From Grapes to Smashing plates, check out these diverse traditions.
Around the globe, the first dozen days of the year take on a mystical meaning, like a crystal ball gazing into the future. These days are believed to be a sneak peek of what's to come in the year ahead, with each day standing in for a specific month. So, day one is like a crystal ball for January, day two for February, and so on. And for some, their New Year’s traditions are built around this symbolism. For others, it gets a little more physical.
GREECE:
An onion is traditionally hung on the front door of homes on New Year’s Eve in Greece as a symbol of rebirth in the New Year. On New Year’s Day, parents wake their children by tapping them on the head with the onion. I hope it's not a cut onion.
SPAIN:
As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, the Spanish partake in a fruity custom of eating 12 grapes, one for each of the twelve clock bell strikes at midnight on December 31.
Each grape represents good luck for the upcoming month, amounting to twelve grapes for twelve months of good fortune. In major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, people come together to celebrate the new year by sharing grapes and passing around bottles of cava.
COLUMBIA:
In hopes of a travel-filled new year, residents of Colombia carry empty suitcases around the block. Getting suitcases out of the closet now.
PANAMA:
To drive off evil spirits for a fresh New Year’s start, it is tradition to burn effigies (muñecos) of well-known people such as television characters and political figures in Panama.
The effigies are meant to represent the old year. I could have so much fun with this one.
SCOTLAND:
During Scotland’s New Year’s Eve celebration of Hogmanay, “first-footing” is practiced across the country. The first person who crosses the threshold of a home in the New Year should carry a gift for luck. Scots also hold bonfire ceremonies where people parade while swinging giant fireballs on poles, supposedly symbols of the sun, to purify the coming year.
PHILIPPINES:
You’ll find round shapes all over the Philippines on New Year’s Eve as representatives of coins to symbolize prosperity in the coming year. Many families display piles of fruit on their dining tables and some eat exactly 12 round fruits (grapes being the most common) at midnight. Many also wear polka dots for luck.
BRAZIL:
Brazil, as well as other Central and South American countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela, it is thought to be lucky to wear special underwear on New Year’s Eve. The most popular colors are red, thought to bring love in the New Year, and yellow, thought to bring money.
DENMARK:
Residents of Denmark greet the New Year by throwing old plates and glasses against the doors of family and friends to banish bad spirits. (Also a nice way to alleviate tension after visiting that same family for the holidays?)
They also stand on chairs and jump off them together at midnight to “leap” into January in hopes of good luck.
FINLAND:
In Finland, people predict the coming year by casting molten
tin into a container of water and then interpret the shape the metal takes after hardening. A heart or ring means a wedding, while a ship predicts travel and a pig declares there will be plenty of food.
NUMEROLOGY - Calculate Your Upcoming Personal Year in Numerology
Curious about what kind of energy you’ll hold in the new year? Calculate your personal year number in numerology.
To do so, you simply add up the month of your birth + the day of your birth + the current year (in this case, the new year = 2024).
For example, for a May 27th birthday, I would add:
FIRST: 5 + 2 + 7 = 14 (month and day of birth)
SECOND: 2 + 0 + 2 + 4 = 8 (current year)
THIRD: 14 + 8 = 22 (month + day + current year totaled up)
FOURTH: 2 + 2 = 4 (the previous number totaled)
So a May 27th birthday will have a 4 personal year in 2024.
Find the meaning of your number here.
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