For New Year's in Ecuador, we eat 12 grapes asking for 12 wishes for the new year, we wear colored underwear (red for love, yellow for money, etc. The underwear must be gifted to you by someone), run around the block with a suitcase to travel the coming year, put money in your socks for good fortune, and set off a lot of fireworks, etc. etc. But most importantly, we burn a human effigy that represents the old year. This sawdust or paper mache human figure is called the Año Viejo ("Old Year"). Oh, and when the old year is burning you must jump over it. To make things weirder, on the day of the 31st, some dudes dress up as widows and "seductively" ask for charity on the streets for the Año Viejo who will die at midnight. This probably confuses tourists a lot.
Isn't the Germany one firing firecrackers in the streets like there's no tomorrow? :P
ReplyDeleteThat, too.
DeleteThe same procedure as last year?
Delete"The same procedure as every year, James!" ;)
DeleteHappy New Year! :D
Happy New Year everyone! (or eve.)
ReplyDelete12 grapes isn't that much... I go through half a bunch in half an hour if I set it beside my computer.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching that every new year's eve, but not any more when living abroad. Happy and prosperous new year to everyone!
ReplyDeleteCanada: watching World Juniors! (Hockey)
ReplyDeleteLast night I learned that in Colombia you should put (uncooked) lentils in your pocket so that you will have good fortune in the coming year :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is so much more reasonable than in Hungary. In Hungary, we have to actually eat the lentils.
DeleteFor New Year's in Ecuador, we eat 12 grapes asking for 12 wishes for the new year, we wear colored underwear (red for love, yellow for money, etc. The underwear must be gifted to you by someone), run around the block with a suitcase to travel the coming year, put money in your socks for good fortune, and set off a lot of fireworks, etc. etc. But most importantly, we burn a human effigy that represents the old year. This sawdust or paper mache human figure is called the Año Viejo ("Old Year"). Oh, and when the old year is burning you must jump over it. To make things weirder, on the day of the 31st, some dudes dress up as widows and "seductively" ask for charity on the streets for the Año Viejo who will die at midnight. This probably confuses tourists a lot.
ReplyDeleteFinland: cast tin horseshoes to see your lucks for next year
ReplyDeleteSouth Korea: Climb mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year.
ReplyDeleteThe smashing plates thing is sadly not true. It may have been a tradition until some time in the 1800s, but it is no lonher practiced.
ReplyDelete