In keeping with our holiday traditions theme from last week, today we’re going to take a look at some New Year’s (eve or day) traditions that are unique to their particular place.
In the USA, the two most famous New Year’s Eve happenings are the Ball Drop and the Kiss. (There’s lots of other things dropping all around the USA on New Year’s Eve, but more about that later).
The Ball Drop in New York City’s Times Square was first held on December 31, 1907 and has been held annually ever since (except in 1942 and 1943 due to World War II blackouts). The original ball was 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter, constructed from wood and iron and illuminated with 100 incandescent light bulbs.
The current ball is 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter and uses over 32,000 LED lamps and, since 1999, features an outer surface of triangular panels manufactured by Waterford Crystal.
In many western cultures, especially North America, ushering in the New Year with a kiss (with whomever happens to be nearby) is a custom dating back to Medieval superstitions but welcomed by all (depending upon, one supposes, whomever happens to be within lip range at the time). The precise origin of puckering up the second the new year begins is unclear, but the custom is often traced back to two winter festivals: the Saturnalia in ancient Rome and the Hogmanay, a Viking tradition still celebrated on New Year’s in Scotland. It’s considered an act of wishing the receiver “good luck” going into the next year.
Now, let’s take a quick trip around the world to see some of the more unusual New Year’s traditions that, while they might not get as much publicity as the Times Square Ball drop, lack for nothing in the way of creativity.
Smashing Plates: If you happen to be in Denmark and wake up to find a pile of smashed crockery on your doorstep, it’s probably New Year’s Eve.
Unused plates and glasses are saved up all year until December 31st when they’re hurled at the front doors of friends and family. Broken glass is meant to bring good luck and good fortune in the new year. So, the bigger the heap of broken glass on your doorstep, the more popular – and lucky - you are!
Scarecrow Burning: For los años viejos In Ecuador, people make large puppets or scarecrows that look like politicians, notable figures or people they dislike; old clothes are stuffed with newspaper and a mask is fitted on top. Then it's out with the old and in with the new as they burn these effigies on New Year’s Eve to leave the bad in the past.
Joya no Kane (108 Bells): This is the traditional ceremony of bell-ringing on New Year's Eve in Japan. At Buddhist temples around the country, bells are rung 108 times to represent the cleansing of 108 worldly passions. The 108th ring comes in the New Year, accompanied by a wish that those who listen will not be plagued by their passions in the year ahead.
Beware of Flying Furniture: Though not as common as it once was, in parts of Italy (and strangely, in Johannesburg, South Africa) the motto is “out with the old” literally! On New Year’s Eve it’s traditional to throw old, unwanted furniture out of balconies to the streets below.
People would stockpile old fridges, couches, and more in the weeks leading up to New Year's Eve. Throwing old furniture out of windows is supposed to symbolize casting away old problems and getting a fresh start.
Onion Hanging: In Greece on Protochronia, or New Year’s Eve, hanging an onion on your door signifies rebirth and regrowth. This unusual tradition refers to the squill (sea onion), a poisonous plant that grows in Crete and resembles a large onion. The squill will continue to grow new leaves and flowers even when uprooted. By placing an onion or squill on their front door on New Year's Eve, the people of Crete and Greece believe that some of the plant's resilience and good luck will rub off on them. It remains to be seen how enthusiastic children welcome this tradition because, the morning after, parents wake their children by smacking them in the head with the onion to make them get up for church service...
Colorful Underwear: In South American countries like Brazil, Mexico and Bolivia, your fortune for the year ahead is determined by the color of your underpants.
Those looking for love wear pink or red underwear, gold diggers best opt for yellow which brings wealth and luck. If you’re just looking for a bit of peace and harmony in the New Year, plain white should do the trick.
Smashing Pomegranates: In Armenia, pomegranates are thrown on the ground for good luck.
The more pieces and seeds spread on the ground, the more successful the new year will be. The color and shape of the pomegranate is is said to resemble the human heart and symbolizes life, fertility, and health.
Farm Animal Whisperers: In Belgium and Romania, on New Year’s, it’s important to remember any livestock that you might be close to. Farmers will wish their cows a Happy Moo Year (apologies, but we just couldn’t resist..)
It’s believed that if they are able to communicate, then it will bring good luck in the New Year.
Meanwhile, back in the USA, for those of you who aren’t interested in watching the ball drop in Times Square, here are some other options for you to see various items dropping to ring in the New Year:
· The Whiskey Row Boot Drop in Prescott, Arizona where a six-foot, lighted boot is lowered down a 40-foot flagpole.
· Giant Pickle drop in Mount Olive, North Carolina. Good if you’re too tired to make it to midnight as the giant pickle begins to drop at 7pm where it will end up landing in a giant pickle jar. (Free pickles given out during the event!)
· Sartori Cheese Drop in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Makes sense in the cheese capital of the world.
· Hot Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho. Watch the world-famous “GlowTato” fly in and get your picture taken with “Spuddy Buddy”.
· Giant Walleye Drop in Port Clinton, Ohio. Watch a 20-foot long, six-hundred pound walleye drop at midnight. For the kids, they also have a minnow drop...
· The Midnight Muskrat Dive in Princess Anne, Maryland. To commemorate the new year a stuffed muskrat (wearing, of course a cape and a stovepipe hat) is sent gliding down a zipline.
The history of these unusual “dropping” traditions is mired in mystery; so if any of you can share their historical significance, have seen them or have some other interesting new years traditions to share, as always, we’d love to hear all about it in the comments!
And from all of us at AnyHigh - HAPPY 2023 TO ALL!
Favorite tradition is throwing dishes at friends and family’s front doors!