New year traditions around the world

People all around the world celebrate seeing in the new year. They don’t all do it at the same time, though. Sure, we all know that the clock strikes midnight in Sydney first – hours before we start our celebrations here in Switzerland. But did you know that not all countries and cultures agree on the date either? There are so many different new year traditions around the world. Let’s explore some of them together now...

New year

When does the new year start?

Beliefs about when a new year starts have changed over time. These days, most people celebrate New Year’s Eve on 31 December. But they ring out the old year on 12 January in Russia and other Slavic countries. And the first day of the Chinese New Year coincides with the new moon that appears between 21 January and 21 February – that’s the second new moon after the winter solstice. Some clever folks have even settled on celebrating the same new year more than once. And that brings us to Appenzell right here in Switzerland...

New year traditions in Switzerland – Appenzell

They obviously love their Chläuse in the Hinterland and Mittelland regions of Appenzell. Good old Saint Nicholas (known as Samichlaus in Swiss German) appears in one form or another in many parts of the world. But they don’t just settle with the one Chlaus on Saint Nicholas Day on 6 December in Appenzell. A completely different Chlaus tradition takes place on 31 December, starting in the morning and going on late into the night. There are three types of Silvesterchlaus characters roaming the streets on New Year’s Eve – Schöne (beautiful), Wüeschte (wild) and Schö-Wüeschte (natural).

The beautiful ones wear intricately designed headgear, which depicts scenes from rural life and is lovingly made by hand by volunteers over hundreds of hours. You can spot the wild and natural characters with their elaborate, wildly decorated hats, hoods and masks. (Source Appenzellerland Tourismus)

But even when the celebrations are over and the new year is in full swing, they still haven’t had enough Chlaus fun and frolics in Appenzell. Did you know that 31 December is only the last day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar? But what about the Julian calendar? There, the year ends on 13 January, so the whole tradition is repeated on that day too. They really know how to celebrate in style in Appenzell... 

 

Photos from: appenzellerland.ch

New year traditions in China – Lantern Festival

Over in China, they’re on the same page as our friends in Appenzell. That’s right – they double up on their new year celebrations too. Ever since the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1911, the year has officially started on 1 January. And yet the real celebrations are reserved for Chinese New Year, which has thousands of years of tradition behind it. Since the exact timings are determined by the full moon, the big day falls on a different date each year. Chinese New Year is on 29 January in 2025 – the Year of the Snake.

The highlight of the celebrations is the legendary Chinese Lantern Festival. People all around the world will have seen pictures of the famous red lanterns hanging up everywhere in all shapes and sizes. The lanterns have riddles written on them – and there’s a prize for the person that solves them. 

Want to know what NOT to do at Chinese New Year?

  • The Chinese word for ‘shoe’ sounds just like the word for ‘evil’, so buying new shoes during Chinese New Year is believed to bring you bad luck!
  • The Chinese word for ‘book’ sounds just like the word for ‘lose’, so it’s also believed to be a bad idea to buy or gift books at this time of year.

New year traditions in the USA – New York City

When you think about New Year’s Eve in the USA, chances are you picture the famous ball drop on Times Square in New York City. This tradition dates all the way back to 1907 and sees a brightly lit ball descend down a flagpole for one minute before midnight. It’s a visual representation of the last 60 seconds of the year, with everyonecrowds of people counting down loudly from ten together. At the stroke of midnight, everyone cheers and sings ‘Auld Lang Syne’ together. You can watch it here:

Times Square Ball Drop 2022 (Reuters/YouTube), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IREdXw__8BM

We can thank Hollywood for the fact that this American tradition is famous all around the world. The ceremony is shown on TV, with hundreds of millions of people tuning in live every year. There has been some controversy surrounding the size of the crowds at Times Square in recent years. The local authorities were estimating that 2 million people would turn up in 2018, but this was seriously disputed by (overseas) experts. In the words of the New York Times, “Let’s just say it was crowded.”

New year traditions in Brazil

Much like the USA, Brazil has traditions inspired by lots of different cultures. This really comes across on New Year’s Eve, or Réveillon, when there are so many extravagant customs, rituals and symbols – all with different backgrounds – that are believed to bring health, happiness, wealth and peace. One Réveillon tradition, rooted with its origins in Afro-Brazilian culture, is the white clothing that people wear because it represents peace and purity. People head to the beach, where they offer up tributes to Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea. Known for her vanity, she is gifted perfume, soap, mirrors, combs and jewellery on small boats sent out to sea. White roses are thrown into the water too.

Anyone looking for good luck in the new year will jump over seven waves when the clock strikes midnight and make a wish for every wave. In an attempt to gain extra good fortune, some people hop over the waves on their right foot. That’s supposed to give them a safe and successful start to the new year ahead.

New year traditions in Myanmar

The Thingyan new year festival is the biggest and best event on the calendar in Myanmar. The Water Festival, as it’s also known by the locals, is celebrated over three days in April. There are processions across the country, with water being sprayed from buckets, hoses and water pistols. The crowds are in high spirits as they dance in the water. 
According to Buddhist beliefs, the water symbolises spiritual purification. And it also helps everyone cool down on hot April days, when the temperature often exceeds 30°C.