Five New Years Traditions That Don’t Seem Traditional in any Sense of the Word

The Dutch believe that eating doughnuts will bring you good luck in the coming year. In fact, many cultures believe anything circular is good luck, as it signifies the completion of the yearly cycle.

Fireworks aren’t the only thing that gets set ablaze. In Hungary, effigies (dummies meant to look like someone) modeled after ‘Jack Straw’ are carried around the village before being burnt, to represent the misfortunes and grieves of the past year being forgotten.

In Spain, upon the stroke of 12, a grape is to be eaten after ever toll. Almost everyone stops what they’re doing and partakes in this custom, often downing the grapes in wine.

In Denmark, if you wake up and have a pile of broken, dirty dishes that were thrown at your door, you don’t have bad neighbors. Quite the opposite – it means you have many friends! Dishes are saved throughout the year to be thrown at friend’s houses. Seems kind of backwards, doesn’t it?

A pig roots forward to find food, in contrast to a cow, which stands still to graze, and a chicken, who scratches backward to feed. The pig going forward symbolizes going forward into the New Year.

In 1902, the Tournament of Roses added a football game to the New Year’s Day festivities. Stanford University played the University of Michigan. Stanford lost 49-0. The Tournament gave up football in favor of Roman-style chariot races. In 1916, football returned to stay.