Waves, witches? Get out of year!: New year traditions around the world

A walk with empty suitcases, a swim in the sea, effigies of politicians set on fire… see how cultures around the world celebrate the dawn of the new.

As we head into our own celebrations, here’s a look at some of my favourite ways to celebrate the end of the old year and the start of the new.

The witch-like La Bafana dates to Ancient Rome and legends of the huntress Diana. She is said to deliver gifts to children on January 5. (Wikimedia)

In Brazil, it is customary to wear white for peace, and make offerings such as flowers and candles to the sea goddess Iemanja, for blessings, prosperity and spiritual protection. People also jump over seven waves, believing this to bring good luck.

In Ecuador, effigies are burnt, as a gesture that the baggage of the past is being shed to make room for new beginnings. These effigies aren’t a generic old man or grim spirit, though. They are often likenesses of real people: politicians, celebrities, even cartoon characters; anyone who symbolises controversy, discord or other qualities one does not wish to take into the new year.

In Colombia, there is an unusual rite focused on travel. People take a run or walk around their neighbourhood with an empty suitcase, as a way to beseech the gods for travel opportunities. It is said that the farther one walks or runs, the more widely one is destined to roam.

Europe has some intriguing traditions too.

The Danes throw old plates and dishes against the doors of friends and family, believing this to signal the end of any lingering tension and a commitment to start fresh, with care and affection, in the new year.

In Germany, there is some DIY soothsaying. Small pieces of lead or tin are melted and poured into cold water. The shape each one forms is then studied, for clues to one’s fortunes in the coming year. (Mishaps and injuries have been common, however, so it is perhaps a good thing that tradition has begun to fade).

In Spain, one must gobble 12 grapes as the clock chimes at midnight, for good luck through the coming months. In Greece, families cut an olive-oil cake at midnight in honour of St Basil, famous for his kindness, in hopes that he will grant good fortune.

In Scotland, the moments just after midnight are crucial. The “first-footer” or first person to walk through the door is said to alter the fortunes of the home, with what he brings. Gifts such as coal, whisky and bread are believed to bestow good luck, warmth and prosperity. Such a person is usually treated to a special feast, in exchange for the good luck they bring.

In the icy Faroe Islands (situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, somewhere between Denmark and Iceland), things take a fairy-tale turn. It is said that seals take human form for the day, on January 5 or Twelfth Night, and join in the festivities (Christmas is a 13-day affair here, and therefore still underway). Be kind to strangers, but not too kind. It is said to be easy to fall in love with these mermaid-like beings, and best to keep one’s distance from them.

There is another interesting custom linked to the night of January 5.

In Italy, a witch-like old woman is said to deliver gifts on January 5, filling children’s stockings with candy and treats if they’ve been good, or coal if they have been naughty. The tradition dates to Ancient Rome, and started out on a very different note.

In the centuries before Christ, it was believed that Diana, the goddess of the hunt and of abundance, flew over the cultivated fields until January 6, to make them fruitful. When Catholicism condemned the pagan myths, Diana was turned into a witch.

And so the wheel turns, and the years bring change. Centuries later, we remember old tales and perform ancient rites. What will you be doing, as the clock strikes midnight?

(Adam Jacot de Boinod is the author of The Meaning of Tingo. The views expressed are personal)