Forget the resolutions, start off 2024 with a good luck ritual — and a side of champagne.
Superstitious celebrators are kicking off the new year by partaking unusual traditions to herald good fortune, such as munching on grapes underneath the table, adorning front doors with onions, and smashing dishes and pomegranates.
Don’t believe it? Once-skeptic TikTokers who tried their hand at such New Year’s Eve customs have revealed their prosperous year as a result, saying they’ve found love and enjoyed a slew of unforgettable experiences in 2023.
So, if it wasn’t your year, why not attempt to usher in good fortune in 2024 with these rituals?
Downing 12 grapes at midnight is said to bring good luck for each month of the year, according to Spanish lore.
The vine fruit is meant to be eaten in succession timed with the 12 bell chimes at midnight — if they are not consumed by the 12th bell, you may be out of luck, literally. But partaking in the superstition underneath a table adds another layer of good fortune; it is believed that by doing so, you will find love.
In Greece, hanging onions outside the front door is supposed to symbolize rebirth. While smelly, the vegetable’s layers represent peeling away the old to reveal the new.
According to Metro, Greek tradition also calls for parents to wake their children on New Year’s Day by lightly bopping them on the head with an onion.
Let out some frustration while welcoming in the new year by smashing plates outside of your loved one’s homes to manifest good fortune for them. The more plates, the more luck, lore has it.
In Estonia, New Year’s Day is for more than fighting a nasty hangover — instead, it’s intended to be spent chowing down on an all-you-can-eat buffet.
That’s right, tradition has it that, on Jan. 1, you should eat as many meals as equate to your lucky numbers, whether that’s three, seven, or, like Taylor Swift, 13.
Hauling an empty piece of luggage supposedly manifests more travel in the new year, according to Colombian tradition, and it often involves taking a few laps around the block.
If you’ve got some unused chairs or a loveseat to spare, this New Year’s ritual calls for tossing them outside — at least in Italy.
The proper way to participate in the tradition would be to chuck the pieces off a balcony or out of a window at midnight, however, simply putting it outside symbolizes throwing out the old and welcoming the new.
Berliners — German, jam-filled donuts, also referred to as Krapfen — are said to be good luck, and, while they are available all year round, it is tradition to eat the pastry on New Year’s Eve or Day.
If jelly isn’t your jam, the delectable desserts can also be filled with chocolate or cream instead.
People in Turkey believe that smashing pomegranates in front of your home will bring fruitfulness in the new year, since the fruit represents prosperity.
In fact, since the pomegranate represents abundance, this ritual is often performed at various celebrations of new beginnings, such as a wedding.
Circles are a symbol of abundance in the Philippines — the coin, of course, is round — which is why on New Year’s, they wear polka dots, collect round items or consume spherical foods, such as fruits.
While no one will likely see you participate in this tradition — unless you’re lucky — wearing a certain color of undergarments is thought to usher in prosperity, happiness or love, depending on the hue.
While black clothing is believed to be bad luck, white manifests peace and red could help singles find their soulmate in 2024.