The year is coming to a close and for the last party of 2015 everyone around the world has their own way to see the last moments of the year out and the first moments of the new year in. As you’re planning your own New Year’s Eve party for this week why not consider including some of these unique, worldly traditions in with the fun and excitement that you’ve always brought to your home at the New Year? Your friends and family are sure to love taking part in these new traditions and your party is definitely going to be remembered through all of 2016.
The Buffet Spread
Though your kitchen is probably just starting to recover from the hectic holiday demands that just passed, a lavish New Year’s Eve buffet is always a welcome inclusion as you watch the ball drop. Have some fun and add some symbolism and good luck to your party’s food offerings by featuring dishes of pasta (symbolizing long life in Chinese culture) and leafy greens like salads (both to represent money and to get a headstart on that New Year’s resolution for better health).
The Snack Tables
While the main event for your food may be the buffet you spread out in your dining room, having small trays of snacks and treats throughout the house is a great way to keep your guests happy the whole night through. In keeping with the symbolism which food represents in your main buffet, feature some grapes to pay homage to the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes (1 with each chime of midnight) to get a taste for the months ahead.
Make Some Noise
Almost everybody greets midnight on New Year’s Day with cheers, noisemakers, and song but few know where the tradition first came from. Next to your tray of noisemakers in the living room leave a small note describing the history of the tradition in a variety of Asian cultures to frighten the bad spirits which lingered around the house from staying into the new year. It’s sure to inspire some of your guests to ring in the New Year with more fervor and excitement than ever.
Open Up for Luck
Superstitions around the world speak of how important it is to let the old year exit before the new one gets underway. In response homeowners in Italy have been known to throw open their windows in the minutes leading up to midnight and even to toss old junk out to free up space and opportunity in their home in the new year. Similarly, an old Scottish tradition holds that the house should be emptied at midnight as everyone inside carries the old year away and ushers the new year in. According to the traditions of Scotland’s Hogmanay celebration, the first person to enter the home in the new year should be a tall, dark, and handsome man who carries bread for sustenance, coins for wealth, and coal for warmth.
Drinks, Kisses, and Remembrance
The whole of New Year’s Eve celebrations ultimately come down to the countdown to midnight and it’s no surprise that countless traditions hinge upon that moment when a year ends and a new one takes its place. Most famously, people in America celebrate the ball dropping by popping champagne, singing Auld Lang Syne, and kissing a loved one. All of these traditions have their own meaning and importance which most overlook, however. This year as your New Year’s Eve party reaches the final moments of 2015 keep the meaning of your celebrations in mind and (with some luck) 2016 is sure to be just as magical and joyous as its very first moment.
