New Year's Traditions Around the World

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Different traditions of various countries across the world as they celebrate the upcoming year

GREECE Greeks hang onions on their door on New Year as it signifies rebirth in the coming year. As a symbol of prosperity and good luck, the people are also known to break a pomegranate on their doorstep before entering their houses on New Year's Day. 

ESTONIA According to the tradition, if you eat 12 meals on New Year's Eve, you'll enjoy the strength of 12 people for the year to come. 

BELGIUM New Year’s Eve is also called Sint Sylvester Vooranvond in Belgium: children traditionally write letters to parents and godparents. 

THAILAND Songkran is the traditional water festival of the country, used to symbolize the washing away of bad luck. It's celebrated over three days in April. SPAIN In Spain, many eat 12 grapes as the bells strike at midnight on New Year's Eve as it's believed that the ritual will bring prosperity for the coming year. 

SOUTH AFRICA In parts of Johannesburg, the rather strange (and dangerous-sounding) New Year tradition involves throwing out old and unwanted furniture. The idea is to literally throw the item s out of the window. 

ARGENTINA Argentinians eat beans before the clock strikes midnight as it is considered to bring fortune to their career. 

FINLAND The Finns melt little horseshoes made of tin in a pan and then throw the molten metal into a bucket of cold war. The metal then instantly solidifies again, and the resulting shape is believed to offer predictions for the person's fortunes in the coming year. 

DENMARK AND NORWAY New Year is all about food and friends for the Danes and Norwegians. They celebrate with a traditional dish of boiled cod and a special desert called Kransekage, a huge ring cake decorated with firecrackers and flags. 

ITALY Mass kissing at St Mark’s Square is a popular New Year tradition celebrated in Venice. PHILIPPINES Round fruits are placed on the dining table on New Year’s Eve: their shape represents money and courts prosperity for the year to come. 

BELARUS A popular Belarusian New Year game involves getting a group of single women together in a circle. Each woman gets a pile of corn placed in front of her, then a rooster is put in the middle of the circle. Whichever pile of corn the rooster chooses to peck first, that woman will be the first to marry. 

GERMANY The Germans eat pig-shaped marzipans, which are considered a symbol of good luck. 

ROMANIA In local mythology, bears are considered sacred. Romanian gypsies wear real bearskins and dance through the central Trotus Valley on New Year's Eve to ward off evil spirit. 

JAPAN In Japan, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times to welcome Toshigami, the New Year's God. The Japanese also clean their homes and send thank you cards known as nengajo. 

SWITZERLAND People celebrate New Year by allowing a drip of ice cream to fall on the floor as it signifies abundance and prosperity for the coming year. 

CHILE Some Chileans choose to spend New Year with their deceased loved ones by making a special trip to the cemetery. 

BOLIVIA Coins are baked with sweets in Bolivia, and whoever finds the coins has good luck for the upcoming year