9 Unique New Year Traditions From Around The World

New Year is one of the biggest celebrations around the world. Fireworks displays, parties, and countdowns to midnight are some of the most common ways to celebrate, but some cultures have their own unique practices and traditions when welcoming the new year.

From wearing polka dots to walking around the neighborhood with a suitcase, here are some of the unique ways that people from different parts of the world ring in the new year, courtesy -- Culture Trip, Live Science, and Life Hack.org.

Plate Smashing — Denmark

New Year in Denmark is not just about getting luck for oneself but passing it on as well. This is because the Danish have a tradition of smashing a plate onto the door of a friend or neighbor to bring them good luck in the coming year. The more broken plates at the doorstep, the more luck the person will have in the new year.

Dropping Cream For Luck — Switzerland

New Year is that special time when it's okay in Switzerland to drop food on the floor and keep it there on purpose. Evidently, there is a Swiss tradition of dropping a dollop of cream on the floor on New Year's day and letting it stay there to bring good luck in the new year.

Traveling Light — Colombia and Ecuador

Anyone who likes to travel may want to try this tradition in Colombia and Ecuador. In these countries, people walk around with a suitcase with them on New Year's Eve in hopes of having more trips in the coming year.

Having Round Fruits And Wearing Polka Dots — Philippines

In the Philippines, there is a custom of having a set of 12 round fruits. Each fruit represents a month of the year, with the round shapes symbolizing coins or money to attract good fortune and prosperity in the new year.

Similarly, wearing polka-dotted clothing is also considered lucky since the round polka dots, also representing coins or money, are believed to attract prosperity.

Avoiding Chicken — Brazil

While many traditions focus on what to wear or eat for good luck, a tradition in Brazil fixates on what particular food to avoid. As Live Science explained, some people in Brazil avoid eating chicken in the first few minutes of the new year because chickens "scratch the Earth backward." According to tradition, eating poultry could then lead a person to move backward in life instead of forward. As such, chickens are avoided in the new year.

Engaging In New Year 'Fight Club' — Peru

A new year tradition in a village in Peru wipes the slate clean in a rather unique way. There, people essentially engage in a fistfight to resolve their issues and differences. This way, they can begin the new year with a fresh start, albeit with some bumps and bruises.

Hiding Knives — China

Chinese people sometimes choose to hide their knives in the New Year so that people won't cut themselves. Although this just sounds like practical advice, Life Hack.org explained that this is because of the belief that cutting could affect the entire family's luck in the coming year.

Placing Mistletoe Under The Pillow — Ireland

Mistletoes aren't just for surprise kisses in Ireland. There, single women who would like to have a husband in the coming year place mistletoe under their pillow.

Talking To Animals — Romania

According to Life Hack.org, there is a tradition in Romania where farmers try to "communicate" with their animals on New Year. It's not clear how exactly they do this but those who prove to be successful are believed to have good luck in the new year.

While such traditions may seem unusual to other people, they are a part of the many wonderful cultures of the world. And as different they may seem, many of them actually have a common theme that transcends the differences: the hope that the coming year will be better and more prosperous than the previous one.