Over the years I've heard of some very interesting traditions to kick off the new year. You can click here to read them all from Good Housekeeping.
Watch Something Drop
The most famous one is watching something drop to countdown the new year. Like the ball drop in New York City's Times Square, a tradition that's been going on since 1907. The ball is 12 feet in diameter, weighs 11,875 pounds, and is covered in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles illuminated by 32,256 LEDs.
While that's probably the biggest and most well known of the holiday's dropping objects, it's not the only one: Atlanta, GA has used a giant peach; Plymouth, Wisconsin hosts a Big Cheese Drop; Kennett Square, PA uses a great mushroom and New Orleans drops a fleur de lis (formerly a big gumbo pot). No matter what symbol is used, it does make for a dramatic countdown.
Eat 12 Grapes
A Spanish tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one grape per clock chime. Yikes. Please don't choke.
Smash a Plate
But in Denmark, smashing plates on New Year's Eve is par for the course. In one tradition, people go around breaking dishware on the doorsteps of their friends and family. The more shards there are in front of your home the next day, the more well liked you are.
Decorate Your Front Door
In Greece, it's customary to hang bundles of onions above their doors. Why onions? To the Greeks, onions are symbols of prosperity because they sprout even when no one is paying attention to them.
Make Hoppin' John
Making and eat 'Hoppin' John.' The mix of black-eyed peas, pork and rice is delicious no matter when you eat it. According to History.com, "Hoppin’ John was, and still is, often eaten with collard greens, which can resemble paper money, and 'golden' cornbread. The peas themselves represent coins. Some families boost the potential of their Hoppin’ John by placing a penny underneath the dishes — or adding extra pork, which is thought to bring more luck."
Make a Resolution
Historians believe that the idea of a New Year's resolutions, in one form of another, dates back more than 4,000 years. They say the Babylonians, one of the first cultures to actually celebrate the changing of the year, made promises to pay debts or return borrowed objects. If they could do it, so can you.
And Resolve to Pray Every day
We can help you with that with this free devotional that offers 365 Scripture-based prayers. Click Pray The Bible for a Year for your free copy.