As you make your plans to ring in 2023, consider partaking in one of the New Year’s traditions from around the world. The past few years have truly been unlike any other, but one thing has been clear: Certain practices are now more important than ever, as they keep us grounded and remind us of the future ahead (and what to look out for, if you’re following any New Year’s superstitions).
Travel isn’t an option for everyone around this time of year, so we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite New Year’s traditions from cultures all over the globe. Pick one that lends itself to virtual celebration, or ask a few friends to join in the fun. Make traditional New Year’s food while you reminisce over the best songs of 2022, give each other New Year’s gifts, or just start a new tradition and watch some of the best New Year’s movies instead.
May 2023 be a year of good fortune with a generous dose of sanity. And don’t forget to make those New Year’s resolutions. We all need all the good luck we can get!
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1. United States: Watching the ball drop
Millions of Americans gather around their television sets (or on the streets of Times Square, despite freezing temps) to watch the ball drop at the stroke of midnight each year. Kicking off in 1907 to ring in January 1908, New York Times owner Adolph Ochs created the event to draw attention to the Times’s new headquarters, and it’s been an annual spectacle and one of the most popular New Year’s Eve celebrations ever since.
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2. Brazil: Heading to the beach
“In Brazil, people usually go to the beach since it’s the summer there. Immediately after midnight, you’re supposed to jump seven waves while making seven wishes,” says Hudson Bohr, a Brazilian photographer based in NYC. The tradition is rooted in paying homage to Yemanja, the goddess of water. “Before you get in the water, you’re supposed to wear all white, as it symbolizes purity.”
