The year 2018 has been amazing, but it is time to say goodbye to the old one and greet a more interesting new year! As our volunteers are from many different countries, let’s have a little look at New Year’s traditions in the countries all over Europe.
Making new year’s resolutions, setting off fireworks, drinking champagne, counting down to the new year and kissing your loved one or eating a nice dinner on New Year’s Eve: these are traditional ways to imagine New Year’s Eve. But there are also different ways to celebrate: in many countries, there are very specific ways to say hello to a new year! So why not to explore them a little bit and try some of them out, maybe they will bring us good luck!
Let’s meet some traditions
In Spain, starting 12 seconds before midnight, for every second you have to eat one grape to get good luck in the new year. Otherwise the good luck won’t find you next year!
Wearing red underwear at New Year’s Eve should bring good luck to you
In Denmark, people jump off of their chairs in unison at midnight. This symbolizes jumping forward into the new year and leaving bad things behind. So for the sake of starting the new year from a clean page, this might be the way!
In Romania and Denmark, farmers go and wish their animals a happy new year. I think this is a tradition that all the animal owners should have as standard. So let’s wish our furry friends a happy new year as well!
But if you want to get rich in the upcoming year, just simply drop whipped cream on the floor and money will find its way to you. Swiss people should know that it works!
Or if nothing feels like an interesting way to greet the new year, at least show your friends that you love them! In Denmark, people go to their friends’ houses and simply break dishes in front of their doors. So, whoever has the biggest pile of broken dishes has the most friends!
We all have our own way to say goodbye to the old and say hello to the new year. But sometimes it is refreshing to also try out some other countries’ traditions. And if not, hopefully the luck, money, happiness or whatever you wish for, will still find its way to you. 2019, bring it on!
Have a good one, you all!
