6 Weird New Year Traditions from Around the World

While many celebrate the onset of a New Year by attending parties and getting sloshed, there are others who welcome the New Year by throwing away furniture or by wearing pink underwear!

Here are six unusual New Year traditions from around the world.

Carrying Suitcases: Before the clock strikes 12am, Chileans can be seen walking around their homes carrying empty suitcases. They do so hoping that the upcoming year will provide them ample opportunities to travel. It is believed that the faster one walks, the farther he will travel.

Wearing Coloured Underwear: Securing happiness by wearing colourful undergarments is part of Mexico's strange New Year tradition. It is believed that people looking for luck should wear yellow underwear and those looking for love should sport red ones.
In Argentina, wearing pink underwear on New Year's Eve is believed to attract true love.

Throwing Away Furniture: Another whacky tradition involves throwing away old things such as utensils, clothes and even furniture before the dawn of a new year. This tradition is prevalent among the residents of Johannesburg as they believe that throwing away old things will pave the way for something new.

Plate Smashing: In Italy, plates and pottery items are smashed to ward off evil spirits, while in Denmark it is common to find smashed plates on one's front door on New Year's Day. These smashed plates are left behind as a sign of affection.

First-Footing: This is a tradition probably dating back to the Viking days where the first visitor on New Year's should be tall and dark and he should come bearing whiskey, bread and coal.

Whispering Animals: Farmers in Belgium and Romania can be seen wishing their farm animals on New Year's Day. In Romania, some farmers try to hear their animals talk on New Year's Eve, as it is believed that animals get the power of speech that one day. But it is considered bad luck if farmers manage to decipher the animal talk.