Strange New Year traditions of the world
South America
Residents of cities such as Sao Paolo and La Paz wear colored underwear on New Year's Eve, while the color of underwear necessarily symbolizes something. If a person wears red underwear, he hopes for a loving year; a person who wears yellow underwear expects a profitable year.
In the small Chilean town of Talca, it has become a tradition to celebrate the New Year in the cemetery. For the past 11 years, residents of Talka come to the city cemetery on New Year’s Eve.
After the solemn evening mass, at about eleven in the evening, the mayor opens the gates of the cemetery, and those who wish can get to the graves of their relatives – in dim lights and classical music. The atmosphere here is truly calm.
This tradition is not so old: in 1995, it was started by a family who wished to celebrate the New Year at the grave of their father. Now the tradition is supported by about 5,000 people.
And in places like Cusco or Machu Picchu, people conduct ancient Inca rites. One of them, Temascal, has become very popular among tourists visiting Peru during the New Year holidays. Temaskal is a small wooden structure covered with cloth and symbolizing the womb of Mother Earth. The spiritual aura of the man who entered this hut is purified as if he were born again.
Europe
If the abundance of alcohol has not deprived the Danes of the ground under their feet, many of them jump from their chairs to drive away the bad spirits of the coming year.
When the clock hits 12, the Spaniards begin to eat 12 grapes, trying to eat everything by the last stroke.
What do you think you do on New Year’s Eve in Germany? It may seem strange to you, but they are watching a series that has become a popular German New Year tradition – Dinner for One. Nothing to do with the "Beautiful Life" broadcast in the US over the Christmas season. Dinner for One has never been shown in Britain or any other English-speaking country, but it is incredibly popular in a country that prides itself on its national culture.
Asia
Celebrating the New Year in places like Manila is all round. Filipinos use only round things, such as round fruits or clothes with a pea pattern. The “round” theme reminds those celebrating about the round shape of coins and, accordingly, about prosperity.
Russia
The deepest lake on Earth and the largest source of fresh water – Baikal – became a place to celebrate the New Year in extreme conditions. Professional divers make a hole in the ice on the surface of the lake and dive to a depth of 40 meters to perform a ritual that began in 1982.
One of the divers swims to the bottom with a Christmas tree, wearing equipment weighing about 100 kg. And other divers lead around the tree dance. Snow Maiden and Santa Claus should also be present at the holiday, and divers will be photographed with them.
Divers from Novosibirsk gained fame with their dangerous dives.
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