9 Popular New Year's Eve Traditions to Start 2025 Off on the Right Foot

While some holiday customs are new and trendy, New Year’s Eve traditions often take us far back in time. Historians trace the celebration of the New Year to ancient Babylon, making it a tradition over 4,000 years old. Though customs have evolved over the centuries, one thing remains clear: we love to mark the transition between years with memorable ceremonies—and a touch of superstition.

Looking for fresh ideas to celebrate with your family this year? Explore these fascinating New Year’s Eve traditions from around the globe. Many involve food to ensure prosperity, health, or abundance in the coming year. Others focus on attracting luck or warding off bad fortune, using rituals, charms, or even specific clothing choices (yes, down to your underwear!). Some traditions look ahead to the future with signs or omens, while others feature pigs as central symbols.

Whether you believe these are historical facts or fun myths, why not try one of these traditions and start 2025 with a little extra luck?

Watch Something Drop

Few countdowns are as iconic as the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square, a tradition since 1907. This year, the glittering geodesic sphere is 12 feet wide, weighs nearly six tons, and is covered in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles illuminated by over 32,000 LED lights.

But New York isn’t the only place with a dramatic drop. In Atlanta, Georgia, they lower a giant peach. Plymouth, Wisconsin, celebrates with a Big Cheese Drop, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, features a massive mushroom, and New Orleans drops a fleur de lis (formerly a gumbo pot). No matter the object, the spectacle makes for an unforgettable countdown.

Eat 12 Grapes

In Spain, it’s customary to eat one grape at each chime of the clock as midnight strikes. The belief is that finishing all 12 grapes in time ensures good luck for the coming year. But there’s a catch: as Atlas Obscura notes, you must reflect on each grape’s significance while chewing—miss even one, and bad luck could follow.

Jump Seven Waves

In Brazil, celebrating New Year’s Eve on the beach comes with an added twist. To boost your luck, step into the ocean and jump over seven waves, each representing one of the divine spirits of the Umbanda religion. Each wave also grants a wish, giving you seven reasons to get your feet wet.

Smash a Plate

While breaking dishes might spell trouble any other day, it’s a cherished tradition in Denmark. On New Year’s Eve, people smash plates on their loved ones’ doorsteps. The more broken shards you find outside your home, the luckier—and more popular—you are. Just be prepared for some cleanup!

Dream of a Future Partner

In Ireland, mistletoe isn’t just for Christmas. On New Year’s Eve, it’s said that placing mistletoe, holly, or ivy under your pillow will make you dream of your future partner. If you’re searching for love, this might be the perfect reason to hit the hay early.

Decorate With Onions

In Greece, onions aren’t just for cooking—they’re symbols of prosperity. Families hang bundles of onions above their front doors to invite good luck. On New Year’s Day, parents even use the onions to gently tap their children awake, adding a quirky layer to this tradition.

Wear White

Brazil’s New Year’s Eve beachgoers take their traditions seriously—and stylishly. Millions dress in white, a color symbolizing peace and good luck. This not only invites positive energy but also creates picture-perfect celebrations by the sea.

Make Hoppin’ John

A Southern staple, Hoppin’ John—a dish of black-eyed peas, pork, and rice—is believed to bring prosperity when eaten on New Year’s Day. Pair it with collard greens (symbolizing money) and cornbread (for gold), and you’ve got a meal full of symbolic fortune. Some families even place a penny under the dish or add extra pork to boost their luck.

Leap Into the New Year

In Denmark, tradition dictates that revelers stand on chairs and jump into January as the clock strikes midnight. Forgetting this leap is thought to bring bad luck, so make sure to add a little hop to your celebration!

From food and fashion to fun rituals, these global traditions are all about welcoming the new year with hope, joy, and good fortune. Why not try one (or a few) and make 2025 your luckiest year yet?