6 Unexpected New Year Traditions From Around the World

When the clock strikes midnight, most people think of fireworks, countdowns, and champagne. But around the world, New Year’s Eve is celebrated in ways that might surprise you — and make you smile.

From smashing plates to running with suitcases, these traditions prove that welcoming a new year can be joyful, symbolic, and a little bit strange.

Unexpected New Year Traditions

🇩🇰 Denmark: Smashing Plates for Good Luck

In Denmark, New Year’s Eve can get loud — and messy. People save old plates throughout the year and then smash them against the doors of friends and family.

The logic?

The more broken plates you find at your door, the more love and good luck you’re believed to have in the coming year. In Denmark, a messy doorstep is actually a good sign.

🇪🇸 Spain: 12 Grapes at Midnight

In Spain, the final seconds of the year are all about timing. As the clock strikes midnight, people eat 12 grapes — one for each chime.

Each grape represents a month of the coming year, and finishing them on time is said to bring good luck, prosperity, and happiness. It’s harder than it sounds, and it often leads to laughter before the year even begins.

🇯🇵 Japan: 108 Bell Rings for a Fresh Start

In Japan, New Year’s Eve is calm, reflective, and deeply symbolic. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times in a ritual called Joya no Kane.

Each ring represents a human desire believed to cause suffering. By the final bell, people symbolically let go of the past year’s burdens and welcome the new year with clarity and peace.

🇷🇺 Russia: Drinking Your Wish

Russia’s New Year tradition might be one of the boldest. People write a wish on paper, burn it, mix the ashes into champagne, and drink it before midnight.

The belief? If you finish the drink before the clock strikes twelve, your wish has a chance of coming true. It’s dramatic, symbolic, and uniquely unforgettable.

🇨🇴 Colombia: Running With a Suitcase

In Colombia, New Year’s Eve often includes a surprising sight: people running outside with empty suitcases.

This tradition is believed to attract travel, adventure, and new opportunities in the coming year. Whether it works or not, it’s a joyful way to manifest a year full of movement and discovery.

🇮🇹 Italy: Red Underwear for Love and Luck

In Italy, what you wear on New Year’s Eve matters — especially red underwear. Red is believed to symbolize love, luck, and new beginnings.

It’s a lighthearted tradition that blends ancient symbolism with modern celebration, reminding everyone that sometimes good luck starts with confidence.

One Night, Many Ways to Begin Again

These traditions may be different, but they all share the same purpose: letting go of the old and welcoming the new with hope.

Wherever you are in the world, New Year’s Eve is a reminder that fresh starts can be meaningful, joyful, and even a little bit fun.

Which tradition would you try?

As another year begins somewhere in the world, we’re grateful to have you on this journey with us.

Wishing you a bright and adventurous new year,— The MASX Team ✈️🌏