New Year’s Eve, for many people, is an evening to be celebrated. It marks the conclusion of one year and the start of another, and plenty of us like to come together with friends, family and loved ones to celebrate, usually within the confines of some sort of party or get-together.
I was contemplating whether this sort of celebration is mimicked across the world, but I figured this is unlikely and wanted to do a little bit of research to learn how other areas of the world ring in the New Year. The following information comes from thepioneerwoman.com.
“Thirteen Rounds. Breaking pomegranates on the floor on New Year’s Eve is thought to bring good luck in Greece. Each family member takes turns hitting the fruit with a spoon and then smashing them into 13 rounds, which is tied to the 12 months of the year—plus an additional round for prosperity!
“Jump off a Chair. Want to banish bad spirits and bring good luck? Take a cue from Denmark where it’s believed you can do so by jumping off a chair at midnight. Talk about leaping into the new year!
“First-Footing. In Scotland, the first person to enter your home after the stroke of midnight is called the ‘first-footer’ and is believed to bring good fortune for the year to come. It’s considered especially lucky if the first-footer is a tall, dark-haired man.
“Break Glass. In different parts of the world, breaking glass or dishes during New Year’s is believed to ward off evil spirits and negativity, while also symbolizing a fresh start for the new year. This is especially true for those in Denmark who will go to their loved ones’ houses and throw glasses at their external walls. The more broken dishes you have outside your home on the morning of New Year’s Day, the better your luck will be,” the web page explains.
Check back tomorrow for part two.
Photo by Yiran Yang on Unsplash
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