Traditions to bring luck, love and adventure in the New Year

MARLBORO COUNTY — From eating 12 grapes at midnight to breaking plates at a friend’s door, New Year’s Eve traditions around the world offer unique ways to ring in the year with good fortune and joy.

One common belief claims that eating 12 grapes at midnight brings good luck, with each grape symbolizing a month of the year. The challenge lies in finishing the task before the clock strikes 12:01. Over time, variations of the tradition have emerged. Some people suggest eating the grapes while wearing red underwear, while others add the twist of sitting under a table during the ritual. This custom traces back to Spain in the late 1890s, when grape growers in Alicante promoted the practice to address a surplus from an abundant harvest. The tradition doesn’t favor a particular grape type, leaving it up to the participant to choose between green or red grapes for their midnight snack.

In some cultures, the color of your underwear on New Year’s Eve is believed to set the tone for the year ahead. In Italy, red underwear is said to bring love, luck, and success. In South America, many people wear yellow underwear, a choice thought to bring wealth and prosperity, with an added superstition suggesting extra luck if it’s worn inside out. Meanwhile, in Brazil, white underwear symbolizes peace, happiness, and renewal. For those who follow these customs, it’s also common to discard the New Year’s Eve underwear the next day to ensure a fresh start.

For those hoping to manifest more travel in the upcoming year, Colombians have a unique tradition. To encourage plenty of adventures, participants grab empty suitcases and run around as quickly as they can, believing this will grant them travel opportunities throughout the year.

Another fascinating way to welcome the new year is to break plates — a custom more commonly associated with Greece but practiced in Denmark. There, people throw plates at the doors of friends and family, believing that the more broken plates left on a doorstep, the luckier the household will be in the coming year. For anyone looking for a way to dispose of old china, this tradition offers a perfect opportunity.

Creating New Year’s resolutions remains one of the most universal customs. While studies indicate that many resolutions are forgotten or abandoned by March, the tradition endures as a way to reflect on personal growth and set intentions for the future.

Whether you’re snacking on grapes, choosing your lucky underwear, or dashing through the streets with a suitcase, these traditions are a fun and meaningful way to start the year on a positive note.