How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve? Traditions around the world vary. They range from a little weird to a creepy to potentially dangerous. Each country has many traditions at this time of the year. Below are the ones that caught my interest.
Belgium – In Belgium, the farmers wish their cows a happy new year and speak blessings upon them. Doing this is said to bring the cows and the farmers luck for the next year. I wonder: do the cows look forward to this time of year?
Bolivia – Coins are hidden in cake or some other sweet treat on New Year’s Eve, so anyone eating sweets needs to bite into them gently. The one who discovers the coin will receive good luck in the coming year.
Chile – A cemetery sleepover is not my idea of a good time. In Chile, though, they believe spending New Year’s Eve at the cemetery with deceased friends and relatives will bring one luck in the new year. I love my family and friends who have gone on to their eternal rest, but I think staying at the cemetery with them would be creepy.
Denmark – In Denmark, everyone must have a special place for broken china. On New Year’s Eve, each person is to gather all of their pieces of broken china and smash them against their friend’s door as a sign of affection and undying friendship. A huge pile of broken china in front of a person’s door means that many people love this individual. I wonder: who cleans up the resulting mess?
Ecuador – Close to midnight in Ecuador, people set fire to effigies of politicians and other icons (even fictional characters are allowed) of the previous year. This symbolic cleansing of the bad from the previous year is supposed to enable everyone to start the new year with a clean slate.
Ireland – In Ireland, loaves of bread are smacked against the walls to get rid of evil spirits. But that isn’t what all believe. Some believe that hitting the walls with bread brings good luck and ensures that there will be plenty of bread in the coming year.
Puerto Rico – One of their traditions is to throw buckets of water out the window. Why? This symbolically cleans out the old year and chases away any bad luck or demons. I would hate to be the walking below a window when the owner throws out their bucket of water though.
Siberia – Just in case you’ve ever wanted to jump into a frozen lake in the dead of winter, Siberia could be the place for you on New Year’s Eve. One of the traditions there is to jump into a frozen lake while carrying a tree trunk.
South Africa – It would be bad to be walking beneath a window in Puerto Rico when a bucketful of water came flying out, but I think it would be much worse to be walking beneath a window in South Africa when a piece of old furniture crashed through. Yes, those in South Africa throw old furniture out the window to celebrate the coming of a new year.
Switzerland – How do you toast the new year? Do you drink champagne or some other beverage? Maybe you kiss your significant other or hug people. You could jump up and down while screaming. Or do you pretend you’re in Switzerland and drop ice cream on the floor? This leaves a sticky mess to clean up, but dropping the ice cream is supposed to bring abundance in the new year.
Writing Prompts:
One writing prompt is obvious to me. Create a character that is visiting one of the above countries on New Year’s Eve and have them take part in the traditional celebration for that country.
Investigate each tradition to find out its beginnings and write a story around it.
Come up with a new and different way to celebrate New Year’s Eve and begin it with a story.
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