Odd New Years Traditions

Photo:  Photo Source: Ebay

Want to travel more in the next year?  A New Year's tradition in Mexico is to grab an empty suitcase and walk around the block at midnight.  (Source)

As a kid a New Year's tradition in Indiana was new sheets and pillowcases and you put a shiny penny in the pillowcase for luck.   

As an adult living in Fort Wayne the had a large population of German immigrants, a tradition is to have pork and cooked cabbage or sauerkraut on New Years Day.  Also, Cornbread is another tradition on New Year's Day and people from the South sometimes have collard greens and blackeyed peas.

In honor of some of the stranger traditions, I thought I would do a round up of some.  Visit the sites below to learn more about odd New Years traditions aroung the world 


Oddee.com:  10 Weird New Year's Eve Traditions Around the World

1. Denmark: Dishes thrown for luck
2. Italy:  Wear red underwear for good fortune
3. Greece:  First person in to door of the new year must use their right foot and smash a pomegranite on the floor while wishing you well.
4. Germany:  Watch the English Comedy Sketch "Dinner for One"
5. Spain: Eating a Grape with Each Toll of the Bell the first minute of the year.
6. Finland:  Melt a piece of tin and drop in cold water.
7. Panama:   Scarecrow public figures are burned in effigy
8. Belarus:  Odd games to determine which young woman will be married 
9. United States & Canada:   Dive into sub-zero temperature lakes, ponds, or swimming pools.   (Is called being part of the "Polar Bear Club" - in some locations, there are actual clubs with membership that do this each year).
10. Mexico:  Carry an empty suitcase at midnight around the block

Others not mentioned above, but in a post on Lovelyish.com 

• Denmark:  Leaping off of furniture
•  Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia:  Wear yellow underwear
• Greece:  A Vasilopita cake is baked with a coin inside and served starting with oldest person; whoever gets the coin has good luck
• Austria:  Everyone waltzes at midnight
• Austria an d Germany - same as Finland above, but with link to was shapes mean
• Ireland - Unmarried women putting mistletoe in their pillowcases
• Ireland - Banging bread against the wall to ward off evil spirits.

Check out the link on  Lovelyish.com for more details.

If you have any New Years traditions, or  you know of any that are not on the list, which I am sure there are many, please share in a comment and have a happy and safe New Year:)

"HOLIDAY CAB" - FREE CAB ON NEW YEAR'S EVE

On New Year's eve for the 24th year in Fort Wayne, Indiana, "Holiday Cab" program is offering free cab rides from 8pm New Years Eve to 3am New Years Day  from a business or party within a 10-mile radius of downtown Fort Wayne (if farther additional mileage will be charged) to prevent impaired driving.  The number to call is 460-4710. 

It is sponsored by AALCO Distributing Co., Deluxe Taxi Co., Anheuser-Busch InBev, Communication Networks, UAW CAP Council and the Tavern Owner's Association and other cities across the U.S. such as the following:

Alameda, Berkley, Oakland, San Franciso, and Sacramento, CA
Washington, DC
Utica, NY, Jefferson, LA
Wheeling, West Virginia
San Antonio, TX  

Check you local paper or new station site to see if there is something offered in your area, or if you know of any not indicated, please feel free to put them in the comments section.  

In the following cities, MillerLiteFreeRides is offering free bus rides to partygoers.

• Chicago
• Madison
• Milwaukee
• Waukesha
• Minneapolis/St. Paul

Have a happy and safe New Year!