New Year’s Eve is celebrated across the world with a mix of joy, hope, and anticipation, but it’s also steeped in superstitions that reflect the diverse cultural beliefs about starting the year off right. From wearing specific colors to performing quirky rituals, these traditions often revolve around themes of luck, prosperity, and protection. While some are widely practiced, others are truly bizarre and reveal fascinating insights into the societies that uphold them.

Here are 10 of the strangest New Year’s Eve superstitions from around the globe.

Related: 10 Traditions That Brighten the Festive Season

10 Eating Grapes for Luck in Spain

In Spain, the clock striking midnight on New Year’s Eve signals the beginning of a peculiar and high-pressure ritual: eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds. Each grape represents a month of the coming year, and participants must eat them in sync with the chimes of the clock. Successfully completing this task is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the entire year. The tradition is said to have originated in the early 20th century when Spanish grape growers had a surplus harvest and promoted the practice as a clever marketing ploy.

The challenge is not as simple as it sounds. Participants often struggle to chew and swallow the grapes fast enough, leading to hilariously chaotic scenes at family gatherings and public celebrations. In some cities, such as Madrid, people gather in plazas like Puerta del Sol to perform the ritual en masse, creating a collective sense of anticipation and hilarity. While it may have begun as a practical solution to a farming issue, the superstition has become an integral part of Spanish New Year’s culture.^[1]

9 Smashing Plates for Good Luck in Denmark

In Denmark, New Year’s Eve involves a unique and noisy tradition: smashing plates against the doors of friends and neighbors. This act is believed to bring good fortune to the household receiving the broken crockery. The more broken plates you find on your doorstep the next morning, the more luck you’re said to have in the coming year. It’s a practice rooted in the Danish belief that shattered items ward off bad spirits and symbolize renewal.

Families and friends often save chipped or old plates throughout the year, specifically for this purpose. The tradition doesn’t just involve smashing; it’s also a test of popularity. A doorstep with a heap of broken plates signifies that the occupants are well-loved and have strong social bonds. Though the practice might seem bizarre to outsiders, it underscores Denmark’s focus on community and the idea of starting the year with a clean slate—literally and figuratively.^[2]

8 Jumping Off Chairs in the Philippines

In the Philippines, a nation rich in festive traditions, one unique superstition involves jumping off a chair or table at the stroke of midnight. This playful ritual is aimed primarily at children and teenagers, with the belief that leaping into the New Year will help them grow taller in the months ahead. Parents encourage their kids to jump as high as possible, blending cultural beliefs with a sense of fun and family bonding.

This tradition is just one of many Filipino customs designed to bring prosperity, growth, and good fortune. Families also engage in practices like filling their homes with round fruits, which symbolize wealth due to their resemblance to coins. Firecrackers are set off to drive away evil spirits, while windows and doors are left open to let good energy flow into the home. The combination of these superstitions creates a lively and symbolically rich New Year’s celebration, with the leap into the New Year serving as both a literal and figurative step toward growth and success.^[3]

7 Wearing Red Underwear in Italy

In Italy, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is considered a surefire way to bring love, luck, and fertility in the coming year. This tradition dates back to ancient Rome, where red was a symbol of power, passion, and protection. Romans often wore red garments during winter solstice celebrations to ward off malevolent spirits and ensure a prosperous start to the year. As Christianity spread, the practice was adapted to the New Year’s holiday, keeping its vibrant symbolism intact.

Today, the tradition has become deeply ingrained in Italian culture, particularly as a playful holiday custom. Shops and markets stock up on red lingerie during the holiday season, with many couples exchanging red underwear as a romantic and lighthearted gift. The superstition even comes with a rule: the underwear must be new and ideally given as a present, as this is believed to ensure the wearer receives fresh and untainted luck. This quirky practice combines ancient beliefs with modern holiday cheer, making it both a symbolic and fun way to ring in the New Year.^[4]

6 First-Footing in Scotland

In Scotland, “first-footing” is a centuries-old New Year’s Eve tradition rooted in the belief that the first person to enter your home after midnight will determine your luck for the year ahead. According to custom, the ideal first-foot should be a tall, dark-haired man, as this was thought to bring prosperity and protection to the household. The superstition likely stems from the days of Viking invasions when blonde-haired visitors were associated with danger and misfortune.

The first-foot traditionally brings symbolic gifts such as coal for warmth, whiskey for good cheer, and bread to ensure sustenance. These items are meant to represent abundance and well-being for the coming year. The practice is central to Hogmanay celebrations, with Scots meticulously planning who their first-foot will be to ensure the best possible start to the year. In some regions, first-footing has evolved into a festive event, with neighbors visiting each other’s homes to exchange blessings, making it a blend of superstition and communal celebration.^[5]

5 Burning Effigies in Ecuador

In Ecuador, New Year’s Eve is marked by the dramatic and symbolic burning of effigies, known as año viejo (old year). These effigies, often crafted from old clothes, paper, and wood, represent the misfortunes and mistakes of the past year. At the stroke of midnight, families and communities light the effigies on fire, symbolizing a fresh start and the cleansing of bad luck. This tradition is believed to have indigenous and Spanish colonial roots, combining elements of purification rituals with festive celebrations.

The effigies are often humorously designed to resemble politicians, celebrities, or fictional characters, allowing people to vent frustrations while adding a lighthearted touch. In some regions, participants leap over the burning effigies as a way to leave their troubles behind, a daring and cathartic act. Fireworks often accompany the ritual, turning it into a spectacle of sound and light. For many Ecuadorians, the año viejo ceremony is not just a tradition but a deeply personal and communal way to embrace the possibilities of the New Year.^[6]

4 Carrying Suitcases in Colombia

In Colombia, a playful New Year’s Eve superstition involves carrying an empty suitcase around the block at midnight to guarantee a year filled with travel and adventure. Families and friends enthusiastically take part in the ritual, running or walking quickly with their suitcases as the clock strikes twelve. The belief is that this symbolic gesture sends a clear intention to the universe, ensuring opportunities for exploration and journeys in the coming year.

Some participants take the tradition even further by packing their suitcases with meaningful items, such as maps, postcards, or travel tickets, to enhance the ritual’s effectiveness. Others incorporate the practice into a broader set of prosperity rituals, like wearing yellow underwear for wealth or eating 12 grapes for luck. Entire neighborhoods often come alive with laughter and excitement as families race around their blocks with luggage in tow. Whether or not the superstition guarantees travel, it brings a sense of hope and fun, embodying the spirit of optimism that defines New Year’s Eve in Colombia.^[7]

3 Eating Lentils in Brazil

In Brazil, lentils are more than a hearty legume—they’re a New Year’s Eve staple believed to bring financial prosperity and good luck. Families incorporate lentils into their midnight meals, often in the form of soup, stews, or side dishes. The belief likely stems from Italian immigrants who brought the custom to Brazil, as lentils resemble small coins and are thought to symbolize wealth and abundance.

This tradition is typically part of a larger feast that includes other lucky foods, such as pork (to symbolize progress) and grapes (for general good fortune). Brazilian families might also set aside a few lentils to carry in their wallets, a gesture intended to “attract money” throughout the year. The focus on lentils during the New Year reflects Brazil’s vibrant fusion of cultural influences and its emphasis on starting the year with prosperity and abundance.^[8]

2 Dropping Ice Cream in Switzerland

In Switzerland, a curious New Year’s Eve superstition involves intentionally dropping a scoop of ice cream on the floor to ensure good fortune in the coming year. This quirky ritual is rooted in the belief that offering something symbolic to the universe or gods will bring blessings in return. While the origins of the tradition are unclear, it has become a beloved part of Swiss celebrations, blending humor with hope.

In some families, the ice cream is accompanied by additional symbolic foods, such as bread or wine, to amplify the gesture’s meaning. Children often take special delight in the ritual, turning it into a playful moment during otherwise formal gatherings. While modern interpretations of the tradition vary, the act of purposefully sacrificing a treat remains a lighthearted way for Swiss families to manifest luck and abundance.^[9]

1 Smashing Pomegranates in Greece

In Greece, smashing a pomegranate against the front door on New Year’s Eve is a vivid and symbolic tradition meant to bring prosperity, health, and good fortune for the coming year. The custom traces its roots back to ancient Greek mythology, where the pomegranate represented life, fertility, and abundance. Families often choose their most beautiful pomegranate for the ritual, treating it with reverence before smashing it with dramatic flair.

The scattering seeds are said to predict the household’s luck for the year ahead—the more seeds that spread, the greater the fortune. Some families incorporate additional practices, such as hanging the broken pomegranate’s remnants near the entrance as a protective charm or consuming the seeds during a celebratory meal. This tradition highlights Greece’s deep cultural connection to symbolic rituals, blending mythology, agriculture, and festive optimism.^[10]

When many of us think of New Year’s traditions, noisemakers, champagne, a ball drop, counting down the minutes, and maybe a kiss comes to mind. Some people may do these things wearing adult diapers knowing rest rooms will be scant in Times Square, some people in North Carolina may be watching a live opossum drop instead of a ball, but the general jidst remains. All diapers and opossums aside, here we take a look at some of the stranger New Year’s traditions from around the world.

See Also: 10 Craziest Alternatives To New Year’s Fireworks

10 Colored Skivvies

The color of one’s drawers is a matter of great importance in a few countries on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. In Italy, it is tradition to wear red underwear during this period in order to bring good luck. This tradition is said to span back to medieval times; men would drape their groins with a red cloth to protect their twigs and berries – those “family jewels” – from witches who were roaming the village streets by midnight seeking to cast spells and cause a ruckus.

Some South American countries, such as Brazil, Mexico and Bolivia hold the belief that the coming year’s fortune is determined by the color of your underwear. For example, red brings love, white brings peace, and yellow brings wealth and luck. I wonder what this means for those who prefer to go commando.

9 Broken Plates

In Denmark, people hurl crockery at the doors of their loved ones. Old dishes are saved year round, and once the clock hits midnight, people run around their neighborhoods throwing them against the doors of their friends and families. The more broken pieces laying outside your door, the more friends you have and the better your luck will be for the year. Afterall, one man’s vandalism is another man’s fortune. Lately, it[s been acceptable for the less enthused or violent to set pre-broken pieces outside of people’s doors.

8 Stuffing Your Face With 12 Grapes

In Spain, the tradition of stuffing one’s face with grapes carries both luck and superstition. A Spaniard will rarely risk spoiling their fate in the coming year by skipping out on stuffing grapes in their mouth, one for each of the twelve strokes of midnight. Dating back to at least 1895, but being popularized and established by some vine growers to better sell huge batches from an excellent harvest, this tradition leads to twelve months of good luck and prosperity as long as you get them in there by the twelfth stroke. Just don’t choke. Oh, and something about red underwear—convention has it they wear those while stuffing the grapes in their mouths, too. But in Spain, this red underwear should have been given to you by someone else.

7 Animal whispering

A tradition dating back to old agrarian superstition, it is believed in Romania that animals get the gift of communication only on New Year’s Day. So if you happen to be there on New Year’s day, you just may spot a farmer chatting with his animals and whispering well-wishes in their ears. It is hoped, however, that the people will not understand what their animals are saying. Successful communication and deciphering what they say means bad luck. If unsuccessful, the year ahead will be a good one. Of all of these to try, one can bet I’ll try this one with my dogs New Year’s morning. Bad luck or not, I can only hope to know things like if they think their kibble is alright or if they lay on their back because they love me or they solely want their belly rubbed. I’ll toss some red underwear in.

6Sleepovers With the Dead

New Year’s Eve tradition takes the residents of Talca, Chile, to their local cemeteries for a sleepover. It is believed that their dead loved ones come back to the graveyard to celebrate the year’s end, so the town’s people join the party by making fires, bringing meals, decorating the graves and setting up their beds among the dead when they decide to call it a night. Way to add some extra spirit to the New Year. Grandma and grandpa, I love you but… no. You are always welcome to come here if you want.

5 Dropping Ice Cream

While dropping ice cream on the ground has sent countless children into a cry fest (and maybe adults), it is a New Year’s tradition in Switzerland to purposely drop their ice cream on the ground or floor as it symbolizes, and is thought to bring, overflowing abundance in the coming year. If that’s all it takes, I am heading to the store for some Ben and Jerry’s stat.

4 Lugging Suitcases

Who doesn’t want a year full of travel and adventure? Apparently Colombians want it bad enough that they have an entire midnight tradition on New Year’s surrounding this desire. As the clock strikes 12, they grab their suitcases and run around the block as fast as they can. If they do this in the right spirit, they are guaranteed to travel during the coming year. Sign me up for this obvious cosmo science—this wanderluster has waited a lifetime for this.

3 Talc Smearing

The new year in Thailand comes in April and is celebrated by going around pouring water and smearing talcum powder on random people. The water is a way of showing people respect and to symbolize a cleansing. In some areas, the water is mixed with flowers and traditional perfumes before spraying people. The talc is considered a blessing for the year ahead. This celebration is referred to as Songkran, which comes from the Sanskrit word “samkranti,” which means “astrological passage,” transformation and change. I’m down for getting messy, but can I trade in that talc blessing for some mulah?

2 Scarecrow Burning

When midnight strikes in Ecuador, people light scarecrows decked with the faces of pop culture figures, politicians and various other icons on fire. Symbolic of cleansing the bad from the previous year, this tradition of effigy burning is said to date back to an 1895 yellow fever epidemic, when people packed coffins with the clothing of the dead and set them on fire as a symbol of purification. A pyro’s dream arsony party. For extra luck, try jumping over the burning effigy twelve times without becoming a part of it.

1 Fist Fighting

How about wiping the slate clean for the new year with a brawl? In Peru, this festival to settle old grievances, Takanakuy, translates to “when the blood is boiling.” These celebrations include brightly colored costumes, eating, drinking, music, dancing, and, you know, the usual – gathering around arenas to watch members of the community fight each other. A tradition that includes all ages and genders, the festival is held in hopes of creating stronger bonds within the communities, solving conflict, and hopefully arriving at a greater peace, wiping the slate clean for the coming year. I personally will be hugging it out.

About The Author: Jackie Haze currently is an MFA candidate living in New Orleans with her two chihuahuas, Bacchus and Lola. She has a smattering of publications, including memoirmixtapes, Via Nola Vie, Curve, and Happy Cow.