New Year's Unique Tradition Around the Globe

Happy New Year 2018! We hope you had a great time during the end of the year's holiday. To start this New Year, we are sharing some new year celebrations from all around the world. It is indeed the right time to celebrate, but do you know that in Denmark, people welcome the New Year by shattering dishes in front of their neighbours' doors gleefully? Keep reading on!

1. England

As today's role-model for a modern country, it is funny that the Brits still believe in luck-bearers. They have certain traits for the very first guest to walk into their doors in the New Year; he has to be tall, young, dark-haired male, preferably with some gifts. They believe this guest will bring them luck.

2. China

In the culture-rich country like China, New Year is all about prosperity and happiness. Red is the colour that the Chinese believes symbolizes happiness, good luck and wealth and that is why in the New Year, everything is decorated in red, from clothes to front doors.

3. Spain

Celebrations are incomplete without festive foods and the Spanish people know it. To welcome the New Year, people in Spain compete in speed-eating challenge. For good luck, the Spanish are required to eat 12 grapes when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve – one for each clock chime.

4. France

Spanish are not the only ones who share good food on New Year. Their neighbour, the French, prepare their bellies for series of feasts from foie gras, turkey, oysters, pancakes and on the top of them, good champagne.

5. Russia

As the country that is commonly believed to be the homeland of Santa Claus (or Father Frost, as what the Russians call him), Christmas and New Year are both celebrated with family feasts and plenty of kids for both kids and adults.

6. Italy

Like Russians, the Italians consider their New Year gifts very seriously as they symbolize something that the giver wish for the receiver. For example, to wish for good wealth, you can wrap up gold, honey or simply some cash as your gift.

7. Switzerland and Puerto Rico

Smashing or throwing things is not exclusively for the Danish. In Switzerland, people drop ice creams deliberately on the floor to celebrate Christmas while the Puerto Ricans gladly throw a bucket of water out of their windows as a sign to toss away evil spirits.

8. Belgium and Romania

The Belgians believe that Christmas is not only for human. On New Year's Eve, they shake the hands of their beloved ones and wish their cows a happy new year. In Romania, the farmers will try to chat with the cows. If the animal responds, that means good luck in the New Year.

9. Philippines

Our neighbour in the north are going into round-frenzy during New Year time. They believe that round things symbolize wealth, so they wear something with round design from polka dot clothes, coins and round foods.

10. Vietnam

New Year is commonly associated as the momentum of change: from old to new and it is the spirit that Vietnamese believe in. During the celebration, people in Vietnam wear new clothes to symbolize a new beginning.   So, which one is your favourite? Do you have your own unique tradition? In Indonesia, we share some of these traditions, such as exchanging gifts with family and colleagues to wish good luck in the New Year or wearing new things to mark the new beginning. We hope that in this New Year, you are encouraged to set up new goals, for instance, going abroad to study. If you have any questions about study abroad or need assistance on university admission, feel free to contact us. Our wide range of services are personally tailored to give you the best advice and experience to ensure a successful admission.