... And a Happy New Year!

And Happy New Year

Marking the official end of the year – New Years Eve is celebrated worldwide. As we clink our glasses and sing Auld Lang Syne most of us are making our new year’s resolutions in our mind. Hoping with all our might that 2024 will be a good year for us all.

Some of us ring in the new year with a big party, others prefer the solitude of home. In New York City residents and visitors watch the ball drop – something that’s been happening since 1907 when the New Year's Eve Ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square (Times Square NY).

Some things people around the globe do to usher in good luck for the new year. While other things are simply for entertainment value. But one thing’s for sure – we all have our own individual, unique little New Year’s Eve traditions.

The same can be said for these countries –

In Brazil

Most Brazilians are extremely superstitious and religiously follow a few traditions even after the clock strikes midnight – one of which is to gather on the white sandy beaches in white clothes (wearing white arose from the Candomblé religion, where people used to wear white during rituals seeking peace and spiritual purification).

But one of the biggest New Year’s rituals in Brazil is to offer white flowers, soaps, combs, necklaces, and more to Iemanjá (the deity that protects the oceans).

Seven is the lucky number on New Year’s Eve, so seven pomegranate seeds are eaten to keep the purse full. Some Brazilians also jump over seven waves in the ocean in an effort to celebrate Iemanjá (I heart brazil).

In Columbia

There are quite a few traditions in Columbia – done to usher in good luck and prosperity. But there are three that are particularly interesting:

·       Columbians wear a new set of bright yellow underwear to welcome in the New Year. It’s a tradition believed to bring a year full of love and happiness.

·       They also stuff their pockets with lentils (they can be dry lentils) thought to bring a successful New Year.

·       And lastly Columbians may be seen carrying an empty suitcase around with them as they run errands on the 31 December. This is thought to promise a year full of travel and adventures (euro news).

In Denmark

While each city in Denmark has its own traditions, there are two traditions Danes adhere to across the country –

·       “Making a lot of noise - on New Year’s Eve, Danes like to make a lot of noise. Firecrackers, poppers, fireworks, bullhorns, and champagne bottles popping. If it's noisy, it's welcome to join the New Year's table. This tradition stems from back in the days when farmers thought that noise would scare off evil spirits. Back then it was common knowledge that they were very active around the holidays, so that's why all of the noise had to be made on New Year’s Eve. Danes are no longer scared of evil spirits, but they still like their New Year's noise.

·       Jumping into the new year - when midnight comes around and the Danes say hello to the new year, they do so by jumping into it. The jump can take place from a table, chair, couch, or any other remedy that's raised above the ground. This is something the Danes have been doing for the last 60 years or so, and they do it to avoid stepping into the space between the old and the new year” (visit Copenhagen).

In France

New Year’s Eve in France is all about the party – known as Réveillon du Nouvel An.

With partying comes abundance – with food, various delicious dishes, and alcoholic beverages, especially champagne. And conga lines – whether inside or outside.

The French also indulge in a delicious pastry produced by local French patisseries known as a New Year log, called bûche.

There is another tradition that is often reserved for New Years Eve - le baiser sous le gui (kissing under the mistletoe). Unlike other countries where kissing under the mistletoe is a Christmas tradition, this ancient ritual is reserved for la Saint-Sylvestre in France.

Lastly and according to French moments

“After waking up painfully at the beginning of the afternoon and cleaning up, French people slowly regain consciousness and write cards to their friends and family members to who they could not wish a happy new year at midnight, in which they usually wish them good health and a lot of happiness and success.

The last custom associated with the New Year in France is the offering of “étrennes”. It was the name of the candies and money that the children of Savoie used to receive from their families when they visited them to wish them a happy new year. Today, this word rather refers to the small bonus that employers offer to their staff, cleaners, etc… It can also refer to the exchange of presents”.

In Germany

New Year’s Eve traditions in Germany, while they involve fireworks (feuerwerk) and parties, they also come with eating a very specific pastry and drinking a specific beverage.

Berliner Pfannkuchen (jelly-filled doughnuts) are the traditional pastries eaten on New Years Eve. While they’re available throughout the year, traditionally they were only available on New Years Eve. Which is why extra batches are made nowadays. But beware the practical jokes – while they usually have a jelly (Konfitüre) filling in the centre, a few random pfannkuchen may have a surprise taste of mustard or onions rather than jelly!

But on New Years Eve these pastries are filled with special fillings of chocolate, vanilla, or Eierlikör (egg nog).

In addition to champagne or Sekt (German sparkling wine), wine or beer, German’s drink Feuerzangenbowle (“flaming fire-tongs punch” – also known as “Krambambuli”. The hot punch drink is based on Glühwein (mulled wine), together with rum, oranges, lemons, cinnamon and cloves (The Germany Way).

In Greece

“On New Year’s Eve, right at midnight, Greeks sing the famous New Year’s carol “Arheminia k’arhe Hronia” right when the clock strikes 12. This is traditionally sung at NYE galas, dances, and other social gatherings.

Vasilopita, which translates to Saint Basil’s pie, is a traditional New Year’s Day dessert. Every Vasilopita has a coin hidden inside; the family head cuts the pie into pieces, and whoever discovers the coin is considered to have a prosperous year ahead of them.

The ancient symbol of prosperity and good luck has always been the pomegranate. Greeks on many Greek islands in Greece hang a pomegranate above the door throughout Christmas. At midnight, on New Year’s Eve, the lights are turned out and the pomegranate is then hurled to the floor, or at the door, where it smashes, spilling out its seeds. The more seeds the better! This helps ensure luck, health, happiness and prosperity for the coming year” (Greek Gateway).

In Ireland

The Irish know how to throw a good party. St Patty’s Day may ring a bell for a few of us. But they’re also a country steeped in traditions – some of which are centuries old. New Years Eve is no different -

“Any Irish household worth its salt knows this one. A centuries-old custom, the idea was to start the New Year with a clean slate, which meant having a spotlessly clean house. The best way to beat the post-Christmas gloom too.

Another Irish superstition that’s passed the test of time involves banging on the doors and walls of the family home with Christmas bread. It might sound crazy, and probably is, but this one is all about chasing bad luck out of the house and inviting good spirits in before the start of the new year.

A simple yet enduring superstition involves which direction the wind might be blowing from. Should it come flying in from the west, then all of Ireland will be looking forward to a great year ahead. But say it comes from the east then something far worse could be on the cards - good luck for all of the UK, rather than Ireland” (the Irish Post).

In Japan

The Japanese have a number of traditions on both New Years Eve and New Years Day. We are going to focus on three of them.

New Year’s Eve is known as Omisoka (大晦日). To start off the new year with a fresh mind, families come together to clean up the entire house (called osoji - big cleaning).

At midnight on New Years Eve, you will hear Buddhist bells ringing through Japan. They ring – monotonously for 1 -2 hours and are rung 108 times in total. This Buddhist tradition is known as Joya no Kane (除夜の鐘).

The bells are rung to symbolise 108 earthly desires and feelings. Every chime of the bell represents the removal of these earthly desires from your being. An “out with the old and in with the new” mentality.

By the time you count the 108th ring, you are ready to start the new year refreshed without anything troubling your mind -- in theory.

The Japanese also eat soba noodles or toshikoshi-soba (年越し蕎麦) on New Years Eve.

“When soba is made, the dough is stretched and cut in a long and thin form, which is said to represent a long and healthy life. Interestingly, as soba is cut easily compared to other types of noodles, it also symbolizes a wish to cut away all the misfortunes of the old year in order to commence the new year refreshed” (Japan Today).

(Sources used and to whom we owe thanks: Taste of Home; The Pioneer Woman; Times Square; I heart Brazil; euro news; Visit Copenhagen; French moments; The German Way; Greek Gateway; the Irish Post and Japan Today).        

For more New Years Eve traditions around the globe you can read here and here.

As for the rest of us, we will mark the coming of the new year with whatever tradition we feel speaks to us – parties, cuddling with the kitties, sushi, champagne, and swimming pools. Whatever floats your boat.

We wish you all an incredibly Happy New Year and all the best for 2024!

If you have any questions on the information we have set out above or have a personal issue which you want to discuss with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us at NVDB Attorneys.

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