20 How Countries Celebrate New Year Differently

In Vietnam, the New Year celebration, known as Tết, is the most important holiday of the year. It’s a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and offering prayers for health and prosperity. Red envelopes containing money are given to children and unmarried adults as a gesture of good luck.

In Turkey, some people crack open a pomegranate at midnight to bring prosperity in the new year. Additionally, some people throw salt over their left shoulder, believing it will ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune.

In Chile, some families celebrate the New Year by visiting the graves of their loved ones. They clean the gravestones, light candles, and pray, showing respect for the deceased and celebrating the cycle of life.

While Thailand’s New Year, Songkran, takes place in April, the celebration is notable for its massive water fights. People take to the streets armed with water pistols to throw water on each other, symbolizing the washing away of bad luck and sins.

In Iceland, New Year’s Eve celebrations are marked with spectacular fireworks displays, as well as community bonfires. These bonfires symbolize the burning away of the old year and are believed to ward off evil spirits.

While the Chinese New Year typically falls later than the Western New Year, the Lantern Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, is a major event. People release colorful lanterns into the sky, symbolizing the release of past misfortunes and the welcoming of new beginnings.

In South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg, it’s common to toss old furniture and household items out of windows to symbolize starting fresh and leaving behind the old year’s problems. While it may seem chaotic, this tradition is believed to rid the home of bad spirits.

Similar to Spain, in Mexico, it’s customary to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each stroke of the clock. Each grape represents a wish for each of the upcoming months, and the practice is thought to bring prosperity and happiness.

In the Philippines, round fruits are displayed on New Year’s Eve tables as they are believed to represent coins and symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Many families also open their windows to let in the “good luck” of the new year.

In Russia, many people write their New Year’s wishes on pieces of paper and then burn the paper at midnight. The ashes are mixed with champagne and drunk to bring good luck in the upcoming year.

In Finland, a New Year’s tradition involves melting small pieces of tin and then dropping the melted metal into cold water. The shape the tin takes is interpreted as a symbol for what the coming year will bring. For example, if it forms the shape of a heart, it suggests love; a ship might signify travel.

In Ecuador, people create effigies called Años Viejos (Old Years) and burn them at midnight. These effigies, often made from old clothes and stuffed with fireworks, symbolize letting go of the old year and all of its misfortunes. It’s a symbolic cleansing for the new year.

In Greece, New Year’s Day is celebrated with a traditional cake called Vasilopita, named after Saint Basil. A coin is hidden inside the cake, and the person who finds it in their slice is believed to receive blessings and good luck for the year ahead.

In Colombia, a fun and unusual tradition involves carrying around empty suitcases at midnight. This is believed to ensure a year full of travel and adventure. Many Colombians also take part in a “burning of the old year” ritual, where an effigy representing the old year is burned.

In Italy, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is believed to bring good luck and love in the coming year. The tradition has roots in ancient beliefs, and the color red is associated with fertility and happiness.

In Denmark, people celebrate by throwing old dishes at the doors of their friends and family. The number of broken dishes left at your door is believed to symbolize the number of friends you will have in the coming year. It’s also a way of starting fresh and ridding yourself of negative energy.

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay. One of the central traditions is first-footing, where the first person to enter a home after midnight brings good luck. A tall, dark-haired man is considered the luckiest first-footer. Fireworks, singing, and dancing are also part of the celebrations.

In Japan, New Year’s Day is a time for family and spiritual reflection. People celebrate with special foods like osechi (a meal of various dishes), and many visit shrines or temples to pray for health, happiness, and good fortune in the coming year. The first shrine visit, called hatsumode, is an important tradition

In Brazil, particularly along the coast, people celebrate New Year’s Eve with a tradition of jumping over seven waves. The practice is thought to bring good fortune and to honor Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea in Afro-Brazilian religions.

In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes, one for each stroke of the clock at midnight. Each grape represents a month of the year, and eating them is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the upcoming year.