New Year's Traditions All Over the World

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Eat 12 Grapes at Midnight"

• Colombia

• South Africa

• Greece

• Spain

Answer explanation

In Spain, it is believed that if you eat one grape in time with each chime of the clock at midnight, then you will be rewarded with luck and happiness in the coming year.

This tradition originated back in 1909, when there was a huge grape harvest in the country during the festive season, and the King chose to give the surplus of produce to the people to consume on New Year’s Eve.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Throwing Out the Old"

• Estonia

• South Africa

• Brazil

• Spain

Answer explanation

It is tradition for residents in Johannesburg to party hard by throwing old appliances and equipment out of the window, literally representing the saying ‘out with the old and in with the new.’

In Europe Italians have the same tradition. So, you better be careful if you’re walking down the street when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Wearing Special Underwear"

• Brazil

• Greece

• Finland

• Germany

Answer explanation

In Brazil, as well as other Central and South America countries like Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela, it is thought to be lucky to wear special underwear on New Year’s Eve. The most popular colour to wear is red, thought to bring love in the New Year, while wearing yellow is believed to bring people money.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Hanging Onions"

• Great Britain

• Greece

• Spain

• Italy

Answer explanation

In Greece, it is traditional to hang an onion on the front door of your home on New Year’s Eve as a symbol of rebirth in the New Year. To commemorate New Year’s Day, parents then wake their children by tapping them on the head with the onion.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "See your fortune in melted tin (kind of metal)"

• Finland

• Germany

• the Czech Republic

• China

Answer explanation

In Finland, it is believed that people are able to predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a container of water, and then interpreting the shape the metal takes after it hardens.

According to the tradition, a heart or a ring means a wedding, while the shape of a ship predicts travel. It is also believed that if you see the shape of a pig then you will have a year filled with plenty of food.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Smashing Plates and Jumping off Chairs"

• Finland

• Germany

• Denmark

• Argentina

Answer explanation

It is customary for residents of Denmark to celebrate New Year’s Eve by throwing old plates and glasses against the doors of their family and friends to banish bad spirits.

They also collectively stand on chairs and jump off them at midnight to ‘leap’ into January in hopes of good luck.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Carrying Empty Suitcases"

• Mexico

• Argentina

• Brazil

• Colombia

Answer explanation

In a hope for a year filled with travel and adventure, it is a tradition for Colombian residents to walk around the block on New Year's Eve with an empty suitcase.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Wearing polka dots and eating round fruits"

• Thailand

• Japan

• Singapore

• Philippines

Answer explanation

To ensure a happy new year, the Filipino community believes that wearing round shapes (such as polka dots!) brings prosperity and good luck. Additionally, it’s common eating round fruits—like oranges, watermelon, longan, grapes, and pomelos—are considered to bring luck as well. Another fun one for kids? Jump as high as you can as soon as midnight hits. Some people believe that it will help them grow taller in the New Year.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "12 seconds of silence before midnight"

• Russia

• Poland

• Belarus

• Slovenia

Answer explanation

Russians say thank you to the past year by remembering its most important events during the hours leading up to midnight, and they use 12 seconds of silence before the stroke of midnight to make wishes.

1. Which country does this tradition come from?

2. "Eating Lots"

• Latvia

• Estonia

• Italy

• Portugal

Answer explanation

Traditionally, on New Year’s Day, Estonians try to eat seven, nine or twelve times throughout the day, as these are all lucky numbers. It is believed that the more they eat, the more plentiful food will be coming in the year.