New Year's traditions around the world

As the clock strikes midnight tonight, people across the globe come together to celebrate the arrival of a new year. While their customs and rituals may vary, the spirit of renewal, hope and joy unites us all.

People around the world celebrate the arrival of a new year with unique customs and rituals.

From wearing coloured underwear to eating 12 grapes, every culture will usher in 2025 its way.

Here are some of the most interesting traditions from around the globe:

In Latin America, it’s tradition for men and women to choose specific underwear colours for specific results. While red underwear signifies passion, yellow is supposed to bring good luck. Find the underwear that best suits your needs for 2025!

In Spain, a New Year’s tradition involves eating 12 grapes – one at each chime of the clock just before midnight – think 12 grapes in 12 seconds.

Known as the 12 grapes of luck, the tradition is meant to bring you good luck and good health in the coming year.

A coin is baked into vasilopita, a Greek cake traditionally served on New Year’s Day, to bless their home for the new year and bring good luck to the coin’s recipient.

People in New Zealand write down their New Year’s resolutions and burn them in a large bonfire at the stroke of midnight.

In Ecuador, people create effigies called “años viejos” and stuff them with old clothes, newspapers and sawdust. At midnight, they set fire to the effigies to symbolise burning away the old year and welcoming the new.

In Argentina, people gather in the streets and bang pots and pans to scare away evil spirits and bring in the new year with good luck.

Hong Kongers light incense sticks at temples and burn offerings to deities and ancestors to usher in good fortune for the New Year.

People in Poland gather around a bonfire and jump over it for good luck and to ward off evil spirits.

In Peru, people eat a dish called “pachamanca” which is cooked underground with hot stones and includes meats, vegetables and potatoes.

Russians write down their New Year’s wishes on a piece of paper, burn it and then drink the ashes with champagne to make their wishes come true.

And finally, for the kids, people in New Zealand create a “fairy bread” tower which is made up of slices of white bread, butter and hundreds and thousands. At midnight, the kids knock over the tower and eat the fairy bread.