And another year has come to pass! ‘tis the time for endings and new beginnings, and some crazy traditions from across the globe. It’s unbelievable what we’ll do for a spot of good luck! Here’s a list of awesome places to bring in the New Year…
1. Usher in the New Year
Spend New Year’s Eve in The Republic of Kiribati and be one of the first people to usher in the New Year. Samoa and Christmas Island will be the first to welcome 2015!
2. Get smoochy in Venice
Image Source: thelistlove.com
Be part of the world’s largest communal kiss in the world at St. Mark’s Square, Venice. As the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve, you can be rest assured that you won’t be left kiss-less at the moment of truth. If you have a person that you’d like to kiss, bring them along. If not, in all likelihood, you will find someone, as long as you don’t look like a serial killer or smell like garbage. You never know who you might brush lips with, so don’t forget those strawberry mints that Aunt Lydia got you for Christmas!
The kiss symbolises the spreading of peace, goodwill, and the odd germ!
3. Devour the Grapes of Luck in Spain
Eat twelve grapes for good luck, one with each bell strike of the bell at midnight on December 31st. According to the tradition, this leads to 12 months of prosperity. The challenge is to actually eat all 12 within the 12 seconds that the bells chime.
And the Spanish are very passionate about their 12 grapes; it’s just as much a fun tradition as it is a serious superstition. Our advice: Pick the smallest grapes you can find, you don’t want to be cursed with bad luck!
4. Dance with bears in Romania
Image Source: dnaindia.com
People dressed as bears actually. The most famous of the famous mask dances of Romania, the bear dance involves men in bear skins dancing to the music of drums and pipes, warding off evil spirits. The bear dies and is reborn, symbolic of death and rebirth, as a New Year replaces the old one.
The Romanians also keep their lamps alit on New Year’s Eve till the dawn of the New Year’s Day, for a sunny New Year and rich harvests through the coming year.
5. Get rid of your sins in Japan
Image Source: Flickr @eien_no_dreamer
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples all over the country ring their bells 108 times, symbolizing the 108 human sins according to the Buddhist belief. They believe you can get rid of all your sins during the past year as bells resonate.
Afterwards, eat loooong Japanese noodles for a loooong life!
6. Leap across fire in Ecuador
Image Source: Flickr @Carlos_Adampol
It’s Ecuadorian tradition to make effigies representing everything bad from the previous year. These are set alight on the streets, representative of literally burning the ‘año viejo’ (old year).
For extra luck, and if you are feeling particularly daring, you can jump across the fire twelve times, one for every month of the New Year.
7. Be a glutton for good luck in Estonia
Estonian New Year’s tradition calls for eating 7, 9 or 12 (considered lucky numbers) meals on New Year’s Day, to ensure abundant food in the coming year.
Traditional New Year foods - pork with sauerkraut, Estonian sauerkraut (mulgikapsad), baked potatoes and Swedes with hog’s head, white and blood sausages. Vegetarians have to make do with potato salad, navy beet and pate. Dessert - gingerbread and marzipan; drinks - beer or mead, mulled wine and champagne.
8. Party at a graveyard in Chile
By late New Year’s Eve, the party moves to the municipal graveyard in Chilean towns, where the locals gather to bring in the New Year with their dead relatives. You don’t want to make them feel left out at such an important celebration.
There’ll be classical music playing in the background!
9. Throw furniture out the window in South Africa
Image Source: travel.163.com
You should be careful while walking down the street in South Africa at this time of the year, a couch landing on you from above might not be the best way to bring in the New Year. Throwing out the old couch would mean, you’re throwing out all things bad from the previous year.
We say, great place to pick up used furniture for free!
10. Dive with trees in Siberia
Image Source: ladaray.wordpress.com
You’ve got to be a seasoned diver to try this one, and a bit crazy too. Why else would anyone dive into a frozen lake with a Christmas tree? We’re not too sure if there’s good luck or warding off evil involved either!
There is sparkling wine and dancing around the tree, so you’re sorted!
11. Find the right ‘First Foot’ in Scotland
Who doesn’t want a tall, dark handsome man to come to their home bringing cake and whiskey?
A First Foot is the first visitor to your house on New Year’s Day and they usually come bearing a silver coin (financial prosperity), bread (food), salt (flavour), coal (warmth) and whiskey (good cheer). A female or fair-haired male are considered unlucky. So if you’re male, tall, dark and handsome, then get out there and spread the love!
Don’t worry if you can’t actually make to any of these places this time around, we urge you to try these at home!
Know of more crazy New Year traditions? Be sure to let us know!
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