Droppin’ Plates & 16 Other NYE Traditions

Here are a few strange customs that people have for celebrating New Year’s Eve.

1. Residents in Talca, Chilie talk to the dead.  They actually spend the night in a cemetery partying it up with their deceased loved ones.  A small town called Talca, in Chile, spends their new year with the dead.  The mayor opens the cemetery gates at 11, and the people are welcomed in with music and blinking lights, so that they can party with their loved ones that have passed.
2. Romanians try to talk to animals.  If they do not speak back, you will find true happiness.  I would assume that most people find the happiness they are seeking.
3. Spain, Italy or Mexico: put on red underwear, because they bring luck. In Brazil, wearing brightly colored underwear seems to be something many do.  If they wear them past midnight, and into the coming year, it is said to bring them good fortune and to assist in attracting a mate. Red is for a flourishing love life and yellow is for wealth.
4. Mexicans believe strongly that they can communicate with their deceased loved ones.  New Year’s Eve is considered the best time to speak with the dead, to ask for guidance, or convey a message.  A day called ‘Day of the Dead’ is celebrated in November also.

5. In the Philippines, polka dots are the thing.   Polka dots represent wealth, as attributed by their round shape, such as that of coins.

6. South Africa, specifically Johannesburg, people throw furniture out the window.  Out with the old!

7. In Ireland they hit bread against walls to ward off evil spirits.

8. In Peru, neighbors box to settle longstanding quarrels.

9. In Thailand, a giant three-day water fight starts.

10. In Siberia, they jump into a frozen lake. Not only do they jump into the lake, they hold a tree trunk whilst doing so.  Bizarre.

One time, years ago, I did a ‘Toys For Tots’ drive where I sat in a hot tub out by the old Fridays to raise money for the charity.  I tell you, even though it was a hot tub, getting out of it was not any fun because it was subzero cold weather, and I had to run like I never ran before and it took a few days to warm up.  When you’re in the water, that’s not the tough part.  It was for a good cause however, and well worth it.

11. In Venice, Italy, a collective kissing session on a square is held.  This is similar to one of our local traditions, where people kiss at the stroke of midnight.

Sadly, I have never in my life received a new years kiss at the stroke of midnight.  Maybe you have, well good for you if so.   That I suppose I will have to make a bucket list item.   It has just never happened.

 

12. This is really a goofy tradition for New Year’s.    In Germany, ever since 1972, they watch this.  Over, and Over, and Over.  When the clock strikes midnight, the same script, the same story, the, ‘Dinner For One’.

13. Ecuador makes scarecrows and then burns them.  Each family makes their own and it supposedly symbolizes destruction of all of the bad things that have happened over the past year.  The scarecrow scares away bad luck and fills their new year with luck and happiness.

14. There is a festival in Scotland, Hogmanay. Locals say the balls of fire bring purification and sunshine.  The festivities date back to the days of the Vikings, and they do look like Vikings.

15. In Denmark, have a rather odd tradition they break plates.   The dishes are broken on the door of their neighbor.  What is odd, the family with the largest pile of broken plates wins.  They are considered lucky, because they have lots of friends. ????

That reminds me of a really fantastic Distrubed song.  As the lyrics read, "A little something for your ear-hole."   Ha!  I have always liked that song, but I doubt that they were influenced by this particular NYE tradition.

16. The Irish place mistletoe under their pillow, and no, there is not a mistletoe fairy that comes and gives them money, however, it helps them rid themselves of bad luck and to catch their future husband.

17. In 1907, New York City began its famous Times Square Ball Drop.

The Ball Drop tradition began with time, as it was used originally to tell time. Rewinding to a few years earlier than the early 1900′s, ‘Time Balls’ were used by sailors who were at sea to tell time.

• In 1829, in Portsmouth, England, the first ball was dropped to signal time for the sailors.  In 1845, this tradition was inherited in  the U.S.
• After the first few celebrations in New York City, fireworks were added to lure more people to the festivities.  Obviously the fireworks stuck and what ensued was many, many years of growing New Years Eve celebrations all over the states.
• Fireworks were banned by the New York City fire department along the way, so lights were incorporated, and it was made fancier and fancier as time passed.
• Walter Palmer was the New York electrician who provided New York City with the idea to add this ball drop to the end of year festivities.  1904 is when it began.
• Today, all over the world various rituals and traditions take place.   There are so many hundreds if not thousands of different things that people do.
• Even in the U.S., people drop things other than a ball.  Candy, Shoes, Animals, Fruits, Fish, Tools, Possums, Sausage, Fleas,  you name it.   There are some weird items that get dropped for NYE.