How People Around the World Are Manifesting Luck for the New Year
Now just days away, people all over the planet are getting ready for the start of a new year.
As 2026 continues to draw near, here are five traditions to ring in the New Year with.
Eating black-eyed peas
Considered a vital tradition for Black Americans, eating black-eyed peas, along with collard greens, cornbread and Hoppin ’John, for the New Year manifests both prosperity and health. The shape of the black-eyed peas themselves represents wealth through their likeness to monetary coins. These recipes are also associated with keeping evil away from the household and preventing families from separation. Representing hope, black-eyed peas are mainly associated with new opportunities and doorways.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Clean the house
In many countries, such as Puerto Rico, cleaning the house signifies clearing out the bad and starting the new year fresh. It’s important to note that any cleaning must be done around 10 days before the New Year begins to ward off bad luck. In some cultures, people believe that cleaning the day before or on New Year’s Day could potentially rid the house of good fortune. According to Chinese culture, a deep clean could sweep away all their good luck. For some, it could signify the passing of a loved one.
Place three potatoes under each bed
Cultures such as Colombian and Peruvian cultures consider it good luck to place one peeled, one half-peeled, and one unpeeled potato under a bed, sofa, or chair. Each potato is associated with one’s future financial situation. At midnight, families reach under the piece of furniture to pick a potato. The potatoes will eventually determine their financial future for the upcoming New Year. An unpeeled potato signifies a poor financial year, while a half-peeled potato represents an average situation. The unpeeled potato is the desired outcome as it signifies a prosperous financial year ahead.
Eat 12 grapes
Considered one of the most popular New Year's traditions, eating 12 grapes originated in Spain and has since been adopted in various Latin American countries. The grapes must all be consumed at the stroke of midnight when the new year officially begins. Each piece represents one of the 12 upcoming months. Typically eaten at home after the Nochevieja dinner or in main squares in Spain, by consuming all 12 grapes, people can attract good luck and prosperity while also warding off evil.
Bang bread against the wall
In Ireland, the New Year is celebrated with bread. It is tradition to bang bread against the walls of their home to ward off evil, shake off bad luck and welcome an abundant food supply for the year. Through doing so, families will start the year off with a clean slate.