The world follows a unique code when it comes to New Year celebrations – fireworks and Party but did you know that in a few nations, they follow some interesting practices to welcome the coming year.
Greece, the land of myths welcomes New Year in a sweet way. On the New Year’s Eve, the family members slice a pomegranate and tie it on the front door and move out of the house for a brief time. Then a child of the family is sent into the house, asking him/her to step in with the right foot. The members follow the child inside. The tied pomegranate is then smashed on the ground. It is believed that the more the seeds it drops, the more the good fortune it brings.
In Italy, on New Year’s Eve, the families gather and eat a meal with pork, lentils and special Italian white wine called Prosecco. The meal and the wine are little expensive than the normal meal. Having a combination like this is believed to bring prosperity in the upcoming year.
In Spain, when the clock strikes 12, announcing the birth of New Year, the Spaniards would put 1 grape for every chime the clock makes. This would mean that the following twelve months would be guided by the ritual.
The Philippines who are currently traumatized by the storm Usman would normally eat 12 round fruits arranged in a circle shape during the New Year’s Eve feast. The circular shape of the fruits, according to their beliefs symbolizes money. So having them would bring the people good luck as per the Filipinos.
Germans are a little different. They call New Year’s Eve as Silvester to honor the memory of Pope Silvester-I who died on the 31st of December, 335. Eating Carps (A variety of Freshwater Fish) on the Eve is considered a lucky charm and keeping one scale of the fish inside the wallets is considered to make the wallets rich.
Some nations don’t follow any special practices. In India we mostly go to places of worship, eat cakes, feast on non-veg food, go for a movie and meet friends. But in the recent times there has been an unwritten code for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Riding motorbikes incredibly fast has become a trend which some adventure freaks do. There even a few who do it under the influence of alcohol. Several youngsters lose their bike’s control and hurt themselves pretty bad that New Year seems to begin for them with a bad luck.
Damaged bikes can be replaced, what about damaged bones? All the practices the above mentioned nations do are done with their entire family. The bring together of family members for a feast doesn’t just give them the feeling of fellowship but a safe and sound New Year that feels like a blessed one.
Why don’t we, the millennial-generation start our own way of celebrating new year by avoiding the harsh rides and start to visit families and friends on the Eve and spend the precious moment safely with them! Of course this require patience but it’s better to be patient at home than in the hospital on New Year.