The New Year is so magnificent! But it is made more special by the customs and traditions that exist in different countries meant for meeting the New Year.
So, let’s travel around some countries and see how different peoples meet the New Year.
Mexicans have unique customs of meeting the New Year. They believe that an immense cloud should appear on the midnight New Year’s Eve sky so as to mark the New Year beginning. So, most Mexicans stay awake at midnight to have a look at the gigantic cloud. They also have a custom of eating twelve grapes at the strokes of midnight on New Year’s Eve. They do it so as to get success and welfare in the coming year. In Mexico you can find a Hispanic custom of bringing all suitcases out and leaving the house at midnight on New Year’s Eve. All the windows and doors of the house are left open to let the old spirit escape from the house.
Another remarkable custom of meeting the New Year exists in the Bahamas. They organize the Junkanoo Festival in the New Year. The Bahamian festival of Junkanoo is a parade of brightly costumed people who dance and gyrate to the rhythmic drum, cowbell, and whistle beats. Junkanoo parades are organized on certain themes, and their dances, costumes, and music are chosen in accordance with the theme.
In Hungary the New Year’s Eve is called Szilveszter. Here people have a tradition of burning images of a model person known as Jack Straw, who is considered to be an embodiment of misfortune and evil. In this way they get rid of bad things before starting a new year.
Meanwhile, people in Finland have an interesting habit of taking a bath in the sauna before the New Year. They do it after having prepared and decorated the house. This custom started to purify and clean oneself before the New Year.
Like the Mexicans, people in Spain have the custom of eating a grape at each of the 12 strokes of the clock. They believe that following this tradition will bring them happiness and good luck in the New Year.
A unique New Year meeting tradition exists in the Netherlands. That is the New Year Day’s Swim. At noon a great number of people dive into the cold and freezing North Sea. This is done for fun, good luck, and health. In the Netherlands people also have a custom of igniting colorful fireworks and burning Christmas trees on street bonfires to announce the coming of the New Year.
The New Year is itself a perfect holiday, but nice traditions of celebrating it make the New Year much more cheerful and interesting.
Happy New Year!
Photo: © vadiroma
Photo: © Kernbeisser
No related posts.