My New Year’s Eves tend to be quiet, introspective nights at home. I do not like large, raucous crowds, nor am I much of a drinker. So instead I typically find a long, classic film on TCM (anything from My Fair Lady to Ben-Hur) and I fastidiously get to work on my calendars. Even in the midst of our digital age, I’m steadfastly clinging to wall calendars (one large for the kitchen, one mini for the bathroom) and a weekly engagement planner. And I force myself to wait until December 31 to fill in each of these with handwritten notes of birthdays, anniversaries, and other upcoming events for the next year. What really amps up the excitement for me is choosing the best colored pens to complement the image for each month or week’s page. I swear it’s not as sad as it sounds. But that’s just me! Good Housekeeping has done a timely roundup of New Year’s rituals observed around the world. It’s a fun, long list, and here are a few that really tickled my fancy:

The iconic ball drop, twists optional: Crowds have been gathering in New York City’s Times Square to watch the ball drop since 1907. And while the first one was just iron and wood, today you can watch a 12-foot, 11,875-pound geodisc sphere covered in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and 32,256 LEDs make its descent, even from the warmth and comfort of your own home. Or, you can see something else fall as a visual countdown to the new year: Plymouth, Wisconsin hosts a Big Cheese Drop; Kennett Square, PA uses a giant mushroom and New Orleans drops a fleur de lis (formerly a big gumbo pot). No matter what symbol is used, it does make for a dramatic countdown.

Do not try this without community consent: In Denmark, broken dishes are a good thing: people go around breaking dishware on the doorsteps of their friends and family. The more shards there are in front of your home the next day, the luckier and more well liked you are (unless you’re the one who has to sweep them all up). But try to keep it on the doorstep: “I once threw a cup at my friend’s house,” a reveler told the University of Copenhagen’s University Post. “The cup didn’t break — his window did!”

Deck the halls with boughs of… onions: To Greeks, onions are a symbol of good luck and fertility, because they sprout even when no one is paying attention to them. On New Year’s Eve, families in Greece hang bundles of onions above their doors as a means of inviting that prosperity into the home. On New Year’s Day, parents also wake up their children by gently bonking their kids on the head with the onions that were outside.

Happy moo year: Walloon and Flemish farmers in Belgium make sure everyone can get in on the festivities, and that includes the livestock. They rise early on January 1 to wish a “Happy New Year” to all the cows, horses, pigs, chickens and other farm animals. That way, they’ll have a good farming year.

Peppermint piggies: In upstate New York, they sell special peppermint pigs all throughout the holiday season. Everyone gets to take a turn hitting it with a special candy-size hammer and eating a piece for good fortune in the coming year. The peppermint is very strong, so only take a small piece. At least you’ll start the year with fresh breath!

The new year hinges on underwear color: Certain countries, especially in Latin America, believe that the color of your underwear can bring good things to you in the next 12 months. Yellow is for luck, red is for love and white undies bring peace. And for heaven’s sake, make sure they’re clean and free of holes!

Another variety of smashing at the front door: In Turkey, pomegranates are symbols of abundance. Eating them is great, sure — but if you really want a good 2024, you’ll smash the fruit on your doorstep. The more pieces there are and the farther they spread, the more prosperous you’ll be. For a little extra luck, try sprinkling salt in front of your door to bring peace.

[From Good Housekeeping]

Argh, I totally have yellow underwear! But I didn’t bring any with me to my mother’s where I’ll be until New Year’s. Anyone know what the portents are for black or leopard-print underwear? At least I’ll be prepared with the right undies for 2025. Moving on from undergarments, I am fascinated by the Greek tradition with onions. First of all, acknowledging that “they sprout even when no one is paying attention to them” just became the second reason why onions bring tears to my eyes. It’s a lovely sentiment and I understand the symbolism. What I don’t understand is the next step of waking up your kids by whacking them with the onions. I feel like we’re missing one piece of the story of how this practice evolved, no? Or maybe not, because I couldn’t help but notice how many of these global rituals involve pretty strong undertones of violence. Breaking plates, smashing fruit, hammering peppermint pigs. And the new year is just getting started! Bless those Belgian farmers for observing a peaceable tradition. Happy Moo Year, ya filthy animals!

photos credit: Shvets productions and Victor Candiani on Pexels, Ries Bosch and Shahand Babali on Unsplash