New Year’s Eve rituals or superstitions in Spanish-speaking countries (Los rituales o las supersticiones de la Nochevieja en los países de habla hispana)

michael fousert

All over the world, making it to a new year is a thing of joy that reaffirms one's hope. Hence, the eve of a new year is always celebrated with the hope that the year ahead will be better than the passing year. To assure ourselves of a promising year, some of us practice some beliefs which we believe will bring us good fortunes.The Spanish-speaking countries are no exception.

 In Spain and Latin America it is taken very serious because it is widely believed that without practicing these traditions, one will be doomed for bad luck in the upcoming year.

The most popular of these rituals are as follows:

1.       Comer las doce (12) uvas con cada campanada del reloj a medianoche (Eating twelve (12) grapes at the chime of the clock at midnight): This ritual originated in France and was first practiced in Spain around the year 1890 and was later adopted by the Latin Americans. 

In Spain and in the Latin America, the tradition of eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight is believed to bring good luck in the 12 calendar months of the year to come. In some countries they even go to the extent of making wishes as they consume the grapes. In Peru for example they eat the twelve grapes under the table at midnight while saying the name of each month as they eat each as rapidly as they can making sure they don’t drop any because dropping any signifies absolute bad luck for that particular month. Afterwards, a thirteenth grape must be consumed to assure extra good luck.

2.       Darse la vuelta a la manzana con una maleta vacía para irse de viaje (Running around the block of the house with an empty suitcase, back pack or briefcase)

In Peru this is done while wearing  yellow, green or red underwear in order to have the good luck of traveling in the year ahead.

Also in Peru, they distribute rice around the house for money, luck and fertility.

(Se echa arroz bajo el marco de la puerta de la sala para casarse pronto y se quema un muñeco en la calle hecho con ropa vieja y papel, al tiempo que se disparan cohetes y fuegos artificiales y buena música) They burn up a large doll made of old clothes, sometimes stuffing it with fireworks which signifies getting rid of the old and making a fresh start.

3.       In El Salvador, they go from eating 12 grapes to cracking an egg into a glass bowl at midnight, leaving it on the window till the next day, to know whether they will have a good fortune or not.  Their fortune is determined by the state of the egg; if still good, then it means they will have good luck but if rotten, then there’s a sure bad luck lurking around the corner.

4.       In Chile they eat a spoonful of lentils (lentejas) for work and money throughout the upcoming year and they sweep out the house thoroughly, thereby sweeping away bad energy in the house.

5.       In Colombia, they wear yellow undies for money in the year to come. At midnight they consume twelve grapes while making a wish for the upcoming year. Amongst other traditions is the eating of lentils with rice in order to have good luck and money. They also stuff dolls with old clothes and burning them up as the old year in order to usher in the new year.

6.       In Mexico, before the end of the year dinner, they clean the house in order to get rid of bad energies and to welcome good fortune.

They also practice:

- Wearing of colourful clothes or new clothes ( to ward off illness and  to attract good health.)

(Yellow signifies happiness and wealth or abundance, blue signifies peace, red signifies passion, green signifies health, white signifies clarity and orange signifies intelligence)

- Ringing a bell loudly at the stroke of midnight which symbolizes joy and happiness, whilst eating 12 grapes for good fortune.

- Throwing of lentils (lentejas) in their houses or giving them to family and loved ones for abundance.

- Taking their empty suitcases for a walk around the block of their house which symbolizes that the upcoming year will be filled with travels.

- Splashing water over old objects in exchange for a new and better one in the year to come.

Surprising isn't it?
Now don't stop the fun. Let us know any other rituals you know including your country's.