10 Of The Strangest New Year’s Traditions

New Year’s is just one of those occasions that seem to receive a bit more hype than necessary. People seen to make giant resolutions that they break almost instantly, and the urge to party seems to be at an all-time high. It probably has to do with the passing off time, making people feel like they have lost yet another year of their life. Every country in the world seems to have their own unique New Year’s tradition, and this list looks at 10 of the strangest ones from around the world.

Mind That Threshold

People in Scotland believe that the first person who crosses the threshold of their home in the new year should get them a gift for good luck.

Furniture Chucking

Some South African people welcome the new year by throwing furniture out of their window.

Water And Talc

In Thailand, people celebrate New Year’s by throwing buckets of water on each other and smearing each other with gray talc.

Burning Effigies

Burning effigies of famous people is the way Panamanians choose to celebrate their New Year.

Bread Protection

The Irish hit the walls of their house with bread in order to ward off evil spirits and ensure a great year ahead.

Seven Meal Course

Estonians seem to have a great tradition for New Year’s. The eat seven times on the day in order to ensure abundance over the course of the year.

Casting The Future

People in Finland try to predict the fortunes of their coming year by casting molten tin into a bucket of water and trying to interpret the resulting shape that is formed.

Cow Whisperer

Romanian farmers spend their New Year’s trying to talk to their cows. If they succeed in communicating though, it means it is going to be a bad year for them.

Trunks Of Fury

Siberian folk celebrate New Year’s by carrying tree trunks into frozen lakes.

Night With The Dead

People in Chile celebrate the occasion by spending the night at the cemetery with their deceased loved ones.