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Celebrating the New Year means saying goodbye to the past year, and welcoming the coming year with joy and hope. That’s why billions of people put so much energy into it! Do you know how the world celebrates the New Year? What are the most common New Year's traditions in England, Spain or Japan? Discover 12 ways to celebrate New Year's Eve around the world.

New Year's Eve celebrations in New Zealand

Did you know that thanks to the time difference, New Zealand is one of the first countries to celebrate the New Year? While the New Zealanders are toasting at the twelve strokes of midnight, the French are still having lunch...

Anyway, they don't joke about New Year's Eve! According to tradition, the inhabitants leave their homes at midnight to knock on their pots and pans and make lots of noise. And since for them, the New Year falls in the middle of summer, many parties are organized on beaches. Feeling like celebrating the New Year with your feet in the sand? In Auckland, Makatana Beach hosts a music festival, as does the city of Gisborne on the east coast of the country.

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Australia

If you are in Sydney on New Year's Eve, don't miss the 80,000 fireworks fired from the city's harbour, near Harbour Bridge. It is one of the most anticipated events in the world, with nearly 1.2 million viewers. You will not spend the New Year alone.

Celebrate the New Year in Japan

What is the best way to prepare for the coming new year? Do a big cleaning. In Japan, this house cleaning (or ōsōji) is used to purify the home and is done as a family. And you have to clean the whole house (but also the schools and offices) from floor to ceiling... For the occasion, people also embellish their homes with symbolic decorations such as "shimenawa" (a lucky charm) and a decoration made of pine and bamboo, called "kadomatsu". People also use this time to pay off their debts.

On New Year's Eve, the family gathers to enjoy a soup filled with long noodles (symbolizing longevity), then go to the temple to listen to the 108 gong strokes that announce the coming year. In Japan, the festivities last a whole week and are also marked by the tasting of "toso", the first sake of the year. Lastly, children receive gifts, or "otoshidama".

Celebrate the New Year in Russia

In Russia, it is important to make a wish before the twelve strokes of midnight. Traditionally, as soon as the president's speech (recorded and then broadcast on television in different time zones) ends, you must write your wish on a piece of paper, then burn it in a champagne glass, before drinking the champagne to the last drop. And all this in less than a minute, before midnight strikes!

Celebrating New Year's Eve in England

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New Year's celebrations do not differ much from other European countries: you can attend musical evenings, festivals and fireworks displays in order to celebrate the New Year with panache. On the other hand, they have their own tradition, like the "first jumping tradition". If the first person to enter your home is a tall, dark-haired man, then your year looks good! Generally, this person should have coal, salt and bread in their pockets to symbolize the warmth, wealth and food of the coming year.

Celebrate the New Year in Spain

In Spain, it is recommended to eat 12 grapes during the 12 bells (at midnight), in order to have a year full of luck and prosperity. Officially, the 12 bells are ringing from Madrid's Puerta del Sol, and are spaced 3 seconds apart (allowing you to eat grapes without choking). Some people eat the grapes balanced on the left foot to start the year with good luck, while others do so with money in their shoes to ensure a prosperous year.

Celebrate the New Year in France

In some ways, in France, New Year's Eve looks like Christmas Eve. Indeed, it usually begins with a large meal composed of foie gras, oysters, seafood and turkey. But don’t fall asleep during digestion! At midnight, French people toast with champagne and kiss each other for a happy New Year.

Celebrate the New Year in Belgium

During the "Sint Sylvester Vooranvond", which is New Year's Eve, children write letters to their parents. It is also customary to eat sauerkraut on January 1st, after placing a coin under your plate to attract wealth.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Italy

To ensure that they are lucky in the coming year, Italians wear red underwear on New Year's Eve. So get out your best red panties! In Naples, it was a tradition to throw old objects out of the window to clear the way before the New Year. It is a rather dangerous tradition for passers-by, which explains why it is gradually disappearing. Finally, lovers go to Venice to kiss at midnight in St. Mark's Square.

Celebrating New Year's Day in the United States

You may have seen pictures of Times Square on New Year's Eve. At midnight, thousands of people gather in the square and surrounding streets to watch the ball slowly descend during the countdown. Of course, each state has its own traditions and celebrations, but in general, this includes massive fireworks.

Celebrate the New Year in Brazil

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In Brazil, the end of the year is also a celebration in honour of Iemanja, a sea goddess, protector of fishermen, mothers and children. On December 30 and 31, many Brazilians (wearing white) gather along the coast to place offerings in the sea, using straw baskets. There are jewellery, mirrors, perfume, flowers, as well as pieces of paper on which you write your wishes for the coming year.

Some people also have fun jumping into the water seven times to secure the goddess' graces. After jumping seven waves, it is not advisable to turn your back on the sea, unless you want to get Iemanja mad. Ready for your New Year's bath?

Celebrate the New Year in Chile

If you are going to celebrate New Year's Eve in Chile, don't forget to wear yellow underwear to attract prosperity to yourself. This tradition can be found in other South American countries, where the colour changes according to what you wish for the New Year. In the village of Talca, near Santiago, some people also spend the night at the cemetery in order to celebrate the New Year with their deceased relatives.

It should be noted that in Peru and Ecuador, the inhabitants make scarecrows and dress them in some family's old clothes before burning them in the street.

Are you inspired by these New Year's traditions? Travelling abroad during the holiday season allows you to discover a new culture and unexpected traditions. Why not share the festivities with the locals? That's also why it's so pleasant to learn a foreign language: it allows you to share good times abroad.