New Year’s Eve around the world: traditions and rituals

New Year’s Eve is the moment when people everywhere say goodbye to the past and welcome a future loaded with hope and plans. The meaning is universal, yet the ways of celebrating couldn’t be more varied. Each country adds its own flavor—rituals, symbols, and habits that mirror history and daily life. The result is a holiday that feels both familiar and wonderfully different depending on where you stand.

USA

Across the United States, New Year’s is big and bright—equal parts house parties, family time, and grand public spectacles. The day carries the feeling of a fresh start and a quiet confidence in better days ahead.

Few images capture the occasion like the crystal ball drop in New York’s Times Square. Hundreds of thousands gather to watch the glowing sphere glide down the mast in the final minute before midnight—a tradition born in 1907 that has become shorthand for the American New Year. The descent pairs with a countdown, fireworks, drifting confetti and a crowd energy that’s hard to mistake.

At midnight, people all over the country count the final seconds together. Chimes ring, fireworks flare, and crowds cheer as they wish one another a happy new year.

There’s also the midnight kiss—widely seen as a promise of good fortune and stronger bonds in the year to come.

Champagne is a staple, typically popped right at midnight to toast the moment.

Major cities—from Las Vegas to Chicago and San Francisco—stage large fireworks displays that draw big audiences. On the morning of January 1, many places host festive parades, with the Rose Parade in Pasadena standing out for its lavish flower-covered floats.

Americans love a clean slate, so resolutions are part of the ritual—goals for health, careers, relationships, or personal growth. Even when resolutions don’t stick, the simple act of setting them nudges people to think forward.

In some places, including Seattle and New York, the year begins with a polar plunge: a bracing dip in icy water meant to symbolize renewal—a literal shock into a new start.

Brazil

In Brazil, Réveillon unfolds like a glowing ribbon of music, movement and emotion. It’s a celebration of renewal and gratitude, made for warm nights and oceanside horizons.

Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro is the classic stage. Millions gather for a fireworks show that lasts about 15 minutes, lighting the sea and the city in sweeping color. Live music, samba and performances keep the energy rolling.

Wearing white is a central tradition tied to Afro-Brazilian beliefs and the sea goddess Yemanjá. The color is seen as a blessing, calling in luck, harmony and peace.

Along the coast, people make offerings to Yemanjá—flowers, candles, fruit or tiny boats set on the water in search of her favor. If the waves carry the gifts away, it’s considered a good sign.

There’s also the ritual of jumping seven waves, each leap tied to a wish for the year ahead.

In big cities like São Paulo, Salvador and Brasília, large public parties fill the streets. Fireworks are non-negotiable.

Mexico

Mexico’s Año Nuevo blends joy with symbolism. It’s a time to be thankful for the year behind, to hope for better, and to encourage wishes to take root—drawing on Spanish heritage, local customs and timeworn superstitions.

As in Spain, people eat 12 grapes with the chimes at midnight, one for each month and each tied to a wish.

Color matters, even down to what you wear:

Red for love and passion.

Yellow for wealth and financial luck.

Green for health.

White for peace and harmony.

Some even choose the color of their underwear to match the year they want.

If travel is the dream, there’s the suitcase ritual: at midnight, take a bag and walk it around the house, inviting journeys near or far.

Homes are cleaned in the run-up to New Year’s, and at night people sweep as a symbolic way of pushing out the bad luck of the past year—sometimes even taking the dust outside to leave it behind for good.

Festive tables glow with candles in different colors—red for love, green for money, white for peace, yellow for health—lit at midnight to accompany prayers or quiet wishes.

Some hold coins in their hands as the new year arrives to attract prosperity. Others drop a gold ring into a glass of champagne for a promise of abundance.

Celebrations unfold both at home and in the streets, where music, dancing and decorations spill into the night.

January 1 is more serene—family visits and time in church to give thanks and ask for blessings.

South Africa

In South Africa, New Year’s is vibrant, colorful and outdoorsy—fueled by music, dancing and a patchwork of traditions that reflect the country’s diversity.

The warm weather invites open-air festivities on beaches, in parks and out on city streets. Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban host large events and festivals.

In Cape Town, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a favorite spot for concerts, performances and light-filled shows.

One of the best-known traditions is the Cape Town Minstrel Parade, “Kaapse Klopse,” on January 2. Dressed in bright costumes, troupes sing, dance and march through the streets—a celebration with roots linked to the end of slavery that now stands for joy and freedom.

Music drives the night: African drums, jazz, gospel and pop fill the air as people dance into the early hours.

In some areas, there’s a symbolic shedding of the old—people get rid of unwanted items, even burning them, to leave negativity behind and meet the new year with a clean slate.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia marks the new year differently from most countries, following its own calendar rooted in ancient Alexandrian reckoning. Enkutatash falls on September 11 (or September 12 in a leap year), right as the rainy season ends—a moment that stands for renewal and fertility, and carries special weight in Ethiopian culture.

The Ethiopian calendar runs seven to eight years behind the Gregorian one, so Enkutatash opens a new year by a different count. The holiday is tied to the return of the Queen of Sheba after her visit to King Solomon.

It coincides with the first blooms of spring. Bright yellow meskel flowers dot valleys and hills, a living emblem of rebirth and joy—often shared as gifts among family and friends.

There’s a strong religious core: on the eve of Enkutatash, people go to church to give thanks and seek blessings for the year ahead. The morning service draws both adults and children.

Children play a central role—dressed in their best, they go door to door in groups, singing traditional songs and receiving treats, money or small gifts in return. It’s a cousin to caroling, with an Ethiopian signature.

Families gather for music, dance and a festive table. Traditional dances, including the shoulder-driven eskista, bring a warm sense of togetherness.

In some regions, homes are refreshed and decorated with flowers before the holiday—a quiet way of welcoming what’s new.

Australia

In Australia, New Year’s rides in on summer air—celebrated outdoors on beaches, in parks and along waterfronts. The spirit is relaxed, sociable and big on spectacle.

Sydney’s fireworks are the headline act. The harbor show, set against the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, is among the world’s most elaborate. Thousands line the foreshore and parklands to watch.

There are two displays: a family-friendly burst at 9 p.m. and the main show at midnight, with millions more watching live on screens elsewhere.

Beaches are a natural gathering place—Bondi in Sydney and St Kilda in Melbourne become party hubs with picnics, barbecues, games and dancing.

Barbecue culture shines: steaks, seafood (especially prawns), sausages and veggies hit the grill as families and friends linger late into the evening.

Music festivals are part of the fabric, including the multi-city Falls Festival, where international and local acts help set the tone for the year ahead.

Plenty of people head for national parks to spend the turn of the year in nature—quiet, unhurried and away from city noise.

The countdown to midnight is a shared heartbeat, and in some places traditions go local: in Tasmania, many watch the fireworks from boats; smaller towns host street parties with music and dancing.

New Zealand

New Zealand welcomes the new year in summer, often among postcard landscapes. Thanks to its time zone, it’s one of the first places on earth to turn the calendar—so the global celebration often takes its cue from here.

Outdoor gatherings are the norm: beaches, parks and lakes serve as living rooms for picnics, barbecues and water fun.

Popular spots such as Mount Maunganui Beach, Rotorua and Fiordland National Park draw locals and visitors alike, with parties, concerts and fireworks adding color.

Music festivals are part of the DNA. Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne—an open-air favorite—draws younger crowds and is among the earliest large-scale New Year events. Northern Bass in Northland caters to fans of electronic music. Big-name and homegrown performers build a mood of freedom and celebration.

For Māori, the traditional new year, Matariki, falls in June with the rise of the Pleiades. The modern New Year has its place too, and some families weave in cultural elements—songs, the haka, and moments of gratitude to nature and ancestors.

Many people choose campgrounds and multi-day hikes for a slower welcome to the year.

After the night’s festivities, January 1 tends to be calm—time with family, or a simple beach day under the sun.

Russia

In Russia, New Year’s is one of the most cherished holidays—time to gather, say farewell to the old, and welcome the new with a touch of wonder.

The New Year tree is the centerpiece, decorated days in advance with ornaments, lights, a star or spire on top, tinsel and figurines. Children and adults often dance around it, and gifts wait underneath for midnight or the morning of January 1.

Ded Moroz, the Grandfather Frost, brings presents, helped by his granddaughter Snegurochka. He’s easy to spot—long blue or red coat, felt boots and a tall staff, distinct from the Western Santa image.

The holiday table matters: classic dishes include Olivier salad, herring under a fur coat, mandarins and champagne.

The countdown peaks with the Kremlin chimes on the Spasskaya Tower, broadcast nationwide. Minutes before midnight, the President addresses the country; then the 12 chimes ring, and people make their wishes.

After that, toasts and fireworks take over. People embrace and wish one another happiness, health and success in the coming year.

Gifts for family and friends are exchanged on New Year’s Eve or the holiday itself. Children often find surprises under the tree from Ded Moroz.

City squares across the country host public celebrations with trees, light installations and ice sculptures—crowds join in dances, games and watch more fireworks.

Long winter holidays follow, lasting until January 7—Orthodox Christmas—a stretch devoted to rest, family time, outdoor fun and folk festivities.

For many, New Year’s is also a moment for wishes and plans—setting goals and trusting in a fresh start.

Estonia

In Estonia, Uusaasta blends old and new. People mark the holiday with family, friends or at public events, trading farewells to the past year for hope in the next.

By tradition, the New Year table should feature seven, nine or twelve dishes—numbers believed to bring luck. The idea is simple: the more you eat, the more strength and good fortune you’ll carry into the year. But plates shouldn’t be emptied completely—leaving a little is a promise of abundance at home.

Midnight is the high point. Estonians listen for the chimes on TV or radio, then fireworks streak across the sky in towns and villages alike.

Families step outside to watch, or set off their own—one of those small moments that becomes a bright memory.

There’s a belief in the night’s quiet magic, and a few rituals to match:

— Making wishes at the stroke of midnight, with the faith they’ll come true.

— Pouring melted wax into cold water and reading the shapes as hints about the future.

In some places, people change into new or freshly washed clothes before midnight to meet the year renewed, leaving the old behind.

Many celebrate at home over a cozy table; afterward, it’s common to visit friends or join street festivities.

To invite good luck, some also follow simple customs:

— Opening doors and windows before midnight to let the old year out and the new one in.

— Raising a glass of champagne at midnight to greet the year properly.

Tallinn and Tartu host large public celebrations with concerts, dancing and light shows. In Tallinn, Town Hall Square is a favorite place to gather for the chimes.