New Year’s officially begins around the world at 12:00, but local customs give each country its own distinctive way of ringing in the New Year. From hanging onions to eating 12 grapes, this holiday is celebrated in numerous ways. Perhaps these traditions can be implemented in time to bring good fortune for 2023!

To celebrate the New Year in Spain, they eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve for each time the clock chimes. This new year’s superstition manifests luck for all 12 months of the coming year. The origins of this tradition date back to the 1800s, according to Best Life.com. In Alicante, Spain, the vine growers came up with this tradition to sell more grapes towards the end of the year and it quickly caught on.

In Scotland, they call their version of New Year’s Eve “Hogmanay.” Tradition specifies a dark-haired man should be the first person to enter the threshold of that house on New Year’s Day after midnight. Preferably, it is better for good luck if that man is bearing gifts such as coal, salt, shortbread, and whiskey. This holiday event is known as “first footing,” as stated by Historic-UK.com.

On to Greece with their multi-traditional celebrations for the New Year ranging from smashing pomegranates, hanging onions outside of their doors, baking cake/bread, smashing pomegranates, fireworks, and more. All these values are done in specific ways to ensure that they bring positive energy to the New Year.

Greeting the New Year by smashing plates, Denmark makes sure to remove any bad luck from entering their New Year. Stacking these broken plates in front of the house is believed to clear all bad spirits.

Ecuadorian people burn stuffed dummies on New Year’s Eve right before midnight because this represents all bad luck being burnt in time for the next year. These dummies must be totally burned; otherwise, any remnants are considered as negativity that carries over into the next year. Happy Gringo.com says that this festivity is called “Año Viejo,” which translates as “old year.” These are just a few of the countries that have unique New Year’s customs.

Depending on their traditions and backgrounds, each family celebrates New Year’s differently. Having said that, anyone is free to welcome the New Year in anyway they like. Penelope Vivas, Freshman, says, “My family and I celebrate New Year’s by buying a life sixed scarecrow-doll thing to set it on fire after the clock strikes 12. It symbolizes last year’s negative energy and creates better energy for the New Year. Also, when the clock strikes midnight, my family hands out a cup of 12 grapes and each grape that is eaten is made with a wish for the New Year.” Even though they greet the new year in various ways, all cultures share the same intentions of positivity.

This wonderful holiday is filled with a lot of diversity and manifestations for the coming year. 2023 is the start of a new chapter so lets welcome the future with positive energy!