. The more doorsteps of near and dear you visit to toss dishes, the luckier you will be through the year. Although a superstition, this practice allows people to exchange dishes and enjoy them wholeheartedly while being grateful to each other. This eventually spreads love and care amongst friends and family. So, toss a few dishes on New Year’s Day – an apple pie, chocolate cookies, or banana bread to begin as well as end the date on a sweet note.
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20. No Chicken or Fish
While on one hand, Chinese people believe eating fish is a sign of good luck, Filipinos believe that meat is associated with a dearth of food. This is why they do not consider chicken or fish apt to eat on New Year Eve and cook that day’s meal with vegetables.
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These are some of the New Year’s traditions people follow to welcome good luck in their lives. You can also follow these and see if they work for you. Happy New Year!
