Bringing In The New Year – 10 Traditions Around World

The New- year is almost here in Nigeria, though some countries are already there.

So,lets go through traditions some countries perform to usher in the New year.

12 GRAPES FOR THE NIGHT

This Spanish grapey tradition, dates back to december of 1985, vine growers popularized the custom to better sell huge amounts of grapes from an excellent harvest.The twelve grapes are linked to the Puerta del Sol tower clock, where this tradition started and from where the change of year is always broadcast. it has to do with eating a grape with each bell strike at midnight of December 31. According to the tradition, that leads to a year of prosperity, it is also believed that the to wade away witches and general evil.

Other places with hispanic relations also practice this.

SMASHING CHINA WARES
This smashing tradition in Denmark involves rounding up all your broken bits of ceramic and glass wares and smashing it against your friends’ door as a sign of affection and friendship forever.
The bigger the pile, the more people love you; when clearing up a heap of broken china, know you’re pretty much loved.

ALL THINGS ROUND
Round things are a symbol of prosperity to the filipinos, so this day is for everything round, from the fruits, food, coins to wearing of clothes with polka dots, and lots more. They also eat  12 different types of fruits and sweets to represent 12 months of prosperity and wealth.

At the exact moment of midnight, Filipino children jump as high as they can because they believe this will make them taller.Whatever condition your wallet is in when the New Year arrives, so it will be the rest of the year. Make sure to put in the money your received on Christmas.

108 TIMES OF RINGING BELLS
At midnight on December 31, ringing bells are heard from all Budhist temple 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief, and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires in all Japanese citizen.It is believed that the ringing of bells can rid their sins during the previous year. The bell is rung 107 times on 31st and once past midnight.

EATING UP FOR THE NEW YEAR
Eating 7- 12 times on the New Years Eve day is  to ensure rich food and wealth in the next year in Estonia, also, if a man eats 7 times during the New Years Eve day, it is presumed that he will have the power of 7 men in the following year.

FIRST-FOOTER
Also known as Manx Gaelic , is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year’s Day and a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. Might be a  resident of the house, they must not be in the house at the stroke of midnight in order to first-foot first-foot to be a tall. Dark-haired male; a female or fair-haired male are in some places regarded as unlucky. The first-foot usually brings several gifts, including silver coins, bread, salt, coal, or a drink which represent financial prosperity, food, flavour, warmth, and good cheer respectively. This also happens in England.

DROPPING ICE-CREAM
dropping a dollop of ice cream on the floor is believed to bring overflowing abundance of good health,goodluck, wealth and peace, also symbolizes richness in the New Year, so they drop ice cream on the floor all through the night.

BAKED WITH TREASURE
Vasilopita , is a New Year’s Day bread or cake , baked with a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver. vasilopita is associated with a legend of Saint Basil, attempting to give charity to the poor without embarrassing them.

BLAST OFF EVIL

In Puerto Rico, all sort of noise are used to drive away evil spirits and demons,from blasting of car horns, boat whistles, ringing church bells ,beating drums,trumpets and lots more. In some parts of the country they also throw pails of water from their windows at midnight in a bid to chase away the evil eye.Some also drop backwards into the breaking waves as the clock strikes 12, for goodluck.

SPENDING TIME WITH LOVED LOST ONES

In Chile, new year day means  spending more and more time with their families—especially the New Year night. For fulfilling the tradition, they gather in the houses of their deceased loved ones or sleep at the cemetery.