6 FUNNY AND UNUSUAL NEW YEAR TRADITIONS
Dressing up, enjoying a good meal with loved ones, counting down the seconds, shouting
"Happy New Year!" and kissing... These are the New Year's Day traditions in France! 🇫🇷 But what about other countries?
New Year's Eve is celebrated differently around the world. 🥳 Some customs are sometimes surprising, very funny, or even wacky!
Do you want to discover them? Let's go together to discover New Year's traditions around the world! 🌎
Table of Contents
- EATING 12 GRAPES IN 12 SECONDS: A FUN SPANISH TRADITION
- THROWING OLD OBJECTS OUT THE WINDOW: A SURPRISING CUSTOM IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ITALY
- JUMPING OVER A WAVE 7 TIMES: A NEW YEAR'S TRADITION TO MAKE WISHES COME TRUE IN BRAZIL
- WATERING LOCALS IN THAILAND 3 DAYS BEFORE NEW YEAR'S: THE WATER FESTIVAL
- THROWING PLATES AT NEIGHBORS' DOORS AT MIDNIGHT IN DENMARK: A FUN CUSTOM
- DRINKING YOUR WISHES IN RUSSIA: A LUCKY NEW YEAR'S TRADITION
1. EATING 12 GRAPES IN 12 SECONDS: A FUN SPANISH TRADITION
In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight.
This very special ritual is said to bring 12 months of good luck for the new year.
Many people challenge themselves on the big day to swallow their grapes as quickly as possible.
The lucky winner gets happiness, luck, and prosperity! This tradition is so famous in Spain that it is broadcast live on television.
Participate in this unusual custom with friends: laughter and a good atmosphere are guaranteed.
You'll see that it's not so easy to eat 12 grapes in such a short time!
To succeed in this challenge, clever people don't hesitate to remove the seeds and skin from the grapes! 🤫
2. THROWING OLD OBJECTS OUT THE WINDOW: A SURPRISING CUSTOM IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ITALY
To start the year afresh, South Africans in the Hillbrow or Johannesburg neighborhood have a tradition of throwing old furniture or used household appliances out the window.
Residents get rid of microwaves, ovens, televisions, and even computers: a surprising, but also dangerous tradition... So, it's important to be careful in the streets on New Year's Eve!
In the same vein, in Naples, Italy, many people have made it a habit to throw old objects out the window on the night of December 31st.
According to them, it's a sign of renewal; they abandon the useless and superfluous: a promise of a new beginning! 🏁
3. JUMPING OVER A WAVE 7 TIMES: A NEW YEAR'S TRADITION TO MAKE WISHES COME TRUE IN BRAZIL
Every December 31st, Brazilians gather on Copacabana beach for an original New Year's tradition!
At midnight, they enter the ocean fully clothed to jump over 7 waves. 🌊
For each jump, they must express a wish or gratitude for something that has happened to receive more of it this year.
The custom is also to wear a New Year's outfit in white to ward off evil spirits and renew energies.
For those living far from the coast, there is an alternative to this custom! To have one's wishes fulfilled, one must jump 3 times on the right foot or step onto a stool with the same foot.
4. WATERING LOCALS IN THAILAND 3 DAYS BEFORE NEW YEAR'S: THE WATER FESTIVAL
In Thailand, locals celebrate Songkran, a festival marking the Buddhist New Year and the start of the rainy season.
It doesn't take place at the end of December, but in April. 3 days before New Year's Eve, a gigantic water fight takes place across the country!
Thais spray each other, as well as tourists on vacation!
The belief is that water purifies and wards off bad luck, so they enthusiastically spray each other with water guns, cannons, and balloons. 🔫 Temples and Buddha statues are also sprayed with perfumed water. It's a joyful festival filled with good cheer!
5. THROWING PLATES AT NEIGHBORS' DOORS AT MIDNIGHT IN DENMARK: A FUN CUSTOM
As unusual as the ritual in South Africa or Italy, in Denmark, people joyfully throw crockery at their neighbors' doors! 🍽️
According to belief, breaking plates on December 31st brings good luck!
So they smash chipped or damaged dishes on the doorstep of their loved ones' homes as a sign of affection.
The bigger the pile, the more this ritual brings happiness, success, and wards off evil spirits! A surprising and noisy New Year's tradition!
6. DRINKING YOUR WISHES IN RUSSIA: A LUCKY NEW YEAR'S TRADITION
In Moscow, Russia, people write their dearest wishes and desires on a piece of paper, then immediately burn them.
But it doesn't stop there. They then do something surprising: they collect the ashes and add them to their champagne glass! When the clock strikes midnight, they drink their glass in one gulp: Cheers! 🥂
The custom is to believe that by ingesting them, the wishes will come true during the year. What a funny tradition!
Among these 6 New Year's customs around the world, which one appeals to you? 🎉 For an unusual New Year's Eve, take part in one of these traditions! While waiting to celebrate this holiday properly, check out our article to enjoy the Christmas markets in France !
