In a goodhouskeeping.com article 35 New Year Traditions From Around the World That Will Bring You All the Luck, writer Marisa Lascala says, “We could all use some good fortune in 2023.”
Ditto to that! I don’t really like to tout the word ‘luck’ because a lot of the good fortune we all look for in the future is quite often based on what we have done in the past to attain it…
But I do find it very interesting and amusing that people all over the world embrace some kind of tradition that is deemed to bring good fortune. Here are a few of them:
Leading to prosperity, on New Year’s Eve many cultures believe in eating round foods. In Italy, lentils with their round shape represent coins and serve the same function as the black-eyed peas in Hoppin' John (a dish of black-eyed peas, pork and rice eaten on January 1). And in the Philippines, it's customary to eat 12 round fruits, one for every month, to ensure a year of abundance. The fruits usually take centre stage at the table for the midnight meal.
In other countries, if you eat exactly 12 grapes at midnight, one with each stroke of the clock, you are guaranteed a lucky year. But beware, according to Atlas Obscura, “If you fail to conscientiously finish your grapes by the time the clock stops chiming, you’ll face misfortune in the new year."
In the Philippines, those that heed the round tradition by eating ‘circle’ fruit, also wear ‘circles’ out on the town. Polka dots can be spotted all over, increasing good luck in the New Year.
We all know that in the USA, the big ball drops in New York’s Time Square and there sure is a lot of pomp and circumstance to the whole ordeal.
In Brazil, there’s no thinking about what colour to wear on New Year’s Eve because everyone wears white for good luck and peace. Another tradition in Brazil is to head to the beach and jump over seven waves, because you get one wish for every wave….
Gifts are given at New Years in Russia rather than the foregone Christmas tradition.
Decide to have fish as your New Year’s dinner. Why? Because fish only swim in one direction moving forward like time.
Why not smash a plate like they do in Denmark? Imagine waking up to broken dishware all over your doorstep…apparently, the more shards there are, the more luck you will have and you will be more well-liked.
No matter how you choose to celebrate your New Year’s Eve, we can all remain hopeful and optimistic for a New Year. Hope and possibilities are on the doorstep where we can dream and anticipate good things to come.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
