As the New Year approaches, read about some common and popular New Year superstitions believed by people around the world. These are some really strange superstitions. People welcome the New Year with excitement and want the New Year to be good, hence the belief in these age old superstitions.

New Year is celebrated with great pomp and splendour in different parts of the world. People all over the world rejoice and welcome the New Year with celebrations. However there are some New Year superstitions believed by many people across the globe.

These are some of the popular and common New Year superstitions.

Make lots of Noise

Make lots of noise to scare away the evil spirits lurking around. People celebrate by bursting loud crackers to scare away the devils. Evil spirits hate loud noise and hence people explode fireworks and cheer aloud to send the evil spirits away. It is for this reason that church bells are rung at midnight. People want to begin the New Year free from evil spirits.

Newborn babies are Lucky

It is believed that babies born on New Year are extremely fortunate and lucky. It is said that babies born on the first day of the New Year will have good luck in their life. Not only that, they also bring good luck to the family they are born in.

Avoid Crying

If you cry on New Years’ for a sad reason you will have sadness all throughout the year. Crying on the first day of the year must be avoided. One must always be happy and in good spirits on this day.

Wear new clothes

It is believed that if you wear new clothes on the first day of the year, you will get many more new clothes during the year. What a lovely superstition right?

People prefer to wear red clothes because they feel red is a colour which symbolizes happiness and a bright future.

12 Grapes at New Years

Twelve grapes are eaten at midnight, each grape symbolizing a different month. If luckily your grapes are very sweet, then it means that specific month will also be sweet and pleasant. And if your grapes turn out sour, then you know the month will not be so good too. So, hope that the grapes are sweet!

Do not Break Anything

Do not break anything on this day as it sets the pattern for the entire year. Breaking things on this day is considered a bad omen as it signals destruction in the coming year. So be careful!

Let the Old Year Out

All doors and windows must be opened at midnight to let out the old year. Keep doors and windows open at midnight to let the old year leave and usher in the fresh New Year.

Avoid washing Dishes and Laundry

Do not wash dishes and do the laundry or there could be a death in your house that year. The theory behind it being that as you wash the dishes or laundry, you ‘wash away’ the person.

Clear away Debts

Pay away all your debts before New Year’s Eve as the New Year should not begin with the household in debt. Clear away all your loans, bills and debts so that you do not have any debts left for New Year. Do not also lend money or other precious items on this day as that would mean a year spent loaning out money.

Being stocked up

Keeping your purses and wallets full of money, and keeping cupboards stocked with food is said to bring prosperity and luck in the New Year.

First Footing

The first person to enter your house after midnight should be greeted warmly. The first footer should ideally be dark-haired, tall and good-looking. It should not be a woman and must not be a person who has eyebrows meeting in the middle. The first footer also known as the ‘Lucky Bird’ influences the kind of year you are going to have.

Black eyed peas New Year

Eating black eyed peas (Lobia in Hindi) on the first day of the New Year signifies a good and prosperous forthcoming year.

Another food which should be consumed on New Years Eve is lentil soup and pork. These foods are considered ‘lucky’. Chicken should not be eaten on the first day of the year.

These are some of the strange superstitions followed by people on New Year Day.