We like to welcome every new year with plenty of kissing, drinking, and yelling, but have you ever wondered how other countries around the world like to welcome in the new year?

According to 123 New Year, every country around the world have their own traditions that they follow on New Year's Eve:

  • In China, they paint their doors red for good luck. They'll also hide all the knives in the household so that no one can accidentally cut themselves and "cut" their families of good luck
  • In Denmark, they smash old dishes outside the homes of their friends. They more broken dishes you have outside your door, the more friends you have.
  • In England, they believe that the first guest that they welcome into their house each year will bring  them good luck. They usually have a male enter first and bring traditional gifts, such as loaves of bread, drinks for the head of the house, and coal for the fire.
  • In Germany, they pour molten lead into water and the shape it takes will predict the future of the new year.
  • In Puerto Rico, they will throw buckets of water out of their windows and properly clean their homes. It's believed that it will wash out the odds of last year along with the spirits in their homes.
  • In Spain, they eat exactly 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to bring good luck for the next 12 months.
  • In Wales, at the initial toll of midnight, they open the back door and immediately shut it. It's believed that this will "lock out" all the bad luck that came with the previous year. At the twelfth toll, they will reopen the door to welcome the new year.

We can't forget our own New Year's Eve traditions. We like to welcome the new year with a kiss with a loved one. Some believe that it can purify the evil of the previous year, other believe that it symbolizes good luck for the year to come. It might also just be welcoming in the new year with someone that we care about.


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