7 Cool New Year's Traditions From Around The World

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To most people, the New Year is a time for new beginnings. It is an opportunity to put behind all our worries, mistakes, and conflicts.

It represents an opportunity to start over. It, therefore, comes as little surprise that we welcome the holiday with great optimism and enthusiasm.

In the United States, the Caribbean, South America, and many other countries, New Year's celebrations include fireworks and parades, toasts, and carousing.

If you're interested in how people in other countries celebrate, then take a look at some of the New Year traditions from around the world.

Belgium

The Belgians refer to the eve of the New Year as Sint Sylvester Vooranvond also called St. Sylvester Eve.

They throw family parties, in which everyone kisses and exchange fortune greetings and toast to usher in the New Year. Restaurants and cafes also have parties.

Children often save money to buy decorative paper on which they write New Year greetings for elders.

Denmark

The Danes have a unique way of ushering in the New Year. They hurl broken or unused glasses and plates against the doors of friends and relatives. The more broken dishes you have, the better.

Also, they stand on chairs or couches and jump off them at midnight together. Leaping into January is thought to dispense with evil spirits and give you good luck.

Eating the traditional Kransekage (wreath cake) is also one of the Danish New Year's traditions. Norway's version is called Kransekake.

Finland

This long-standing Finnish tradition is meant to predict the forthcoming year.

Molten tin from a miniature horseshoe is poured into a container with cold water, and once it becomes hard, the random shape of the metal predicts the future.

If the shape turns out to be a heart or a ring, it signifies a wedding in the upcoming year. On the other hand, a ship shape assumes a trip or more traveling, while a pig shape symbolizes lots of food.

Coin shape signifies wealth, while both four-leaf clover and horseshoe brings good luck.
Like many other countries fireworks and parties are part of the celebrations.

Scotland

In Stonehaven, a town in Scotland, there is a tradition of parading through the streets on the Eve of the New Year while swinging around blazing balls of fire. This event forms part of Hogmanay celebrations, but its roots go way back to the Vikings.

Another popular Scottish tradition is the Swimming the Loony Dook. The event is celebrated on the first day of the year, and you could see up to a thousand people in fancy dress throwing themselves into the icy water of the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry.

While some stay in the cold water for as long as half an hour, most people go in for a quick dip and retreat quickly.

Spain

Spain's 12 grapes of luck is a tradition that is relatively easy to observe. All you need is to have a handy supply of grapes at your disposal.

Each grape stands for good luck for a month of the year ahead. In the large Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona, revelers assemble in the main squares to eat their grapes together and pass bottles of Cava around.



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Cameras And Accessories to capture the moment

These cameras and accessories will help you capture those memorable New Years' moments.

Puerto Rico

In the Caribbean country of Puerto Rico, it is common to find traditions that involve water during the New Years Day celebrations.

According to one custom, throwing a bucketful or a cupful of water out the window help banish the evil spirits. Others fall back into the breaking waves as the clock's chimes 12 to keep bad sprits away.

Food also plays an important part during the celebrations as families feast on traditional favorites like Arroz con gandules, pasteles, coquito, pitorro, roasted pig, and tembleque.

South Africa

South Africans have the most expensive New Year tradition of all that we have discussed. Residents of Johannesburg (the capital city of South Africa) throw furniture out their windows. It has resulted in injuries to passersby, something that made the local authorities outlaw this tradition.

Like many countries, families gather and celebrate, while others attend festivals, parties and check out the fireworks display.

What are your country's New Years' traditions? Which is your favorite?