SAN DIEGO — New Year's Eve is often seen as the time when hopes for the upcoming year hang delicately on various superstitions and traditions. People around the world engage in unique customs as they count down the final seconds of the old year, believing they can influence their futures for the next 365 days. From the Southern U.S. to Scotland, and from Mexico to the Philippines, each culture offers its own rituals to attract good luck and prosperity.
Celebrations kick off with delicious food, and many Southerners believe starting the year with black-eyed peas and collard greens is key to ensuring good fortune. Local resident Alicia Daniel shared her plans: “We ran across a thing about black-eyed peas being good luck for the year, so I think we’re going to have black-eyed peas for dinner,” reported CBS 8. The tradition stems from the notion, where the peas symbolize coins, and the greens represent paper money.
Not just limited to Southern traditions, families from various cultural backgrounds also celebrate the arrival of the new year with food. Emilio Ramirez, originally from Mexico, mentioned, “You get 12 grapes for each month and you eat one for each chime of the clock at midnight. Every time you eat one, you make a wish, so it’s 12 wishes for the New Year.” This sweet and juicy tradition, believed to bring good fortune, has been embraced globally, especially across Spanish-speaking countries.
While many enthusiastically engage with these customs, there's also room for skepticism. Deb Smith, another park visitor, stated, “I don’t have any opinion about superstitions because I don’t believe them.” Still, there’s something special about these age-old rituals. Local San Diegans like Lisa Michie embrace their own traditions involving cinnamon sticks for good luck. “I’ve done cinnamon sticks over my doorway for good luck and cleansing,” she explained.
Traveling across the Atlantic, Scotland boasts its unique Hogmanay celebrations, where customs such as First Footing are observed. The first person to enter your home after midnight is considered the harbinger of luck for the rest of the year. Traditions include bringing gifts like shortbread or whisky, signifying warmth and prosperity. Clearing out your cupboards and ensuring they're well-stocked is another superstition linked to good fortune. According to various sources, this custom stems from Scottish traditions where having enough food symbolizes abundance and protection against hard times.
Furthering the global exploration of New Year’s traditions, countries encourage celebrants to wear certain colors and patterns. For example, the Philippines suggests donning polka dots on New Year's Eve to attract wealth, reflecting the round shape of coins. Other examples of good fortune attire include wearing red underwear, considering its historical roots linked to prosperity, particularly along the Mediterranean coast.
Some customs involve significant physical actions. Many people from Latin America walk around with empty suitcases to symbolize travel and adventure for the year to come. This unique ritual mirrors the wanderlust associated with new beginnings.
Opening doors and windows as the clock strikes twelve is another common practice, believed to allow the old year to escape and new spirits to enter. This Irish tradition of welcoming the new year symbolizes cleansing and renewal, as many hope to start with fresh energy.
For those who believe more directly in the act of wishing, gathering and eating twelve grapes at midnight marks hope for every month of the year, with each grape representing aspirations and good fortune. Across various cultures, expenses and financial stability can be influenced simply by keeping cash on hand as the year turns. The act of maintaining money’s presence is believed to attract wealth throughout the year.
Seemingly trivial foods hold power too; lobster is deemed unlucky by many cultures due to its backward movement, causing some to forgo the crustacean entirely come December 31. Instead, they may opt for pork—a common dish linked to forward momentum and good luck. The humble pig is cherished as it moves purposefully and is thought to symbolize prosperity.
Lastly, Danes have incorporated their own fascinating custom whereby they leap off chairs at midnight, embodying movement and commitment to entering the new year with enthusiasm and courage.
So, as December 31 approaches, whether you’re indulging in traditional foods, engaging with meaningful customs, or remaining skeptical of superstitions, one thing ties everyone together: the desire for hope, renewal, and blessings for the year to come. The array of global traditions emphasizes not just personal aspirations but also communal identities, as each culture celebrates the possibilities of what lies ahead.