Summary
Highlights
This tradition involves throwing a glass or bucket of water into the street at midnight on New Year's Eve. It's believed to help close cycles, banish past sorrows, and bring fresh energy and good luck for the new year. Remember to check for people on both sides of the street before throwing water to avoid drenching anyone!
Fireworks, firecrackers, and sparklers are a common sight during New Year's celebrations. This tradition has been around for centuries, with gunpowder being used in festivities across various continents, including the welcoming of the New Year, to create colorful displays in the night sky.
In Brazil, people go to the sea to receive the New Year and jump seven waves to open new paths. Some also dress in white and offer gifts to Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea and moon, asking for good fortune. Offerings are cast into the sea in decorated boats.
To attract prosperity and money for the entire year, eating lentils at midnight is a popular tradition. A spoonful of lentils symbolizes abundance and good fortune. This ancient Italian tradition has been adopted by many families in Latin America. Alternatively, carrying a few lentils in a pocket is also believed to bring the same results.
In Bolivia, between late December and January 24th, houses feature an 'Ekeko,' the god of abundance. People place 'alasitas'—miniatures of desired items like houses, money, cars, suitcases, or sacks of grain—around him to manifest these wishes for the coming year. This plaster amulet is believed to house the Aymara god's spirit, fulfilling desires.
Sweeping at midnight is believed to banish bad energies and vibes from your home and life. You don't need to deep clean; simply sweep a little and push everything out the main door to secure good fortune. Ensure dust doesn't rise inside the house, as this is crucial for getting rid of negativity and sorrows.
To ensure travel in the new year, a common tradition is to walk around your block or in and out of your house with a suitcase at midnight. If you can't go outside, pulling the suitcase out the door, placing it under the brindis table, or even putting your passport inside it can also work.
Wearing new colored underwear is a widespread tradition, with different colors symbolizing different desires. Red is for love, yellow for money, blue for new businesses, green for growth, and purple for prosperity. It's often believed to be luckier if someone gifts you the underwear.
Many Latin American families construct or purchase effigies representing the 'old year,' made from old clothes, sawdust, cardboard, and pyrotechnics. At midnight, these effigies are set on fire to ward off bad luck and welcome a better new year. This tradition, originating in the late 18th century, is highly anticipated by all ages, often featuring politicians as popular figures to burn.
One of the most popular New Year's rituals in Latin America is eating 12 grapes at midnight, one for each chime, symbolizing 12 wishes or purposes for the coming year. Despite the rush and occasional mishaps like choking or eating seeds, it's a cherished tradition to invite good fortune and help fulfill resolutions.