Greece
England
England is a country that knows how to party, and New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, especially in London. Public gatherings—in places like Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square—begin on the evening of the 31st and culminate with a riotous countdown to the midnight chimes from Big Ben.
After midnight, revelers link arms and sing “Auld Lang Syne” while fireworks erupt. A unique tradition in England is that people keep the back doors of their homes open to let the old year “out.” Similarly to Greece’s “first-footing” tradition, it is considered good luck if the first person to cross your threshold after midnight is an attractive, dark-haired young man bearing gifts of coal, salt and bread (which represent warmth, good food and wealth for the new year).
What if a blond or redheaded man arrives? It’s the same fate as if a woman comes. You’ll have bad luck in the coming year. We imagine that British dark-haired young men are in quite the demand on January 1!
Brazil
Brazil’s reputation for energetic celebration extends into the country’s New Year traditions. All around the country, it is considered good luck for the coming year if you consume lentils and rice on New Year’s Day. Also, most people wear white on the first day of the New Year to bring prosperity and peace for the next 365 days.
In Rio de Janeiro—the country’s biggest party city—as in all coastal regions, it is also considered auspicious to go to the ocean’s edge and jump over seven incoming waves right after midnight. Another ocean-based custom is the annual gifts proffered to the Goddess of the Sea and the Mother of Waters. To thank the goddess for her gifts and to ensure a good year of fishing, a boat full of gifts are floated out to sea. On board are feminine presents such as flowers, candles, jewelry, lipstick and perfume.
Spain
In Spain, New Year’s Eve festivities begin with a family dinner including shrimp, lamb and capon (rooster). The donning of red underwear on December 31 is traditional, as it is thought to bring good luck in the coming year. Perhaps most unique is the Spanish custom of eating 12 green grapes—one for each strike of the clock as it strikes midnight—each of which is believed to bring good fortune for every month of the coming year. Then the real festivities begin: People enjoy wild parties at private homes and in public squares. Copious amounts of cava (aka, sparkling wine) and Champagne are enjoyed until the next morning. Then, a traditional breakfast of hot chocolate and fried pastries is eaten.
Germany
New Year’s Eve is a time of great festivities and fun in Germany. Berlin is home to one of Europe’s biggest parties—around a million people congregate near the Brandenburg Gate, and a showy fireworks display is launched after the strike of midnight. One of the more unique German traditions is to perform a ceremony called Bleigießen (pouring lead). This custom calls for each adult to melt lead in a spoon (over a candle or a gas stove), and then to pour the molten metal into a glass of cold water. The resulting shape is analyzed, and is believed to prophesize the happenings in one’s coming year. Another wide-ranging German tradition is to eat a small marzipan pig on New Year’s for good luck.
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Photo via jp_tech_girl/Flickr Creative Commons
Denmark
New Year’s is serious business for the people of Belgium. First up is an evening meal spent with family and friends. The meal is capped off with a traditional dessert known as Kransekage, a tall, circular cone-shaped cake embellished with flags and firecrackers.
Speaking of pyrotechnics, fireworks—launched by individuals and municipalities—are a huge part of New Year’s Eve in Denmark. Many times throughout the night, people go outside numerous times to light off bottle rockets and other sparkling explosives. An odd and unique Danish custom is to save up food throughout the year, and to then toss plated edibles onto the threshold of friends’ homes. The more broken dishes in front of one’s door, it’s believed, the greater the number of friendships and rewarding relationships you’ll have in the year ahead.
Another custom common to most all Danes is to climb up off the ground—onto a chair, couch, ladder, anything, really—as the countdown to midnight begins. At the stroke of midnight, everyone jumps down, representing a fresh leap into the New Year.
Photo via Ma1974/Flickr Creative Commons
Hungary
In Hungary, New Year's Eve is known as Szilveszter. On December 31, people gather for house parties or street gatherings—the biggest bash is held outdoors in the capital of Budapest.
When the clock strikes midnight, most people sing the Hungarian national anthem. One of the most interesting customs is the rotation of a sculpture called the Time Wheel, a modern hourglass that takes 365 days for the sand to run out—this happens every December 31.
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Photo via Paul Mannix/Flickr Creative Commons
