You know the usual New Year’s traditions: Kiss someone at midnight, watch the ball drop, make resolutions, join the gym for a month and then quit. Been there, done that. So why not expand your horizons?
Embrace a global view. The U.S. accounts for less than 5% of the world’s population, and we can learn from the other 95%.
Expand your horizons and try a new-to-you New Year’s tradition this year. (Photo Credit: Jose Ignacio Pompe)
Whether you’re traveling internationally for the holidays, want to spice up your own party, or are simply curious about other cultures, consider these seven New Year’s traditions from around the globe.
Spain – Twelve Grapes at Midnight
Collect 12 grapes per person. When the clock strikes midnight, you eat a grape every time the bell tolls. If you eat all the grapes in time? That’s believed to be a sign of prosperity for the new year.
For a country known for its wine, it’s no surprise that Barcelona’s New Year’s tradition involves grapes. (Photo Credit: Ivan Liu Hu)
(And grapes or no grapes, there are worse places to ring in the new year than the Kimpton Vivadora in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.)
Denmark – Smashing Plates
In one of the coolest traditions ever, it’s considered good luck to smash plates and glasses on your friends’ front doors. Whoever has the most broken plates, cups, and bowls outside their door is the “luckiest.”
For a relatively tranquil country, the people of Denmark begin the new year with a smashing tradition. (Photo Credit: Steffen Muldbjerg)
(Pro tip: Maybe warn your neighbor before you try this at home.)
The Netherlands – Oliebollen
Snack on some Oliebollen (“oil balls”), which are kind of like doughnuts and traditionally filled with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar. Germanic tribes once believed that the greasy treats would ward off the pagan goddess Perchta, who would try to cut open their stomachs during the Yule period.
Any New Year’s tradition that starts the year off with food is a good one. (Photo Credit: Bern Fresen)
(You can stay at the Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam, which is also effective at warding off Perchta.)
Japan – Joya no Kane (Bell Ringing Ceremony)
The ringing of a temple bell 108 times — 107 times on December 31st, and once just as the clock strikes midnight — corresponds to the 108 earthly temptations in Buddhist philosophy that lead to human suffering; as each bell rings, it’s believed to expel the temptations from the previous year.
If in Japan for the new year, celebrate at or near a temple to hear the ringing of bells. (Photo Credit: Andre Benz)
(There just so happen to be multiple temples within walking distance of Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo. Kind of perfect, right?)
South Africa – Furniture Throwing
Furniture throwing is exactly what it sounds like. Particularly popular in the Hillbrow area of Johannesburg, throwing furniture out of your windows symbolizes the discarding of old items and the welcoming of new possibilities.
Like Denmark, South Africa also has a smashing New Year’s tradition. (Photo Credit: John Paul Henry)
(It should be noted that the tradition is on the decline for obvious reasons.)
Scotland – First-Footing
On “Hogmanay” (New Year’s Eve), the first visitor to a home after midnight is called the “fist-footer,” and it’s especially lucky (dating back to Viking times) if the first-footer is a tall and dark-haired man.
If celebrating in Edinburgh, rest easy at Kimpton Charlotte Square. (Photo Credit: @kimptoncharlottesquare)
In Scotland, tall, dark-haired men bode for a lucky year ahead. (Photo Credit: @kimptoncharlottesquare)
(Maybe don’t barge into strangers’ homes, but you can still celebrate Hogmanay at Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh and Kimpton Blythswood Square in Glasgow.)
Italy – Red Underwear and Red Lentils
Lentils, thanks to their coin-like shape, are eaten after midnight to symbolize hope for a prosperous new year. And the tradition of wearing red underwear dates back to the Middle Ages, as it was believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
Red is a particularly fortunate color in Italy at the start of the new year. (Photo Credit: Jose Alejandro Cuffia)
From the coast of Italy to the shores of South Africa, unique New Year’s traditions abound. (Photo Credit: @flo-p)
(It’s also scientifically proven that people look good in red underwear, so we’re going with it.)
How will you welcome in the new year? We can’t wait to find out.
