It’s that time of the year when we prepare to say goodbye to the year that passed all along with our ups and downs, success and failures, moments of enjoyment and desperation, and welcome the always promising New Year while celebrating with our closest friends and family. The celebration madness is spread all over the world, and everyone is already talking about where they’re going to spend what is known to be “the best night of their life.”

Even you that you’re reading this, already have some plans or even just ideas where to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Well, here we won’t talk a lot about where to spend your night on 31st of December, but rather what to do during the evening or early in the morning.

If you’re feeling confused after reading the previous sentence, then you’re going to have a lot of fun reading this text. Because we’re about to mention the various rituals and traditions people seem to like doing in different countries and they’re all connected to the celebration of the arrival of the New Year. Not always people do these things because they believe that what they wish for will come true, but more because they hope to have an excellent year and because of the fun of it all. Let’s check out these weird and amusing New Year’s traditions:

Colorful underwear in Mexico

When it comes to New Year’s wishes and resolutions, the people of Mexico are all about wishing more luck and happiness in their lives. The funny thing is that not only do they want these things, but they also do a strange ritual to secure the luck and happiness in their lives. The most popular way of doing this is to wear panties in different colors on the eve of the New Year, each color representing a different thing the person wearing them is wishing for. For example, if you want a year full of happiness, you better put on your yellow underwear and if you’re into finding success in love, then go ahead and wear your red underwear. It’s a funny tradition, but people seem to respect it.

Midnight underwear change in Bolivia

Bolivians, like Mexicans, also believe in the “power” of the panties. They tend to think that wearing yellow underwear will bring them more luck and happiness in life, but unlike the people of Mexico who put on their underwear during the day/night and go along celebrating until the next morning, the people of Bolivia have an additional approach to the yellow underwear. Not only do they believe that you have to wear yellow underwear during the eve of the New Year, but you also have to put them on at midnight and not before or after. Strange as it might sound, the Bolivians believe that with the change of underwear at night they will also be out of a sudden change the path of their fortunes.

Throwing dishes in Denmark

Don’t know how to get rid of your used and old dishes in the kitchen? Don’t worry; there’s a tradition in Denmark that you might find helpful. The people of Denmark have a strange way of showing their dear ones their love and loyalty towards them. Instead of expressing this with words or presents, they’ve come up with a rich tradition of breaking old and used dishes in front of the doors of their friends and families on New Year’s Eve. So if somebody’s throwing dishes in front of your door, don’t be afraid that feel loved and respected since a friend of yours is trying to show you how good a friend you’ve been throughout the whole year.

Spiritual stuff in Brazil

The people of Brazil don’t like goofing around with their traditions on New Year’s Eve. For example, they’re pretty serious about wearing white for the New Year’s Eve, as they believe that the white clothing will chase away the bad spirits.

They also have a tradition realized with a little help of the ocean. Apparently, if you want to be happy the following year, you should jump seven waves for good luck. You might wonder why exactly seven times and the answer is: they’re jumping seven times for a year full of happiness, to spend every day of the week joyfully.

Another ritual, also connected to the ocean, is to bring some gifts to the goddess of Iemanja. Ieamanja is the goddess of water, and apparently, she likes gifts (I mean, who doesn’t?), especially flowers. So, if you’re wondering why people are throwing flowers in Brazil on New Year’s Eve, well then here’s your answer. The interesting thing about this ritual is that when you throw the flowers into the ocean, you should observe if they’re coming back to the shore or sailing away. The point of this is that if you throw the flowers and they come back, it means that the goddess hasn’t accepted your gift, so all you’re left with is to wish for better luck next year.

Eat and clean in Chile

The people of Chile are pretty up to the point when it comes to New Year’s traditions. Just like that, if you wish for a year filled with work and money, you should then eat a spoonful of lentils at midnight and your work there is done.

Also, if you’re willing to remove the bad energy of your home, you should sweep your house inside out. That’s entirely accurate, isn’t it?

Step up in Argentina

Remember the funny underwear tradition we mentioned about Mexico and Bolivia? Well, the people of Argentina also believe that wearing the appropriate color of underwear will bring them something meaningful the following year.

However, there’s an even funnier tradition in Argentina, and that is to step forward with your right foot to start off the year RIGHT! The secret of doing this as it is supposed to be done is to step forward with your right foot exactly when the clock strikes 00:00, at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Bring the noise in Australia

Now we already know that Australians celebrate the New Year’s Eve in excellent conditions and warm weather since there it’s already summer. But there’s a tradition we don’t quite understand, even though we find it highly amusing. When the New Year comes, the people of Australia get on the streets and start banging loudly on pots and pans right at midnight.

Take out your suitcase in Colombia

In Colombia, there is an exciting tradition and one not so embarrassing. If you want a year full of traveling and experiencing new things in life, then you should walk around your block with an empty suitcase. Even though you’re not going anywhere and you’re only doing that to proceed with the annual traditions, it might be nice to feel like you’re coming back from a lovely trip, even though your suitcase is empty.

Burn a doll in Ecuador

Make a doll, but don’t put a lot of effort in it since you’re going to burn it anyways. Why burn it? Well, in Ecuador people burn the made dolls to burn away the old year and welcome the new one.

Drink up your wish in Russia

Drinking might sound a bit as if they’re going to the extremes, but Russians have a new tradition when it comes to celebrating the New Year. If you wish for something, apparently you can’t get it that easily. That is why Russians tend to write a wish on a piece of paper, burn it and throw it into a glass of champagne and then drink it before the clock strikes 12:01. You might not enjoy this tradition, but if you’re going to Russia this New Year’s Eve, you should try it out – just for fun!

Eat some grapes in Spain

Spanish people have an interesting way of wishing for prosperity. It might sound easy, but to get prosperity, you should eat a grape with each bell strike at midnight. If you’re up to this challenged, remember not to get too excited and end up suffocating because you stuffed a lot of grapes in your mouth.

Everything is round in the Philippines

The people of the Philippines obviously like and appreciate their money. So, for example, if you’re hosting a dinner or a party for the New Year’s Eve at the Philippines, you should make your arrangement while following the rule: serve as much round fruit as you can. The reason why people tend to populate their homes with round fruit is that the shape represents the round shape of the coins. Therefore more round stuff means more coins and a wealthier year.

Follow the shape of the egg in El Salvador

If you want to know your fortune for the New Year, you should crack an egg in a glass right at midnight and leave it at the window over the night. The morning after you will find your egg formed in some shape that will represent your fortune in the New Year.

Having all of these traditions around the world, there’s no wonder why New Year’s Eve appears to be one of the craziest nights during the whole year. If you believe that some of these traditions will lead you to a better year, then try them out. And if there are any interesting and weird New Year’s traditions in your country, don’t be shy to share it with us.

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