As the new year approaches, people around the world are
getting ready to celebrate the start of a fresh new year. While some
traditions, such as making resolutions and watching fireworks displays, are
common to many cultures, there are also many unique and interesting traditions
that are specific to certain parts of the world. Here are 10 unique New Year's 2023 traditions from around the world:
10 unique New Year's traditions from around the world:
- Burning
effigies in Ecuador: In Ecuador, it is traditional to burn effigies of the
old year as a way to symbolically rid themselves of the negative aspects
of the past. The effigies, which are often made to resemble politicians or
other public figures, are burned in the streets on New Year's Eve.
- Eating
twelve grapes in Spain: In Spain, it is traditional to eat twelve grapes
at midnight on New Year's Eve, one for each stroke of the clock. The
grapes are thought to bring good luck for the coming year.
- Throwing
old furniture out the window in Venezuela: In Venezuela, it is traditional
to throw old furniture and other household items out the window on New
Year's Eve. The practice, which is meant to symbolically rid the home of
the old year and make room for the new, is believed to bring good luck for
the coming year.
- Participating
in parades and dressing up in costumes in the Philippines: In the
Philippines, the new year is celebrated with a series of parades and
festivals. One popular tradition is for people to dress up in costumes,
often depicting mythical creatures or historical figures, and participate
in parades and other events.
- Lighting
fireworks and setting off firecrackers in China: In China, the new year is
celebrated according to the lunar calendar, and the celebration, known as
the Chinese New Year, is one of the most important holidays in the
country. One of the most popular traditions is the lighting of fireworks
and the setting off of firecrackers, which are believed to ward off evil
spirits and bring good luck for the coming year.
- Visiting
temples and shrines in Japan: In Japan, people visit temples and shrines
to pray for good fortune in the new year. Many people also participate in
the tradition of "hatsumode," which involves visiting a shrine
or temple on the first day of the new year.
- Carrying
torches through the streets in Switzerland: In the Swiss canton of
Appenzell, it is traditional for people to carry torches through the
streets on New Year's Eve. The torches, which are made from pine branches,
are believed to bring good luck for the coming year.
- Wearing
red underwear in Brazil: In Brazil, it is traditional for people to wear
red underwear on New Year's Eve, as it is believed to bring good luck for
the coming year. The tradition is so popular that stores often sell out of
red underwear in the weeks leading up to New Year's Eve.
- Hanging
mistletoe in the doorway in Finland: In Finland, it is traditional to hang
mistletoe in the doorway on New Year's Eve. The mistletoe is thought to
bring good luck and happiness for the coming year, and it is also a symbol
of peace and goodwill.
- Giving
gifts of marzipan pigs in Denmark: In Denmark, it is traditional to give
gifts of marzipan pigs on New Year's Eve. The marzipan pigs, which are
made from almond paste and shaped into the form of a pig, are thought to
bring good luck for the coming year.
These are just a few examples of the many unique and
interesting New Year's traditions that are celebrated around the world.
0 Comments