Yet another year is drawing to a close, and there seems to be no end in sight to the pandemic. With the Omicron COVID-19 variant cases showing an upward trend, being hopeful about a healthier new year seems a little hard, but hope is what helps us survive.

A new year means a fresh start -- both professionally and personally. Many a time, a fresh start has been associated with some superstitions or traditions that promise to get us to start and complete the year on a positive note.

These traditions have long found their place in the New Year checklist of many communities and are observed when the clock strikes midnight. Kickstarting the New Year with these weird decades-spanning traditions has become a norm now, and bonus points for someone who does all of them.

These traditions or superstitions are anything but random. Things like eating 12 grapes and shuttling around the house with a suitcase are rooted in the old wives' tales. Below are 10 such long-practiced superstitions that are not viewed as paranoia, but as a precaution against all evil.

Carry an empty suitcase around the house: It is believed that walking around the block with a suitcase is likely to open up more chances of traveling to places around the year.

Put the right foot ahead first: You may see people starting off the New Year by putting their right foot ahead -- a tradition that is believed to be the harbinger of peace, hope and joy.

Wear the underwear inside out: Once you have made up your mind on what color underwear to put on, make sure it's worn inside out because it reflects you will never run short of clothes throughout the year. Don't forget to swap it back after midnight.

Throw a bucket of water outside the house: Many Latin families perform this ritual alongside cleaning their house from top to bottom as a metaphoric act of throwing the evil out.

Eat 12 grapes at midnight: Aside from the bite-sized snacks and champagne, munch on 12 grapes, each representing a month, to make sure you bask in good luck throughout the year.

Clean the house: Cleaning the house is also a popular new year tradition, which means you are sweeping the negativity out of your life.

Keep cash in your wallet: Ensure your wallet has a bit of cash, which supposedly guarantees monetary benefits in the coming year.

Eat a handful of lentils: Grabbing a handful of lentils, cooking them and eating them at any point on Dec. 31 is believed to be the harbinger of prosperity in the year ahead.

Light candles on New Year's Eve: Pick candles of three colors -- red for love, yellow for finance and green for good health -- and light them to ensure things fall in the right places.

Eat pork: In several cultures, the pig is associated with good luck, and therefore consuming pork during New Year's Eve is a widely observed ritual across the world.

New Year’s Eve souvenirs are sold in Times Square in New York
New Year’s Eve souvenirs are sold in Times Square in New York AFP / Bryan R. Smith
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