Bizarre New Year Traditions From All Over The World
Not every country celebrates the New Year with a glass of bubbly and a smooch! In Europe, South America and beyond they toast the fresh start with a whole string of strange and wonderful stunts. From sleeping in cemeteries and dropping ice cream on the floor to trying to talk to cows (yes, really), here are the weirdest NYE customs from across the globe...
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1. Ireland
The Irish draw on their superstitious roots around New Year's Eve and throw bread at their walls to ward off evil spirits and prove national hunger is no longer in existence.
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2. Peru
Peruvians celebrate New Year's Eve with their famous Takanakuy Festival - a day in which locals literally fight out their issues among a crowd of villagers in the hope they can start the new year on a clean slate.
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3. Equador
In Equador, natives bring in the new year by burning scarecrows and photographs from the last year at midnight so they can start afresh.
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4. Romania
Romanians take a different tact when toasting the new year. The rural country celebrate the 31st by talking to their cows! However, if they succeed to communicate with the animals it means bad luck for the year ahead...
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5. Chile
As a mark of respect to their loved ones, people in Chile often spend New Year's Eve sleeping in the graveyard in which their deceased relatives are resting.
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6. Japan
The Japanese channel traditional Buddhist beliefs on NYE by ringing all their bells 108 times which is meant to bring cleanness for the new year.
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7. Bolivia
Bolivians use the age-old festive tradition of baking pennies into their desserts on New Year's. Whoever finds the coin has luck for the year ahead!
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8. Switzerland
The Swiss also centre their New Year's celebrations around sweet desserts as they drop ice cream on the floor to toast the 31st December.
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9. Finland
Finland's NYE ritual is all about forecasting the future. Natives melt molten tin and pour it into a bucket of water. Once a shape has formed, they analyse exactly what the final formation could mean.
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10. Spain
The Spanish use food as a fun way to bring in the New Year. According to old customs, if you can fit 12 grapes into your mouth at midnight you'll have good luck for the next year.
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11. Denmark
Denmark have taken a leaf out the Greek tradition book by smashing plates in celebration. But rather than the floor, the Danish hurl their unused china at the doors of family and friends.
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12. Estonia
Estonia's NYE ritual is one we can get on board with! They eat a whopping seven times on New Year's Day to ensure abundance in the new year.