New year: practices that mark them
Fire, first-footing, divination for the year and the clearing of the old.
The new year is a moment for clearing the old and divining the new. Customs include Chinese red envelopes and firecrackers, Nowruz and its haft-sin table in Persian lands, Scottish first-footing and Hogmanay fire, Japanese bell-ringing and hatsumode, the Thai and Burmese water festivals, Rosh Hashanah foods, Diwali in India and the grapes eaten at midnight in Spain. This page looks at how people across the world mark the turning of the year.
Clearing the old
Many cultures clean and settle debts before the year turns. Chinese families clean the house before the festival, and sweeping on the day itself is avoided so luck is not swept away. In Iran, people jump over small fires on the last Wednesday evening of the year. Japan's temples ring 108 bells, which Buddhists link with human worldly desires. Fireworks and noise are widely said to drive off harm. Many families also pay debts and settle quarrels before the day, so the year can start fresh.
Divining the year
The year is read for omens. Scots say the first person to enter after midnight shapes the household's luck, and their gifts and looks are noted. Greek families break a pomegranate. In Mexico and Italy, foods and colours of clothing are chosen for luck in love or money. Astrologers publish forecasts and diviners in Asia and Africa are consulted at this time. Others take a more reflective path: Jewish families hold a period of repentance, and Zoroastrian and Hindu households light lamps and make offerings.
Politics and calendars
Calendars differ, so there are many new years: lunar in East Asia, solar in Persian lands, tied to harvests in India and Southeast Asia. Governments have banned and revived festivals, as in the Soviet and Cultural Revolution campaigns against old customs. Fireworks are now restricted in many Chinese cities for safety and air quality. These local customs vary widely and are often kept by older relatives. Customs also tend to ask for harmony, such as avoiding arguments, keeping the house tidy and visiting elders.
Commerce and caution
Forecasts and lucky charms are a seasonal market. Resolutions have become secular rites of self-improvement. Fireworks, bonfires and drink bring real injuries each year, and a celebration is no reason to skip care. Public celebration of the new year is often marked by a countdown, music, food and shared greeting, and it provides a regular moment of family contact and new resolve in places as different as Seoul, Lagos, Tehran and Buenos Aires, and the date and the customs may differ from one country to the next.
New year on EveryJaadu
The entries written up so far, best known first.
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreBonfire
A large outdoor fire used in seasonal festivals and religious feasts across many culturesRite · Cleansing and purification · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 5 moreKukeriкукери
A costumed ritual in Bulgaria to chase away evil spirits and welcome springRite · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreWinter solstice
The shortest day and longest night of the year, marked by rites of solar returnTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Protection Living
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreDragon's blood
A bright red resin from several plant species used in magic, medicine, and art since antiquitySubstance · Healing · Protection Living
🇪🇸 Spain and 6 moreBurning of Judas
An Easter rite where an effigy of the betrayer is destroyed by fire or other meansRite · Cursing and harm · Cleansing and purification Living
🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreMolybdomancy
A divination method using molten metal poured into water to read omensRite · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Living
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSky lantern天燈
A paper hot air balloon lifted by flame to carry wishes and blessingsRite · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇫🇷 France and 4 moreRéveillon
A long Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner held to stay awake until morningTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreTếtTết Nguyên Đán
The Vietnamese lunisolar new year and the most important annual celebration in VietnamTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇯🇵 JapanYutaユタ
Okinawan folk shamans who guide families through spirits and fortune-tellingTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreJoss paper金紙
Paper burned as money and goods for ancestors, gods and the deadCharm · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreChaharshanbe Suriچهارشنبهسوری
An Iranian fire festival marking the transition from winter to springTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreKitchen God灶君
The Chinese hearth deity who reports domestic conduct to the Jade EmperorBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreYule log
A large wooden log burned in the hearth during winter festivals across Europe and North America.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanDaruma doll達磨
A round Japanese talisman that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreFirst-footciad-chuairt
The first visitor on New Year's Day, believed to set the household's fortune for the year aheadTradition · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanSetsubun節分
A Japanese seasonal rite to drive away bad luck and welcome spring with roasted beansRite · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreHidden-folkhuldufólk
Supernatural beings in Nordic folklore who live in a parallel world within the landscape.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreMenshen門神
Guardian figures pasted to doors in Chinese folk religion to protect homes from evil.Belief · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDaeboreum대보름
A Korean lunar holiday marking the first full moon with nut-cracking and field firesTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇬🇧 United KingdomMari LwydY Fari Lwyd
A Welsh winter custom featuring a horse skull carried through villages for song and hospitality.Rite · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Revived
🇨🇿 Czech RepublicCzech folklore
The folk traditions of the Czech people, from seasonal rites to music and craft.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreHobby horse
A costumed character made from wood or cloth used in seasonal folk customs and processions.Illusion · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreMummers' play
A folk drama featuring a fight and a resurrection, performed by amateur troupes in the British Isles.Rite · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Revived
🇮🇳 IndiaNew moon cleansing (sample)
Smoke and water used to mark a lunar month.Rite · Cleansing and purification Fading
🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreKallikantzarosκαλικάντζαρος
A malevolent goblin that dwells underground and surfaces during the twelve days of Christmas.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanHatsuyume初夢
The first dream of the new year and its traditional omensBelief · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreZhengde Tongbao正德通寶
A fantasy cash coin used as a Chinese and Vietnamese amulet for luck and protection.Charm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese superstitions
Common beliefs in Japan about luck, numbers, and omens rooted in language and customBelief · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇺🇸 United StatesLemon pig
A carved fruit figure made for amusement and later linked to New Year luckCharm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇸🇮 Slovenia and 5 moreVesnaВесна
A Slavic personification of spring and youth, known in myth and languageFigure · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇫🇮 Finland and 2 moreSaint Knut's Daytjugondag jul; nuutinpäivä
A January festival ending the Christmas season with tree removal and traditional visits.Rite · Cleansing and purification Living
🇭🇹 HaitiHaitian CarnivalKanaval
A major Caribbean festival of music, dance, and satire leading to Mardi Gras in HaitiTradition · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanOkiagari-koboshi起き上がり小法師
A Japanese roly-poly doll that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreMoney tree搖錢樹
A mythical tree of fortune and a Chinese New Year custom for wealthFigure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇷🇸 Serbia and 3 moreBožićБожић
A Slavic figure linked to the new year and spring, whose name now marks ChristmasFigure · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaFish in Chinese mythology鱼 (yú)
A cultural symbol of wealth and abundance in Chinese traditionBelief · Luck and prosperity · Love and attraction Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Yule log: Pehr Arvid Säve (1811—1887), Public domain, source
- Kallikantzaros: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hatsuyume: Takeuchi Seihō, Public domain, source
- Daruma doll: Crisco 1492, Public domain, source
- Setsubun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hidden-folk: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Menshen: Taiwankengo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Daeboreum: hojusaram, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mari Lwyd: Thomas Christopher Evans (Cadrawd), Public domain, source
- Czech folklore: Biser Todorov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hobby horse: Timkevan at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Mummers' play: Aladjov, CC BY 3.0, source
- Kukeri: Nenko Lazarov, CC BY 2.5, source
- Winter solstice: Image by Przemyslaw " Blueshade " Idzkiewicz, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dragon's blood: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lemon pig: GenesisNZ, CC0, source
- Burning of Judas: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Molybdomancy: Micha L. Rieser, Attribution, source
- Vesna: Viktor Vasnetsov, Public domain, source
- Fish in Chinese mythology: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Sky lantern: Richy, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Haitian Carnival: User:Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tết: vi:Lưu Ly, Public domain, source
- Okiagari-koboshi: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Money tree: Pratyeka, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Joss paper: Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chaharshanbe Suri: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
- Bonfire: S Marshall, CC BY 3.0, source