New Year’s around the world

While those at Utah State University may be accustomed to the traditions in the U.S. of celebrating the coming of a new year with giant glass balls dropping and fireworks lighting up the night sky, others around the world are accustomed to other forms of celebration. Here are five unique ways the celebration takes place in different countries.

Ireland

Common to many people and households in the U.S., it is not uncommon for the Irish to celebrate the coming of a new year through festive feasts, drinks with friends and a handful of parties. One main component of Ireland’s new year that isn’t likely to be found around Logan is the tradition to deep clean before a year’s arrival. According to an article about Irish culture, the tradition began based on the belief that “cleanliness is next to Godliness.” This tradition survived the test of time, and many Irish individuals will scrub their living places clean before the new year arrives. Personally, if I had to clean before celebrating the New Year, I would still be waiting to celebrate 2007.

Ethiopia

While most citizens of the world may be used to celebrating the arrival of a new year at the end of the 12th month of the year, the Ethiopian calendar contains 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month consisting of five or six days depending on if it’s a leap year. On the first day of the new year on the Ethiopian calendar, which falls on Sept. 11 or 12 in the U.S., a celebration called ‘Enkutatash’ commences. In an article about the special holiday, it explained the history of the celebration is said to stretch back to 980 B.C. when the Queen of Sheeba returned home from visiting King Solomon and was welcomed with gifts of jewels. The word ‘Enkutatash’ actually means ‘gift of jewels’ and is celebrated amongst family and friends. Many go to different church services, sing, dance and give gifts to children.

Denmark

In Denmark, people celebrate the new year with the joyful, slightly hazardous, tradition of taking plates and smashing them at the front door of close family and friends. In an unusual tradition’s online article, it clarifies that these smashed plates do, in fact, symbolize good luck and are not low effort hate crimes committed by disgruntled dishwashers. As a matter of fact, the more broken shards of dish you find on front of your door, the more luck you are said to have coming in the next year. It also goes without saying that the more plates you have smashed in front of your home, the more time you will need to spend on New Year’s day cleaning up broken glass, but I suppose hours of sweeping and small cuts on one’s hands are a small price to pay for a year of good fortune.

Spain

While many in the U.S. celebrate New Years by partaking of fermented grapes in the form of wine, Spaniards do not always let their fruit age quite so long before using it to celebrate. In an article titled, “7 Lucky New Year’s Eve Traditions In Spain” it explains a tradition in which people awaiting the new year gather 12 grapes and eagerly anticipate midnight. When the clock begins to chime signifying the new year, people will try to eat each grape before the chiming ceases. While each grape is meant to represent a month of the coming year, don’t worry, those who do not finish are still able to experience all months of the year regardless of how much fruit they weren’t able to consume before the clock stopped chiming.

Philippines

One fun example of a country with well-rounded celebrations is the Philippines. This is mainly because people in the Philippines have a tradition to wear polka dots on New Years to promote prosperity. They also fill their pockets with round coins in order to promote wealth in the coming year. One article describes other traditions such as the custom to leave drawers, doors, windows, and everything that can open, open. This is said to allow good luck to enter. Children will also jump as high as they can at the stroke of midnight to promote their own growth, and it is believed that the condition of your wallet and home at the beginning of the year will set a precedent that will be followed all year.

-Brock.Marchant@usu.edu