New Year’s Traditions Across Cultures

Australia

While there are lots of different events to ring in the New Year in Australia — including beach parties, since it’s so sunny and warm — many also choose to celebrate by hosting or attending a classic Australian barbecue with grilled sausage, steak and lamb.

South Africa

In Johannesburg some people take the "out with the old" saying very literally by throwing old furniture or appliances out of the window as an act of letting go of the past and making room for a hopeful future, though this isn’t as widely practiced anymore.

Korea

In Korea, sunrise festivals are one fun way to ring in the new year. Ganjeolgot Cape in Ulsan is a seaside location that’s the first place in Korea to see the sunrise each day, and it’s the site of the annual New Year’s Sunrise Festival. The event begins at sunset on December 31 and includes fireworks, performances and traditional foods.

Mexico

One of several New Year’s traditions in Mexico is to eat 12 grapes — one with each of the 12 bell strikes at midnight on December 31. Each grape is said to represent good luck for each month in the new year. This is a popular tradition among many Latin American cultures.

Jamaica

New Year’s Eve is also called “Watch Night” in Jamaica, when many people stay up all night to ring in the new year, whether at home with family or out at one of many parties or celebrations. It’s also common for people to attend Watch Night church services as the clock strikes midnight, setting the tone and intentions for the new year.

Ecuador

The ano viejo ("old year") tradition in Ecuador entails setting fire to dolls made out of paper mache in the streets at midnight on New Year’s Eve. These dolls may represent various icons of the year, from political figures to celebrities, and burning them is a way to leave behind the troubles of the last year and make way for better fortunes. Tradition also says that jumping over the fire 12 times (one for each month) further ensures good luck for the coming year.

Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, one tradition is to clean the home before the new year begins in order to bring good luck, discarding old brooms before midnight on New Year’s Eve and refraining from sweeping your luck away with new brooms on New Year’s Day. Another tradition is to leave the doors and windows open at midnight on New Year’s Eve to allow evil spirits to leave and make space for good spirits to enter.

Colombia

Have some dried lentils around the house? One way to celebrate in Colombia is to fill your pockets with lentils on New Year’s Eve to ensure a successful and bountiful new year. Another local custom is to carry bills of money in your pocket on the 31st, ensuring that you carry prosperity into the next year.

Brazil

A Brazilian New Year’s Eve tradition is to wear all white, guaranteeing peace as you bring in the new year. And, to take it one step further, another tradition is to coordinate the color of your underwear with what you want for the new year — wearing red for passion, green for good health and yellow for money.

Philippines

For New Year’s in the Philippines, roundness signifies prosperity and is involved in several different traditions including wearing clothing with polka dots, filling pockets with coins and displaying 12 round fruits for each month of the coming year.

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