Across culture, religion and race, people all over the world celebrate the anniversary of another year passing in some festive way or another. It’s when we can leave the past year behind and cross into the new year with hope of new beginnings. Although most people celebrate this occasion on Jan. 1, did you know that some cultures celebrate on a different day? It only gets wilder from there. Let’s take a journey across cultures and rejoice in the beauty of human creativity in celebrating the New Year.
Asian countries such as China, Korea and Vietnam celebrate the New Year based on the Lunar calendar. It’s based on moon cycles, so the date varies every year. It is typically sometime between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. Celebrations include dances, fireworks, and according to National Geographic, a tray of carefully chosen treats, called a “Tray of Togetherness” is shared with visitors.
In Central Asia though, many people mark the start of the new year by waiting until the spring equinox. Also called “Iranian or Persian New Year,” the celebration falls around March 21 each year. Each area celebrates differently, but some common activities include leaping over bonfires “to mark the overcoming of sorrow and grief,” and cleaning houses to “pave a way for the future.” The following traditions are celebrated on the familiar Jan. 1, but they could not be any more different than what we’re used to in North America. Here are a few you may not have heard of.
Philippines
Before midnight strikes, you’ll see Filipinos snacking on round-shaped fruits such as oranges, melons and grapes. Additionally, they’ll be wearing clothing with round shapes like polka dots. See the pattern? Filipinos believe that round shapes will bring prosperity in the next year because they symbolize coins.
Spain
Speaking of eating grapes, in Spain, people eat 12 grapes to represent each hour of the clock. Dating back to the 19th century, this tradition called “las doce uvas de la suerte” has people rushing to finish all 12 before the clock changes so they’ll have good luck in the new year.
Denmark
Don’t find fireworks loud enough? In Denmark it is tradition to smash old plates and glasses to cast away bad spirits from their family and friends’ homes. Hopefully they quickly sweep the broken fragments because they also jump off chairs to “leap into January in hopes of good luck.”
Japan
While the Danish are chasing away spirits, the Japanese find themselves at their local temples to pray for good luck to gods and spirits. They write their wishes on charms called omamori and hang it for everyone to see.
Brazil
If jumping off a chair wasn’t enough, be like the Brazilians and jump over seven waves, each wave representing something good that happened in the last year. While they’re there, they also offer gifts to the ocean goddess, Iemanja, by placing the gifts on boats and pushing them into the ocean.
If you want your next year to be extra lucky and prosperous, try incorporating some (or all) of these unique celebrations into your own this year. Stuff your mouth with grapes, smash some plates, pray to the spirits and jump over waves. You may be drenched, full of grapes and with a bloody foot—but you’ll be starting off the New Year in the strongest possible way.
