Happy New Year! I hope 2025 will be an incredible year for all of us. New Year's is one of the most exciting times of the year, and everyone has a different tradition for new beginnings. And the best part about learning new customs like these is that it’s never too late to start one. So, would you like to know how different cultures around the world welcome the new year?
1) Eat 12 grapes:
This tradition is common in Spain and it started back in the late 19th century. But recently we see that it has become widespread in many parts of the world, including our country. People who want their wishes to come true go under the table at midnight and eat 12 grapes. Each grape represents a month so you can wish something for each month while eating the grapes.
2) Watch the ball drop:
This tradition is from New York, US. Every year thousands of people gather in times square to watch the New Year's Eve ball drop. But now they are showing it on TV too and that means people all over the world can be part of this event.
3) Hang onions:
In Greece after coming back from the New Year’s Day church service. They hang an onion outside the door. They think that this brings good luck and it's a symbol for starting a new life. They also celebrate first day of the new year (St. Basil's Day) with a special cake "Vasilopita," which contains a single coin. The person who finds the coin is believed to be blessed with good luck for the new year.
4) Bang on the doors and walls of home with a bread:
In Ireland, it's tradition to bang on the doors and walls of your home with a special Christmas bread to drive out bad luck and invite in good spirits. It's a symbolic way of starting the new year with a fresh, clean slate.
5) Heading to the beach:
In Brazil people often go to the beach to celebrate Christmas beacuse its summer there. Right after midnight you need to jump 7 waves and make 7 wishes.
6) Eating soba noodles:
People in Japan eats warm soba noodles or noodles made from buckwheat flour in new years eve. They're nicknamed "year-crossing noodles," and while the origins of this tradition aren't exactly known, generally, people believe that the long noodles represent a long life and eating them symbolizes a break from the old year.
7) Writing a Wish on a Piece of Paper and Burning It:
In Russia, it is customary to write a wish for the new year, burn it, then mix the ashes into a glass of champagne or whatever you are drinking and drink it one minute after midnight. It seems a bit risky, but all we have to do is say enjoy your drink!
8) Carrying Empty Suitcases:
Hoping for plenty of travel in the upcoming year like me? Then do as they do in Columbia and carry an empty suitcase around the block. It's a practice that's thought to encourage lots of traveling in the new year.
9) Cutting Apples:
While we might be used to cutting up apples for eating them, in the Czech Republic, cut-up apples hold unique significance when it comes to New Year’s. On New Year’s Eve, person will cut apples in half and the shape inside denotes what one can expect in the coming year. For instance, while a star is good, a cross can foretell a future illness.
What about us Turkish people?
Since the early periods when they first took their place in the pages of history thousands of years ago, Turks used to celebrate the New Year and New Year by decorating the white pine trees, lighting fires and dancing. This special day was called the “Nardugan Festival”. On the celebration day, people would wear new clothes, get together with their relatives and prepare special meals. In ancient Turkish astrology, day and night would fight between December 21-22 every year and the sun would eventually win. The new year would be celebrated on the first full moon after this victory. This festival was a “Rebirth Festival” for our ancestors. The fact that Turks have been decorating the white pine tree since ancient times, putting gifts under the tree during the ceremony and tying colorful pieces of cloth to the tree to make wishes for the new year proves that there is a Turkish influence on the “Christmas Tree” tradition of Europeans. Today, the “Wish Tree” tradition, which is believed to be a continuation of this, continues in some of our villages. New Year celebrations and tree decoration passed from the Turks to the Sumerians and from there to European societies via Anatolia.
I don't know how and with whom you celebrated the New Year, but I hope you had a great time with your loved ones. I hope 2025 will be a year where all our wishes come true and we hope it will be a healthy, successful, happy year. Happy new year to all of you again.