Ring in the New Year someplace completely different this yr! There are many unique locations to have fun New Year’s Eve that deliver the celebration issue to one other degree. We’ve had the success of ringing in the New Year’s round the world from India to Mexico. When touring full-time, we frequently deliberate our itineraries round the place the most occurring New Year celebrations had been going down. From Asia to Australia and Africa to Scandinavia, let’s take a look at how different nations have fun and what New Year’s Eve traditions you possibly can anticipate worldwide.
Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve Around the World
For almost 20 years, Dave and I escaped Canada for the winter season and loved completely different New Year’s traditions as we mentioned goodbye to the outdated yr and good day to the new.
New Year’s Eve is a time for a contemporary begin and to want for peace and success for the yr forward. So, it is smart that individuals like to make the most of celebrating the final evening of the yr in type. From long-standing traditions in South America nations like Brazil and Bolivia to the greatest New Year’s Eve Party in Australia, let’s see who does it greatest!
1. Edinburgh, Scotland
In Scotland, the phrase for the final day of the outdated yr is Hogmanay, and so they love to ring in the New Year with full-on festivities. This celebration was taken from the Vikings, who celebrated the winter solstice with bonfire ceremonies. Today, it has morphed right into a 3-day celebration. This yr’s largest celebration is going down in Inverness.
Scotland celebrates with typical New Year occasions like many nations, with fireworks and gatherings, however the Scots additionally maintain bonfire ceremonies and torch-lit processions whereas swinging big fireballs, making it the greatest place to ring in the yr forward. Read extra: 22 Best Things To Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
New Year’s traditions in Scotland have traditionally been to observe the ‘first footing’ the place the first individual crossing the threshold of a house after midnight brings success. Historically, that individual was an important man with darkish hair bearing presents. The first individual they encountered to ring in the new yr set the tone for the yr forward.
Scottish Poet Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne
It is smart to start our New Year’s celebrations in Scotland since certainly one of the prime New Year’s traditions round the world is to sing Auld Lang Syne. Auld Lang Syne was written by the well-known Scottish poet Robert Burns and the Scots started singing it on Hogmanay to have fun the winter solstice. As they emigrated round the world, they took it with them.
However, there’s a Canadian reference to the track as nicely. Famous Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo was the present to watch on New Year’s Eve from 1929 to 1962. His orchestra performed at the first nationwide New Year’s Eve broadcast from the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. He performed Auld Lang Syne that evening, and for years to come, it has been ingrained in New Year’s celebrations in all places ever since. Auld Lang Syne means outdated way back, lengthy way back and New Year’s wouldn’t be the identical with out it.
2. New York, USA
Even should you haven’t been to New York City on New Year’s, about New York’s iconic ball drop. The Times Square celebration is televised worldwide as everybody watches Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen take pleasure in the festivities. Read extra: Things to do in Times Square – A Walking Tour and Nearby Attractions
At midnight, the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square has develop into the world’s most well-known New Year occasion. As the giant crystal ball drops down the flagpole of One Times Square, revelers countdown from 10 whereas singing Auld Lang Syne, as {couples} kiss and toast with some bubbly to mark a contemporary begin to the New Year. Check out: 41 Awesome Things to Do in New York City
3. Sydney, Australia
For an unforgettable New Year’s expertise, head to Sydney, Australia, for its fireworks show over Sydney Harbour. The City of Sydney organizes two units of fireworks – one at 9:00 pm and one at midnight. The fireworks could be considered from throughout the metropolis, together with the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and completely different parks and vantage factors round the harbor.
Since Sydney has a heat local weather, many outside actions and occasions happen on New Year’s Eve. These can embody seaside events, picnics, and outside concert events. Check out extra Fun Facts About Australia
4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is residence to a few of the most well-known seashores in Brazil, and it is not uncommon for folks to have fun the New Year by having events on the seaside. These events usually embody reside music, dancing, and fireworks shows. The most well-known seaside celebration in Rio is the Reveillon na Praia (New Year’s Eve on the Beach), which takes place on Copacabana Beach and is attended by 1000’s of individuals.
In Brazil, it is not uncommon to have a particular New Year dinner, often called Ceia de Ano Novo, consisting of assorted conventional dishes. These dishes can embody roast beef or pork, consuming black-eyed peas, and lentils, that are believed to deliver good luck and prosperity in the new yr.
Other New Year’s traditions in Brazil are to put on white after which when the clock strikes midnight, they leap seven waves and make seven needs with every wave. Seven is a fortunate quantity so in addition to leaping over seven waves, in addition they eat seven pomegranate seeds. You may additionally like: The Top 18 Most Excellent Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
5. Tokyo, Japan
New Year’s Eve, also called Omisoka in Japan, is a serious vacation in Japan and is historically a time for households to come collectively and have fun the finish of the yr. Toyo is already an thrilling metropolis and in Japan, Tokyo and Tokyo Disneyland is the place to be.
In Japan, it is not uncommon for folks to go to temples and take part in non secular ceremonies. At these temples, folks pray for success and prosperity in the upcoming yr. Some of the most well-known temples to go to in Tokyo embody the Meiji Shrine and the Asakusa Shrine. Read extra: Mind-Blowing Facts about Japan
Like many nations, the Japanese welcome the new yr with a contemporary begin by doing a serious home cleansing. The identical is true amongst industrial institutions. Merchants take this chance to clear outdated stock by providing fukubukuro or fortunate baggage crammed with fortunate charms. Read extra about Japanese New Year Traditions at 7 Unique Japanese New Year Traditions
6. Toronto, Canada
It has been mentioned {that a} Canadian custom to have fun New Year’s Eve is to go ice fishing, however I severely don’t know anybody who has carried out that for the New Year. Don’t get me unsuitable, folks go ice fishing in Canada, however on New Year’s Eve, the Canadians I do know like to have fun the coming yr with festivities both in heat or at certainly one of the many events round the nation. Check out: 22 Adventurous and enjoyable Things to do in Winter in Canada
Usually, we attend home events (so there’s no consuming and driving) however cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax have full-blown celebrations. Many folks courageous the chilly to watch outside concert events in the major metropolis squares. With fireworks and the countdown to midnight. We comply with the typical New Year’s traditions of popping the cork and sipping champagne to kissing at midnight and singing Auld Lang Syne.
One New Year’s Day, certainly one of the greatest New Year’s Traditions in Canada is that many individuals take the polar plunge problem. Yep, a bunch of individuals dressed in humorous costumes leap into freezing water in the identify of charity and bragging rights for years to come.
7. London, UK
One of the most well-known New Year’s Eve traditions in London is the London New Year’s Eve fireworks show. The fireworks show is organized by the Mayor of London and takes place on the Thames River, with fireworks being launched from the London Eye and different areas alongside the river. The chimes of Big Ben assist ring in the new yr as folks maintain fingers and sing Auld Lang Syne.
The fireworks could be considered from numerous areas round the metropolis, together with the South Bank, Westminster Bridge, and Victoria Embankment. If you’re searching for one thing a bit extra low key, head to certainly one of the metropolis’s many pubs for a conventional New Year’s celebration. Read extra about journey to London: 38 Best Things to do in London, England
8. Hong Kong
Hong Kong celebrates Chinese New Year between January 21 and Feb 20 relying on the yr, however the metropolis undoubtedly embraces the typical New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31. No skyline can fairly examine to the Hong Kong skyline and the gentle present is taken up a notch on New Year’s Eve with a fireworks show over Victoria Harbour.
The countdown clock is displayed on the conference middle positioned instantly on the harbor as well-known artists carry out from conventional drums to pop musicians. Check out extra of Hong Kong at Things to do in Hong Kong – The Complete Travel Guide to Hong Kong
9. Cape Town, South Africa
Nowhere is kind of as stunning as the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa and certainly one of the greatest methods to have fun is to head onto a celebration boat to ring in the New Year. The waterfront has rooftop bars and the waterfront promenade to watch the fireworks over The Harbourfront.
In components of South Africa they throw outdated furnishings out the window. This isn’t so standard anymore because it’s very harmful, however should you occur to be in South Africa in the New Year, make sure that to lookup as you stroll previous any tall buildings!
10. Panama
We celebrated New Year’s Even on the Panama Canal a couple of years in the past and it was spectacular to watch fireworks over the well-known landmark. Panama City is a world metropolis that’s a tremendous place the place folks collect to ring in the New Year.
While looking for traditions, we realized that in Panama, folks burn life dimension dolls at the stroke of midnight. The dolls are known as muñecos de año viejo (outdated yr dolls), muñecos judas (judas dolls) and symbolize folks they don’t like for instance, dangerous spirits, political figures or somebody who has carried out them unsuitable. When the effigies are burned, hearth, the sins of the outdated yr are destroyed making room for a Happy New Year.
11. Philippines
One of the most distinctive traditions on New Years Eve in the Philippines entails carrying polka dots. This stems from the Filipino perception that circles symbolize prosperity and wealth. The spherical shapes resemble cash, and carrying them is believed to entice monetary fortune in the coming yr.
Besides polka dots treets and houses are sometimes adorned with spherical shapes from bowls of spherical fruit to spherical ornaments. As midnight approaches households come collectively, sharing festive meals and making some noise utilizing the whole lot from firecrackers and pots and pans to keep at bay evil spirits and usher in a affluent new yr.
12. Ireland
Ireland has fascinating New Year traditions, from banging bread to keep at bay evil spirits to cleansing their home from sharpening the flooring and scrubbing the home windows. Like Scotland, they too embrace the first footing, and once you go to a home, it’s mentioned to deliver good luck should you enter by the entrance door and out the again.
13. Italy
In Italy, it’s a New Year’s custom to eat 12 grapes at midnight to deliver good luck. The 12 grapes symbolize 12 months of the yr. Italians additionally historically make a degree of carrying pink underwear to keep at bay dangerous luck.
14. Bolivia
On New Year’s Eve, Bolivians usually put on particular underwear to entice success. The shade of the underwear that’s chosen is vital and is predicated on the needs and hopes of the particular person for the new yr. The most typical shade is pink underwear to entice love and fervour and yellow to deliver wealth and financial success.
15. Denmark
We began with Scotland, which started its New Year celebrations by embracing the Viking celebrations of the winter solstice, so we should finish with the distinctive custom of smashing plates. Like many different nations, the Danes like to celebration and have fun with fireworks, champagne, and eating out at locations like Tivoli Gardens.
But certainly one of Scandinavia’s extra distinctive New Year traditions is smashing plates in your neighbor’s door. If you awake to a door filled with smashed plates, it’s a very good omen for the coming yr. The custom of throwing outdated plates in opposition to doorways is to banish dangerous spirits.
New Year’s Resolutions
One would assume that making New Year’s Resolutions is a brand new custom, however New Year’s Resolutions date again to historical instances.
It is believed that the historical Babylonians had been the first to make New Year’s guarantees some 4000 years in the past. Their large resolutions had been to return borrowed farm gear and repay money owed.
While traditions and values have modified a bit over these previous few thousand years, all of us nonetheless take a look at new yr’s day as an opportunity to say goodbye to the previous yr and look ahead to the coming yr by planning.
Where is your favourite place to Ring in the New Year? Do you could have any favourite New Year’s traditions? Most cities and nations have improbable celebrations, enlighten us and inform us about your New Year traditions and celebrations so we will add to this listing!
Whether you might be the first nation to have fun New Year’s Day, which is Kiribati in the South Pacific, or the final nation to Celebrate New Year, which is American Samoa, we hope you could have a yr crammed with pleasure, luck, love, and laughter.