New Year's Eve and Day are celebrated almost everywhere on Earth — but the customs vary wonderfully from country to country. From grapes to fireworks to lucky first visitors, here's a tour of New Year traditions around the world.
For the history of why the year starts on 1 January, see New Year's Day history. To watch midnight roll across the planet, use our world clock.
Why midnight, and which place is first?
The new year arrives at midnight local time — so it sweeps across the globe over about 26 hours, from the Pacific islands (Kiribati, Samoa) first to Baker Island last. Our world clock shows exactly where it's already next year.
New Year traditions by country
- Spain & much of Latin America: eat 12 grapes at midnight — one per chime of the clock — for luck in each month ahead.
- Scotland: Hogmanay, with "first-footing" — the first person to enter your home after midnight (ideally dark-haired, bearing gifts) brings good fortune.
- Japan: temple bells are rung 108 times (Joya no Kane) to cleanse worldly desires; families eat toshikoshi soba and osechi.
- Denmark: people smash old plates against friends' doors, and leap off chairs at midnight to "jump into" the new year.
- Brazil: wear white for peace and jump seven waves at the beach, making a wish on each.
- Philippines: round shapes (coins, polka dots, round fruit) symbolise prosperity.
- United States: the ball drop in New York's Times Square; "Auld Lang Syne" sung at midnight.
- Greece & elsewhere: a coin is baked into a New Year cake (vasilopita) — whoever finds it has luck for the year.
- Colombia & Mexico: carrying an empty suitcase around the block for a year full of travel.
Common threads
Despite the variety, a few themes recur worldwide:
- Fireworks and noise to scare off bad luck.
- Food for luck — grapes, round fruits, lentils, soba, black-eyed peas.
- Out with the old — cleaning, clearing debts, forgiving disputes.
- Resolutions — a tradition dating back to the ancient Babylonians and Romans.
Other new years
Many cultures also celebrate a separate traditional new year — Lunar New Year, Nowruz, Songkran, Rosh Hashanah and more — on different dates. See New Year's Day history for how 1 January became the global civil date.
Quick answers
Which country celebrates New Year first? The Pacific islands near the date line — Kiribati and Samoa — about 26 hours before the last places on Earth.
Why do people eat 12 grapes at New Year? A Spanish tradition: one grape per clock chime at midnight, for luck in each of the 12 months.
What is first-footing? A Scottish Hogmanay custom where the first guest after midnight brings luck — traditionally a dark-haired visitor bearing symbolic gifts.
Why are there fireworks at New Year? Loud celebrations descend from the old belief that noise scares away bad spirits and bad luck.