Every corner of the world celebrates the New Year in its own way. This year, of course, we will be united by the observance of measures to combat the pandemic, but still, the celebration itself will be different. We talk about the most interesting New Year traditions from different countries.
Write a wish for the next year on a small piece of paper, quickly burn it, throw the ashes into champagne and drink to the bottom under the chiming clock – this tradition is familiar to all of us, whether we adhere to it or not, because it is already an integral part of our culture. What traditions are followed in other countries?
We have selected five countries with interesting and unusual New Year traditions. After such adventures, the desire for the New Year will not be forgotten, which means that it will certainly come true.
Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Times Square in New York and wait for the ball to fall from a height of 23 meters, which symbolizes the beginning of the New Year. At this moment, you should definitely kiss someone, even if you came to the square alone, even if you are at home with loved ones and watching the celebration in Times Square on TV.
New Year’s wishes are prepared in advance in the form of filling out a form with a wish on a special website. Each wish falls on a piece of paper and then showers the heads of the assembled crowd in the center of New York among thousands of other confetti (also called Wishfetti! or wish confetti).
New Year Traditions In Thailand
The traditional New Year, Songkran, Thais celebrate on April 13th. On the day of love and respect, locals pour water over each other while shouting “Sawasdee pi mai!” (Happy New Year!) from bottles, hoses, water guns, and other containers filled with water. Sea waves, streams of a waterfall, drop of running water – all this, in the view of Eastern culture, is the energy of the most powerful element that can fulfill any desire.
Since 1940, the European New Year has also been celebrated in Thailand. For most locals, this is an ordinary day of the week without any official holiday, and the atmosphere is created mainly by tourists: shows, discos, fireworks, and noisy festivities.
If you came to Thailand for the whole of January, then you can probably catch the third New Year that the Thais celebrate – Chinese. Lions, snakes, dragons, fires, and firecrackers during spectacular and bright parades – this is how, according to Chinese traditions, they drive away evil spirits. Money is usually given in yellow and red envelopes for this New Year, and no matter what you doubt or be modest when accepting money, it is important to remember that you cannot refuse a gift here – they will perceive it as an insult.
New Year in French
According to French New Year’s traditions, all happiness goes to the one who finds a small bean in the pie. For the rest, a little encouragement: a cherry – for a fateful meeting and love; a coin – of course, to wealth.
Don’t be upset if you didn’t get a bean, a cherry, or a coin, because the local Santa, the French Per Noel, a rather secular character, but loved by the French and reliable in delivering presents, will provide you with a gift.
In 1962, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of France established a separate secretariat (five years later he was transferred to Libourne) – the only post office that has the right to open letters to Per-Noel and answer them is still working. If you do not consider regular mail reliable enough to deliver your wishes, then send an email on a special site.
New Year’s Eve in Bulgaria
Interesting New Year traditions are waiting for you not only in distant countries but also in neighboring countries. Namely, in Bulgaria, because the New Year here is a large-scale family celebration. First, the children sing folk songs at the Christmas tree, then the feast begins (the more food, the more happiness there will be in the new year). Afterward, the younger members of the family run around the neighbors with dogwood sticks decorated with red threads, heads of garlic, nuts, coins, and prunes. Such sticks are called “survachki”. If some child hits you with such a dogwood stick on the back, do not rush to swear – he is “surviving”, that is, he calls good luck, health, and prosperity to your house for the whole next year.
Another way to get a prediction and stock up on success for the whole year is to choose the right piece of banitsa (puff pastry with cheese) with a note baked inside or find a coin hidden in a loaf of bread.
Midnight is the fun part. For three minutes, the Bulgarians turn off the light – in complete darkness, you need to find and give a kiss to your companion or potential lover. The wish will surely come true if you kiss the right person, but the lucky one is the one who finds Santa Claus, or “Uncle Mraz” in Bulgarian – then your happiness will last forever.
Georgia in the New Year
Any toast raised at the Georgian table automatically comes true – such a fertile land and a strong faith in tradition. On the eve of Christmas and New Year, Georgia becomes even more hospitable than usual, and a “snow grandfather” descends from the high-mountainous village of Ushguli – in eastern Georgia, it is called “Tovlis papa”, and in western Georgia – “Tovlis baba”.
An old man with a long gray beard, dressed in a traditional black or white chokha with a white nabadi cloak and a papanaki, a light-colored sheepskin hat. He brings gifts in a huge bag of “churching” decorated with bells – churchkhela, Kozinski, dried persimmon, and other sweets.
After the holidays, according to tradition, you need to burn “chichilaki” – the Georgian version of the Christmas tree: a white tree made of hazel branches, decorated with berries. According to the legend, the scattered ashes will take away all the troubles of the outgoing year and open the way to a bright and beautiful future.
What New Year traditions do you know? And what unusual New Year’s celebration have you managed to visit in your whole life?
Editorial Team
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