Fun New Year Traditions From Around The World

A few years ago, I was ringing the New Year with a group of friends. Nata, my Colombian friend, shared a Colombian tradition that we all enjoyed. Prior to that, I hadn’t given much thought to different ways people ring in the New Year around the world. Today, I’m sharing five NYE traditions from around the world, four of which I’ve gotten to experience.

Party, Kiss, and Watch the Ball ‘Drop’ in the USA

I didn’t know the ‘ball drop’ tradition existed until I moved to the USA. New York City (NYC) is a classic NYE destination. About a million people (crazy, I know) come to NYC every year. People stand in the cold for hours before the festivities begin. I’ve always wondered how they handled bathroom breaks.

In New York City, an evening of performances culminates in a massive shiny ball dropping from the sky at midnight in Times Square. The ball drop is broadcasted on live TV so you don’t have to be in New York to watch this.

A popular way to ring in the New Year in the USA is at a party (at the clubs for young folk) or at a friend’s house (more my style). When the clock strikes midnight, lovers kiss, the single ones look away or hug each other, and everyone breaks into chants of ‘Happy New Year.’

Nigeria – Church and ‘Bangers’

Growing up in Nigeria, my family always spent the last two hours of the year in church thanking God for the year and praying for the New Year. If memory serves me correctly, more people showed up to church for NYE than the rest of the year. There was always a lot of praying and dancing involved. It was fun!!

Then, we’d get home at about 1am and shoot off ‘bangers’ or fire works with our neighbors. This bit was my favorite. Throughout the day, EVERYONE would wish you a Happy New Year (even the cops in traffic), with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. Since my dad’s birthday falls on January 1^st, we’d often do a whole lot of cooking and family/friends would stop by throughout the day. However, before all that, it is the one-day of the year my family would eat Pounded Yam and Egusi soup (a really heavy Nigerian meal) for breakfast.

 

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

12:00:00 am NYE, 2017. The clock struck midnight, the fireworks lit up the sky with the Edinburgh castle as the backdrop. On cue, thousands of revelers from all over the world broke into the most popular (and my favorite) NYE song, Auld Lang Syne.

Did you know that Edinburgh is on the top 10 places in the world to ring in the New Year? Every year, thousands of people flock to Edinburgh for Hogmanay, the festival that runs from December 30^th to January 2nd. Hogmanay is a Scots word for the last day of the year. A torchlight procession, ceilidh under the castle, concerts, and street parties keep the crowds entertained. Oh, and in Scotland, January 2^nd is a bank holiday. I didn’t realize this my first year there and I showed up to work, it was dead!

P.S Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish song and it is played all over the world to ring in the New Year. I loved that song the first time I heard it and I’ve listened to it on NYE for years, pretty cool to now have a personal connection to its roots.

Fire, Paper, Wishes, and Putin in Russia

New Year is a big deal in Russia. I found out about this from a Russian friend/colleague (Thanks, A!). Hands down, Russia has the most interesting NYE tradition. It starts with families having elaborate dinners around the table and watching President Putin address the country.

Then, as the countdown to the New Year starts, everyone at the table has a drink poured and quickly writes a wish for the year, burns the written wish with flames from lit candles, and drinks the ashes with their poured drink. You have to finish your drink though, and it is believed that your wishes will come true.

This process sounds hectic, fun, and slightly dangerous, I’m in!

Colombia – 12 Grapes and 12 Wishes

So on that NYE (2015), we gathered around in the last few minutes of 2014. Nata had grapes for everyone and she gave us instructions. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, each person had to gobble up 12 grapes and make 12 wishes for the new year as fast as possible.

Whatever you do, make sure you have your 12 wishes ready; I for one was not ready so I started wishing for random things. Apparently, grape farmers started this tradition in Spain during a season of surplus.

Oh, and a special twist for travelers, Colombians walk around in a circle, or the block, with an empty suitcase in tow. Doing this is believed to bring prosperity and travel into your year. The more you walk, the more you’ll travel (or at the very least your steps will count)!

Across four continents there’s a recurring theme of hope and well wishes, and I think this is wonderful. Ps, if you see me lugging a suitcase around, at least you know why! I’d love to hear your stories. How did you ring in the New Year growing up and how do you plan to ring in 2019? Which of these did you find most interesting? Please let me know in the comments below.

P.S. This is the last blog post of 2018, THANK YOU for reading, commenting, and sharing. It really does make a difference. I hope I’ve brought stories, tips, images, and lessons that inform and inspire you to explore the world around you more and differently. I’ll be working behind the scenes over the next few weeks but will get back to posting on Monday, January 7^th!

If you’re subscribed to the blog (as you should be), I will send out the last newsletter for the year on Wednesday December 26^th. Stay tuned for that! If you aren’t, please subscribe here.

 

Till Next Year,

Ms. Heels!