If you have ever been to a Latino household on New Year’s Eve, then you know there are many strange, yet exciting traditions that occur throughout the night. My family is from Venezuela, and almost every New Year’s Eve my parents throw a party with some wild and definitely unique traditions. There may be different variations of these Latin customs, but here are the ones that are always necessary for our household:
Eating 12 grapes
In the last 12 seconds before the ball drops, you try and eat a grape per second. This is actually a lot harder than it sounds- imagine chubby bunny but everyone is wearing nice clothes, grapes are falling on the floor, and people are yelling to welcome the New Year. If you don’t feel like having your New Year’s kiss with a mouth full of grapes, you can eat them after the ball drops. Just know you’re missing out on a hilarious challenge and priceless photo-op.
Running with a suitcase
After the ball drops, you grab an empty suitcase and run around to bring good travels in the upcoming year. In my house, this typically means running around the neighborhood yelling at the top of your lungs with some luggage in our hand– even in death-defying temperatures. We know we look crazy, but nothing can stop us from the promise of a great vacation.
Yellow and Red Underwear
It’s common to wear yellow underwear for good luck and wealth, or red underwear if you want to find love and romance in the New Year. Even if no one else sees it, this little secret will ensure that you’ll get what you dress for this coming year.
Inside-Out Underwear
Along with wearing underwear of certain colors, it should be worn inside-out or backward during New Year’s Eve. As silly as it sounds, this is supposed to bring you a great wardrobe in the new year.
Wearing White
Whether it’s the color of your dress or the clip in your hair, wearing white is considered good luck on this festive eve.
Cleaning the house
On New Year’s Eve you clean the house, which is meant to literally scrub away the past year. This gives you a clean slate to welcome a promising new year, and as a bonus, you have a cleaner house too!
Call them strange or crazy, but these are the customs I grew up with and they make each New Year’s Eve that much more interesting. Every New Year’s Eve people wish for a better year than the last, and for me the best way to kick off a new year is dancing all night with the people I love and guzzling grapes as the clock strikes midnight.
