5 notable New Year traditions from around the world

Here is a look at five popular New Year traditions from around the world and their origins.

1. 01

   Spain

   The Spanish ring in the New Year by eating exactly 12 grapes at midnight. All of the grapes are supposed to be consumed within seconds before the clock finishes striking 12. While the tradition is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year, its origins are debatable. 

   According to some accounts, it began in the 1800s, when the bourgeoisie in Madrid wanted to adopt the French custom of eating grapes and drinking champagne on New Year's Eve. Another belief is that in 1909, vine growers in Alicante and Murcia produced a bumper crop of grapes and popularised the tradition of selling the surplus. 

   Yet another tale proposes that the tradition could have begun centuries earlier when it was considered auspicious to celebrate the New Year with symbolic foods, including grains and fruits that represented fertility and prosperity. Since grapes were a staple crop in the region, it became the chosen food. 

2. 02

   Greece

   In Greece, onions are hung on the doors or inside homes after the New Year's Day church service. Onions are believed to symbolise fertility and growth, given that bulbs tend to sprout. They are also believed to help people grow and ward off evil. Parents traditionally wake their children on New Year's Day by tapping them on the head with the onion. 

   In addition, the Greeks also pay tribute to the Christian bishop and theologian Saint Basil with the cutting of the "good luck cake", called vasilopita, made with a hidden coin inside, which is a token of fortune and good health. Usually cut by the head of the family, the first slice of the cake is for Jesus Christ, then the Virgin Mary, followed by Saint Basil. Slices are then cut for family members and the one who finds the coin is believed to be blessed with good luck during the year. 

3. 03

   Japan

   In Japan, New Year is welcomed with the sound of bells ringing in temples. The ceremony called “joya no kane”, meaning midnight bell, which is believed to have originated in China, sees temples ringing bells 108 times to mark the end of the last year and the beginning of the next. The 108 bell rings symbolise the 108 earthly desires and anxieties mentioned in Buddhism, and the intention is to ring these out.  

   The first shrine or temple visit of the year, known as “Hatsumode”, sees people pray for good fortune. They also purchase omamori amulets, which are small pouches containing prayers written on paper, and return their old omamori from the previous year. Wishes are written on emas or wooden plaques, and omikuji fortune slips are pulled out for the year. 

   Another custom reportedly dating back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333), sees the Japanese eat soba noodles, primarily made from buckwheat flour, on New Year’s Eve. The long thin noodles are firm but easy to bite, and chewing them symbolises breaking away from the hardships of the previous year.   

4. 04

   Germany

   The Germans begin the year with fortune-telling through the tradition of Bleigießen (“lead pouring” in English), where small pieces of lead or tin are heated until they melt. The molten metal is then quickly poured into a bowl of cold water, hardening to take various shapes that are then interpreted as predictions for the future. There are guides to what specific shapes could indicate — for instance, while animal shapes hint at loyalty and good luck, a tree means your skills will grow. 

   Believed to have its roots in ancient Roman practices of divination, where people melted metal or wax to predict the future, the tradition arguably became popular in Germany in the 19th century. Over the years, due to health risks associated with lead, safer alternatives are now used, including wax and tin, and special kits of the same are available in German stores during this festive season. 

5. 05

   Scotland

   With the Scottish Reformation in the 1560s leading to the outlawing of Christmas in Scotland for almost four centuries, most year-end celebrations were reserved for New Year in the country. The homes are cleaned and prepared for “saining”, meaning “to bless or protect”, wherein water is obtained from a stream that is considered sacred — a little is consumed and the rest is sprinkled around the house. 

   Also burning juniper branches to fill their home with smoke to cleanse it once upon a time, the Scots now just leave the doors and windows open to allow fresh air in for cleansing. 

   According to the ritual of "First Footing", it is also believed that the first visitor to enter your home after midnight on December 31 will determine your luck for the year ahead. 

   An ideal “First Footer” is a tall, dark-haired man, as according to superstition fair-haired people were associated with misfortune. He also brings symbolic gifts, including coal (representing warmth), whisky (for good cheer) and shortbread (representing abundance).

   At the stroke of midnight, the Scots also celebrate with the rendering of the Scottish folk song "Auld Lang Syne", literally meaning "for the sake of old times".