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25 New Year’s Superstitions and Traditions

1. Kissing at Midnight—At the stroke of midnight, kissing a loved one was said to ensure continued affections between the pair into the New Year. This is probably one of the most loved/hated part of New Year’s celebrations. I don’t know if it’s the spin that’s been put on it in sentimental movies and TV shows at this time of year, but the actual meaning of the tradition is much less schmaltzy. It’s not necessarily about romance at all. In fact, a hug or even handshake amongst friends is just as good!
2. Banging Pots and Pans— I remember this as one of the most fun parts of New Year’s celebrations. We’d all go out into the street and bang pots and pans. I’m sure, like most kids, we wondered if our parents had temporarily lost their marbles, but hey, who would argue? I think the grown-ups doing it too just made it all the more crazy and amazing. The origins of this ritual were as a protective measure. It was believed that loud noise-making would scare away evil spirits who could pass between worlds during the day of yearly transition. We may or may not believe this these days, but it sure is still fun to do .
3. First-Footing-  As soon as midnight had passed and it was officially January 1st, people used to wait behind their doors for the first visitor of the year to arrive. It was good luck if it was a man, (but bad luck if the first visitor was a woman). It was good luck if he was dark-haired, but bad luck if he had blond or red hair. It was also specified that he should not be flat-footed, cross-eyed or have a brow that meets in the middle. (!) He should knock on the door and be let in, not use a key. The visitor carried a piece of coal, some bread, some money and some greenery. These were all for good luck – the coal to make sure that the house would always be warm, the bread to make sure everyone in the house would have enough food to eat, money so that they would have enough money, and the greenery to make sure that they had a long life. The visitor would then take a pan of dust or ashes out of the house with him, thus signifying the departure of the old year.
4. Good Riddance—At midnight on New Year’s Eve, people once flung open every door in their house. The ritual was said to release the past year’s misfortune—and let inside fortune in the New Year. Some people open their front door to let in good luck and open the back door to let out last year’s bad luck.
5. Winds of Fate—At one time, New Year’s Day wind patterns were studied by more than just the local meteorologist. Northern winds were said to symbolize a year’s-worth of unpleasant weather. A Southern wind would bring prosperity and luck. Tragedy and loss would follow New Year’s Day winds blowing from the East. Contradictory fates would be at the heels of a Western wind, bringing plentiful bounty and luck to farmers—as well as the passing of a cherished individual.
6. Forget the Debt—It is said to be bad luck to lend money, pay bills, or settle debts on New Year’s Day. Doing these things will bring a year’s-worth of financial trouble as it symbolizes money going out rather than coming in.
7. All the Single Ladies—If a single woman wakes up on New Year’s Day and looks out her window and sees a man—any man— walking by, it is said she’ll be married by the end of the year.
8. For Auld Lang Syne- This started as a Scottish tradition. The song was written by Robert Burns in 1788. The title literally translates as ‘Old Long Since’, but in today’s language means something closer to ‘the good old days’. The song is a reminder to think of old friends and not forget them.
9. Nothing Should Leave the House- Nothing should be taken out of the house on New Year’s Day. If you’ve got things to give to others put them in your car on New Year’s Eve because they shouldn’t leave the house on New Year’s Day. Some people allow items to leave the house after something has been brought in.
10. Work, But Only a Little Bit- Doing a token amount of work on New Year’s is said to being good fortune in your career. But be careful, working too hard on any work-related project on New Year’s Day will bring the opposite.
11. Wear New Clothes-  People believe that wearing new clothes on New Year’s Day is a sign of the year to come and wearing good clothes during the year. Wearing dirty, old clothes will bring more of the same for the rest of the year.
12. Fill Your Cupboards and Wallets- Full cupboards stocked with food and wallets and purses full of money bring prosperity in the New Year. Similarly, empty pockets or empty cupboards on New Years Eve bring a year of poverty.
13.  Don’t Wash- In several cultures washing the dishes or laundry on New Year’s Day is said to symbolise the ‘washing away’ (dying) of a family member. It can also symbolise washing away your good fortune.
14. Sweep, Sweep-  Sweep your house before the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve and sweep the negativity of the past year away. Be careful, if you sweep after midnight, it symbolises sweeping away all of your good fortune in the New Year!
15. Jump!- In Denmark, at the stroke of midnight, people jump from their chairs down onto the floor to symbolise ‘jumping into the New Year’.
16. Black Eyed Peas (Beans)- eating Black Eyed Peas on New Years is said to bring good luck and fortune.
17. Cabbage- Cabbage is associated with luck and fortune because it resembles paper money.
18. Lentils-  Because they are shaped like coins, they are said to bring good fortune in the New Year.
19. Pork- Eat pork instead of chicken or beef.  Because pigs dig with their snout, it is said to represent forward movement or progress, while chickens scratch backward and cows stand still. Countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Ireland also eat pork because fatty meat is symbolic of fattening their wallets.
20. Noodles- Eat noodles for longevity. Many Asian countries eat noodles on New Years to symbolise long life. One reminder though- the noodles can’t be cut or break before you get them into your mouth!
21. Fish- In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the New Year since fish swim forward. Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.
22. Grapes- In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one each time the bell tolls. The 12 grapes symbolise good luck for each month of the year.
23. Pop the Cork- We drink Champagne on New Year’s because the bang from popping the cork is similar to the bang of a starting gun in a race and signifies the start of the year.  Add gold jewellery to your glass to bring wealth in the New Year.
24. Burning Bowl- Write down the negative things you’d like to leave behind or change  in the New Year on little slips of paper.  Put them in a flame-proof bowl and burn the pieces of paper to symbolise getting rid of the negativity. (It might be safest to do the burning outside!)
25. Ring the Bells- In Japan, at the stroke of midnight the temple bells toll 108 times. According to Buddhist teaching, we have 108 earthly desires that cause us suffering and each time the bell rings, we get rid of one of them for the New Year.

 

photo credit: Creativity103 on Flickr