There are various traditions which include pomegranate and are considered as necessary good luck charms for a new year full of love, good luck and prosperity!

The Pomegranate on the Front Door

Greek families and their loved ones usually gather together on New Year’s Eve for a feast and quality time. During the holiday season, Greek families hang a pomegranate on the front door until New Year’s Eve when it will be used!

Re-entering the Home at Midnight

Just before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, the families turn off the lights and get out of the house to start the countdown. One family member, usually a child, is chosen by the owner of the house to be the first to re-enter the house (First Footer) on their right foot and bring all the good luck in the house.

Smashing a Pomegranate

Just after the First Footer re-enters the house, another family member is chosen to take the fruit and with their right hand, smash the pomegranate against the door. When the fruit is scattered on the door, the more seeds on the front door, the more luck will be brought on the house.

So, this New Year’s make sure to have your pomegranates ready in order to welcome as much luck as possible!

Happy New Year!!!

The post Welcome New Year with Luck and Pomegranates! appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

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Lavish this special night with a sumptuous gala menu at the Basilica Ballroom at the Elysium.

Menu price per person: €135.00 (without the drinks)
Dinner starts at 20:30.

For reservations, please contact us on tel. 2684 4444 or via email at
reservations@elysium.com.cy

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Good luck charms tend to have a positive effect on people as they make them more optimistic towards the upcoming year! However, sometimes they overdo it with superstitions and weird traditions 😉

Denmark: Smash plates

In an effort to ward off bad spirits and bring in happier, more positives vibes, Danish shatter unused plates and cups against their friends’ house doors. Adding to that, at midnight, they get on top of tables, chairs and any other high peak and joyfully jump their way into the New Year!

South Africa: Throw furniture out the window

South Africa for New Year’s Eve will definitely be something you will never forget as it’s not fireworks in the skies, but, furniture thrown out the window. The main belief is that the act of throwing unused out the window is a message to the universe that you have let all the bad in the past and you are ready for the positive things the future will bring!

Scotland: Be picky about your first house guest

Scottish people are quite picky when it comes to the first guest of the year! People of Isle of Man, Scotland, and parts in Northern England, prefer their first guest of the year to be a tall, dark man carrying specific presents such as whiskey, salt and shortbread in order to bring bless and good luck to the house for the New Year.

Spain: Eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds

If you step by Spain during New Year’s, you better be hungry if you want to be on good terms with the locals! According to this “tradition”, each grape symbolizes a month of the year, and you have to eat 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds of the year to be awarded with great luck!

Brazil: Wear white

Brazil is a colorful destination in terms of culture, food and of course outfits. However, when it comes to New Year’s, white is the only choice if you want good luck, adventure and wonder! While your main outfit has to be white, you are allowed to add colorful touches but you have to make a wise choice because colors have different meanings, for example yellow is about money, red brings romance, purple is about inspiration, green symbolizes health and so on!

Japan: Ring a bell 108 times

Japan is synonym to weird facts and traditions and could not be missing from our list! If you are spending New Years in the capital, or Kyoto make sure to pay attention to the bells when midnight comes! The tradition called Joya no Kane commands if Buddhist temples ring the bells 108 times, cleanness of mind, spirit, heart and body will be brought. The specific number symbolizes the 108 types of human desires. Ringing the bells means that you leave your old self and everything frustrating behind and you welcome the New Year with a clear mind and happier feelings.

Germany: Eat a sugar pig

For Germans, pigs are not just farm animals but also symbols of wealth! When it comes to New Year’s, pigs could not be missing from their customs, so it is very common to eat glücksschwein, candy in the shape of a pig so that your wallet will always be heavily filled with money.

Bolivia: Bake coins into sweets

Bolivia has a New Year’s tradition very similar to the Cypriot one, vasilopita and flouri. They bake coins into their cakes and the person who finds the coin in their slice of cake, will have a lucky and prosperous new year!

Estonia: Eating for seven

Estonians are quite the leaders of New Year’s traditions. According to their tradition, on December 31^st you must have at least 7 meals so that the New Year will find you having the strength of 7 men. Unless, you are not Estonian and you end up in the hospital with stomach aches!!

Ireland: Bang bread against the walls

Lastly, the Irish bang bread and carbs for New Year’s luck! They believe that banging bread against the walls hunts evil spirits and bad luck away, allowing for good luck to be welcomed in and also put food and bread on the table.

On this note, we want to wish you Happy New Year, filled with joy, happy smiles and love!

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The post 10 Lucky New Year’s Traditions from around the world! appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..