Magic numbers, lucky colors and lucky rituals: the New Year in the world is truly Original

There are many ancient and modern traditions to celebrate New Year's Eve in the world: if on the night of December 31st you are lucky enough to find yourself in a new latitude, here are some tips from Original Marines to adapt to local customs and celebrate the beginning of the new year in the best possible way.

Magic numbers

12 is one of the most popular lucky numbers. In Spain and in many Central American countries such as Venezuela and Costa Rica there are 12 propitious berries, one for each month of the year: it is traditional to eat one every second before midnight. In Caracas the cathedral bells ring 12 times at midnight in the new year. In the Philippines, it is good to put 12 round fruits representing coins on the table as a symbol of prosperity.

Lucky colors

Fashion is made up of colors but the New Year is no joke either. In Italy and in many European countries it is customary to wear red underwear on New Year's Eve as a good luck amulet. But this is not the case everywhere: in many Central American countries the lucky color is yellow. Celebrating in Mexico City as in Santiago de Chile you will find many decorations, festoons and yellow balloons. In Brazil, the lucky color is the one that encloses them all: on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro more than two million people arrive dressed completely in white every year.

Rituals brings good luck

There are many original rituals by which peoples from all over the world metaphorically leave the past year behind. In Argentina, on December 31, it is customary to tear old documents and throw scraps of paper out of the window, as if they were confetti. In Ireland, people knock on the walls of the house with loaves to invoke good luck, while in Japan, Shinto faithful leave wooden tablets near the temple, with wishes and goals for the new year written on them. Some Christmas traditions border on the end of the year: in Algeria, children write letters to parents with good intentions and wishes for the new year. In Russia, Grandpa Frost, a character from Soviet folklore, brings gifts together with his daughter, the Snow Maiden. A nice couple don't you think? In Bangladesh, 31 December is the most romantic day of the year: many couples get married on New Year's Eve, with gargantuan celebrations that begin in the old year and end at the dawn of the new one.

Going beyond traditions, whatever the place where you celebrate New Year's Eve you just need to be close to those you love most, because in the end they are the real lucky charm and who makes us happy... and those who are happy on New Year's Eve are happy all year round.

Happy New Year from Original Marines.