The Weird New Year’s Eve Traditions奇怪的新年夜传统

维布克·卡特

Eating grapes， wearing polka dots， or burning scarecrows might be weird New Year’s Eve traditions to some， but centuries-old customs to others.

While some customs like popping champagne， fireworks and counting down the last few seconds seem universal， many countries have their own unique ways to celebrate. Follow us around the world with these New Year’s Eve traditions， make a wish， and have a happy new year！

Spain： Twelve grapes of luck

In Spain and some Latin American countries， one New Year’s tradition is to eat 12 grapes， one for each month of the coming year， to secure prosperity. Sounds easy？ Here’s the challenge： you need to eat one grape with each bell strike at midnight. The favored way is to take a bite， then swallow the grape halves whole. A glass of bubbly afterward might help to flush it all down. The tradition dates back to 1909 when vine growers in Alicante came up with this idea in order to sell more grapes after an exceptional harvest.

Mexico： Wear colorful undies

In Latin American countries like Mexico， Bolivia， and Brazil， the color of your panties will determine what kind of year you’ll have， so choose carefully！ Tradition holds that red will bring love and romance， and yellow leads to wealth and success. White stands for peace and harmony， while green signifies well-being and nature. In Turkey， red panties are also handed out as gifts for good luck and the promise of a fruitful new year.

Germany： Pouring lead

Who doesn’t want to know what the next year might bring？ In Germany， people melt small pieces of lead in a spoon over a candle， then pour the liquid into cold water. The bizarre shapes from the Bleigießen （lead pouring） are supposed to reveal what the year ahead will bring. If the lead forms a ball， luck will roll one’s way， while the shape of a crown means wealth; a cross signifies death and a star will bring happiness.

Denmark： Break a plate （or two）

A Danish New Year’s Eve tradition is to throw plates and dishes against friend’s and neighbor’s front doors. It’s a bit of a popularity contest as the bigger the pile of broken china is the next morning， the more friends and good luck you’ll have in the coming year. In times of apartment and urban living though， it’s a dying tradition， but smashing fun for those who still practice it. Another custom in Denmark is the jumping off chairs at midnight， symbolizing the leap into the New Year when the clock strikes 12.

Ecuador： Scarecrow burning

In Ecuador， people build scarecrow-like dolls of politicians， pop stars， or other notable figures to set them alight. Burning the año viejo （old year） is meant to destroy all the bad things from the last year and cleanse for the new. The scarecrows are made from old clothes stuffed with newspaper or sawdust and a mask is fitted at the end. The Ecuadorian tradition possibly originated in Guayaquil in 1895 when a yellow fever epidemic hit the town， and coffins packed with clothes of the deceased were burnt for purification.

Philippines： Round food， round clothes， round everything

In the Philipines， the start of the new year is all about the money. The locals believe that surrounding themselves with round things （to represent coins） will bring money or fortune. As a result， clothes with polka dots are worn and round food is eaten. To really push Fortuna， coins are kept in pockets and constantly jangled， believed to keep the money flowing.

Scotland： First footing

In Scottish folklore， the “first-foot，” also known as quaaltagh or qualtagh， is the first person crossing the threshold after midnight. A tall， dark-haired male with gifts like coins， coal， bread， salt， and a “wee dram” of whiskey， is thought to bring the best luck for the house. The tradition probably dates back to the Viking days when big， blond strangers （commonly armed with axes and swords） at the door meant trouble， and in some places， first footing by a fair-haired male is still regarded as unlucky.

Italy： Tossing furniture

“Out with the old” is the motto in Naples， where people toss everything from toasters to fridges off their balconies. Getting rid of old possessions symbolizes a fresh start in the new year. To prevent serious injuries， most locals stick to small and soft objects for their throwing tradition， though it’s still a good idea to watch your head should you travel to Naples （or Johannesburg， South Africa， where this custom is also practiced）.

Romania： Animal spirits

Romania is a country steeped in tradition. Especially in rural areas， New Year’s Eve highlights include mask dances and ceremonies about death and rebirth. Dancers dress up in furs and wooden masks depicting goats， horses， or bears， then dance from house to house to ward off evil spirits. The dance of the bear is the most popular. According to pre-Christian folklore， if a bear enters somebody’s house， it brings prosperity， health， and good fortune.

Italy： Mass kissing

Venice is a romantic place any time of the year but on New Year’s Eve in Piazza San Marco， tens of thousands of locals and tourists gather for fireworks， a light show （which sees “hearts” raining down）， and “a kiss in Venice.” The evening is all about love and your loved ones， so celebrate with a proper smooch and welcome the new year with happiness in your heart.

Idaho： Potato drop

With less tradition but more high-tech， for the fifth year running the people of downtown Boise will welcome the new year by dropping a giant spud from the sky. More than 40，000 spectators turn up to see the internally lit， 400-pound “GlowTato.” Other New Year’s Eve drop-sites in the US include Brasstown， N.C. （a possum）， Bethlehem， Penn. （Peep—a 200-pound local marshmallow candy） and Port Clinton， Ohio （a giant fish called Wylie the Walleye）.

Japan： 108 rings

At midnight， Buddhist temples all over Japan ring their bells 108 times to dispell the 108 evil passions all human beings have， according to Buddhism. Japanese believe that joyanokane， the ringing of the bells， will cleanse them from their sins of the previous year. Traditionally， 107 bells are rung on the last day of the year and the 108th in the new year. Many people eat buckwheat noodles called toshikoshi soba on New Year’s Eve to symbolize the wish for a long life.

对有些人来说，新年夜吃葡萄、穿圆点花纹图案的衣服或者烧稻草人或许有些奇怪，但对另外一些人来说，这些都是沿袭了数百年的传统习俗。

新年夜开香槟、放烟花、倒计时等习俗好像全世界通行，而许多国家有自己独特的方式庆祝新年夜。跟随我们去看看全世界的新年夜习俗，心中默默许愿，祝大家新年快乐！

西班牙：吃12颗幸运葡萄

在西班牙和拉丁美洲的一些国家，新年夜的习俗之一是吃12颗葡萄，一颗代表新年的一个月，以保佑新的一年欣欣向荣。听起来是不是很容易？可是挑战来了：要跟随午夜的钟声，每敲打一下吃一颗葡萄。最好的办法就是，咬一口，然后把剩下的一口吞下。吃完喝一杯香槟或有助于把它们顺下去。这个习俗可以追溯到1909年，西班牙阿利坎特的葡萄大丰收，为了多卖一些葡萄，农夫们就想出了这个主意。

墨西哥：穿五颜六色的内裤

在墨西哥、玻利维亚、巴西等拉美国家，内裤颜色将决定你新的一年会怎么样。所以，谨慎挑选！依据传统，红色会带来浪漫的爱情，黄色则带来财富和成功，白色代表平静和谐，绿色代表健康自然。在土耳其，红色内裤也可作为礼物，祝愿好运及新的一年收获满满。

德国：倒铅

谁不想知道新一年会怎么样呢？在德国，人们会把一小块儿一小块儿的铅放在匙子里，用蜡烛把铅烧化，然后把液态铅倒入冷水中。人们认为，液态铅倒入水中凝固形成的奇异形状会揭示新一年的运势。如果铅变成球状，那么新一年将好运连连;如果变成皇冠，则财源滚滚;十字架表示死亡; 星星代表幸福。

丹麦：摔盘子

丹麦新年夜的传统之一是对着朋友或者邻居家的大门扔盘碟。这有点像一场比拼人气的竞赛，第二天谁家门前的瓷器堆越大，谁就会在新一年拥有更多的朋友和好运。然而，现在人们住在城市公寓里，这个传统习俗濒临消亡，不过依然有人遵循过新年摔盘子这个传统并乐此不疲。丹麦还有一个传统，午夜钟声敲第12下的时候，从椅子上跳下来，代表跨入新一年。

厄瓜多尔：烧稻草人

在厄瓜多尔，人们会用稻草做出政客、歌星等名人的人偶，然后把它们烧掉。烧掉旧的一年，意谓摧毁上一年经历的所有坏事，为新一年净化除污。稻草人是用旧衣服做成的，里面塞满报纸或锯屑，最后安上一张面具。厄瓜多尔的这个传统可能来源于1895年的瓜亚基尔，当时传染性的黄热病肆虐，为了消除病菌，人们将死者的衣服裝进棺材用火烧尽。

菲律宾：享用圆形之物

在菲律宾，钱是一年之初最重要的东西。当地人相信，让自己随时接触到圆形物件（代表硬币）将会带来财运。因此，他们会穿圆点图案的衣服，吃圆形的食品。为了真正增加财运，菲律宾人把硬币装在口袋里，将它们晃得叮当作响，喻示财源滚滚。

苏格兰：第一个进门

在苏格兰民间传说中，第一个进门的人（曼岛语称为quaaltagh或者 qualtagh）是指新年午夜时分过后第一个迈过门槛的人。一般认为最能给宅子带来好运的是携带硬币、煤块、面包、盐巴与一小杯威士忌作为礼物的黑发高个儿男子。这一传统或许源自维京时代。当时，如果哪家门外出现了陌生的金发巨汉，而且还拿着剑和斧头，就意味着这家可能有麻烦了。如今，在部分地区，金发男子第一个进门仍被看作不祥之兆。

意大利：扔旧家具

“抛除旧物”是那不勒斯的谚语，此地民众迎接新年的方式也与此有关：把从烤面包机到冰箱的所有旧东西扔下自家阳台。处理掉旧物件象征着又一年的全新开始。为了防止有人因此受重伤，大多数那不勒斯人遵循只抛掷小而软的物件的原则。不过，如果要去那不勒斯旅游（或是南非约翰内斯堡，当地也有同样的习俗），最好还是小心不要被砸伤。

罗马尼亚：扮作动物精灵

罗马尼亚人非常尊崇传统习俗。新年前夜最重要的活动包括面具舞，以及有关死亡和重生的各种仪式，这些活动在农村地区尤其流行。舞者以毛皮与木质面具装饰自己，扮成羊、马或熊，然后挨家挨户跳舞，以驱散恶灵。这些舞蹈中，熊舞最为流行。根据基督教诞生前的民间传说，闯进房子的熊会带来繁荣、健康与好运。

意大利：集体接吻

在威尼斯这座浪漫的城市，一年365天都能感受到爱意。在除夕夜的圣马可广场，数以万计的本地人与观光客聚集欣赏烟火与灯光表演（可看到“爱心”如雨般降臨 ），并参加“威尼斯之吻”活动。这一夜完全属于爱和你爱的人，所以来个得体的拥吻，并以发自心底的快乐来迎接新年吧。

美国爱达荷州：丢土豆

博伊西市的新年庆典虽然没有悠久的历史，但胜在科技含量高：这是该市城区连续第5年举办高空抛掷巨型土豆的迎新年活动。有超过4万名观众前往现场见证这个内部被点燃、重达400磅的“发光土豆”落地。美国还有几个地方上演新年前夜抛物秀，包括北卡罗莱纳州的布拉斯城（抛负鼠）、宾夕法尼亚州的伯利恒（抛当地自产的200磅“皮普”棉花糖），以及俄亥俄州的克林顿港（抛名为“大眼怀利”的大鱼）。

日本：撞钟108下

每到除夕的午夜时分，日本各地的佛寺都会撞钟108下。根据佛教解释，这是为了驱散人的108种邪欲。日本人相信，“除夜之钟”的响声将帮助他们清洗掉过去一年的罪业。日本寺庙传统的敲钟方式是在除夕夜敲107下，然后新年再敲第108下。许多人在除夕夜还会吃一种叫“年越荞麦”的荞麦面，以寄托健康长寿的愿望。

（译者单位：复旦大学奇境译坊）