So did you ring in the New Year with the same old firecrackers and drum rolls? How did you spice up your New Year’s celebrations? Ever wondered what else people around the globe do to ring in the New Year?

Buckle up for some wild and wacky traditions that’ll make you rethink your countdown routine. Even though 2025 has arrived, you can explore the unconventional side of celebrations around the world for new ideas for next year’s New Year shenanigans. From smashing plates to tossing furniture out the window (seriously!), the world knows how to throw a quirky celebration. So, are you ready to dive into the? Let’s explore the unconventional side of celebrations!

Aroma of hope

Who needs a bouquet when you can have a doorstep adorned with pungent onions? In Greece, it’s not just a kitchen staple; it’s a symbol of rebirth. Onions are hung on doors as a symbol of growth and to ward off evil spirits.

The layers of the onion, peeled away one by one, parallel the layers of the past year being shed to make way for the new. As the pungent smell of onions fills the air, it becomes a fragrant reminder that with every layer shed, there is an opportunity for growth, transformation and a fresh start.

So, the next time you catch a whiff of onions on New Year’s Eve, know that it’s not just a culinary choice, but a cultural celebration of hope and renewal.

And this is not all, some families cut a cake called vasilopita, which contains a hidden coin and the person who finds the coin is considered to be blessed with good luck in the New Year.

Cleansing echoes

Head to Japan, where New Year’s Eve isn’t complete without the rhythmic symphony of 108 bells ringing from Buddhist temples. It’s not just a musical extravaganza; it’s a sin-cleansing, passion-purging ritual that kicks the previous year to the curb.

Yes, one hundred and eight times bells are rung out from Buddhist temples once the clock strikes midnight on the last day of December. This tradition, known as Joya-No-Kane (New Year’s Eve Bell), is celebrated to cleanse the person of the past year’s sins and dispel the 108 evil passions, or earthly temptations, of the person.

Liberating luck

In Denmark, New Year’s Eve is not about holding back; it’s about breaking free! Break all the dishes you want! Smash away because in Denmark, the more broken crockery outside your door, the cooler you are. It’s not just about shattering plates; it’s a smashing competition for luck and friendship. It’s a Danish tradition!

Some believe it represents leaving behind ill thoughts whilst others count the luck it brings following year. It contributes to competition as well as people allowing the pile of broken dishes outside their homes to showcase who has more friends —the more broken mess there is, the more popular you are. Who knew dish destruction could be so fun?

Grape escape

In Spain, the celebrations are towards the softer side, literally. At each stroke of midnight, the Spanish gorge on 12 grapes, each grape expected to bring good luck for each month of the year.

Many say it originated only in the early 1900s to use up a surplus of grapes.

Shred the past

Do you have old documents? Want to throw them away? No problem! Shred them. Throw them out!

Argentina’s New Year clean-up is more than just tossing confetti — it’s shredding old documents! Shred your past, throw it out the window, and voila — customary abandonment of the past. Just pray you can clean up the shredded mess you just unleashed!

Sparks to serenity

Ecuador has a fiery solution to bid farewell to the old year — burning effigies of famous figures. The effigies of famous figures, newsworthy politicians and characters from the past year, are set aflame on New Year’s Eve.

But why? Well, it’s an effigy of the concerned figure usually denoting the passing of the year. With burning them, it is believed that evil is eradicated and good is welcomed. Atlas Obscura (magazine) dates back this ritual to around 1895, when Guayaquil townspeople burned coffins following an outbreak of yellow fever.

Fireworks and dancing lanterns

During Chinese New Year celebrations, vibrant parades take place featuring dragon dances and fireworks. The fireworks are believed to scare away evil spirits, while lanterns symbolise hope and prosperity for the new year.

Circles of prosperity

Do you prefer round items? Doughnuts? Or any other round thing? New Year’s Eve and obsession with round are two conjoined things in Philippines.

Filipinos have a thing for round items on New Year’s Eve — round fruits, dresses with round patterns, even round footballs. Why? It’s not geometry; it’s about chasing prosperity and good luck, because nothing says luck like a round football, right?

Sugary beginnings

Sweet lovers rejoice! In Southern Germany, New Year’s Day kicks off with a sugary delight — the Berliner doughnut, or krapfen. Filled with treats like jam, chocolate, or vanilla cream, it’s a sweet start to the year.

Resolutions might be hard to keep, but devouring a doughnut? Now, that’s a resolution worth sticking to!

Whipped riches

Switzerland takes a creamy approach to New Year’s prosperity, with whipped cream symbolising the richness of the year ahead. Drop it on the floor for good measure!

Plus, they like forging horseshoes in Mohlin (an area in Switzerland) — a tradition that’s been kicking for over 60 years. Because nothing says “smith of luck” like horseshoes! It had been more than 60 years when it first started as a spur-of-the-moment idea, but the idea was never buried. It symbolises luck.

As we wrap up this laugh-filled journey through the quirkiest New Year traditions, one thing’s clear — people worldwide share the desire to leave the past behind and focus on building a prosperous future. So, here’s to a year of shattered plates, dissolved wishes and doughnut-fuelled prosperity!

May your New Year be as wild and wonderful as these traditions. Cheers to tradition, hilarity and a future full of pleasant surprises!

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 4th, 2025