As the New Year approaches, many people all around the world will now begin preparing for their unique New Year’s traditions. People will buy numerous items to help celebrate the new year. Some will go to Times Square where they can view the ball drop in person while others will watch it drop on T.V. Aside from the United States, how is New Year’s celebrated elsewhere around the world?

New Year’s is a holiday where traditions vary from country to country and from state from state. In Denmark for example, people there will gather old dishes throughout the year, and then break these dishes at their friend’s front door. Residents will allow the dish piles to add up; in the end the person with the largest pile supposedly has the most friends.

In China, the people there will paint their front doors red to symbolize happiness and good luck in the new year.

People in Puerto Rico will clean everything, and throw buckets of water out their windows to do away with any bad luck.

In Switzerland, the people will randomly throw ice cream on the ground and simply leave it there for the new year.

In Brasil, millions of visitors and locals will line the city’s beaches, throwing flowers into the waves at midnight for the African sea goddess Yemanjá. Then they party.

Finally in Spain, people will swallow 12 grapes- one for each stroke of the clock at midnight. Finishing the grapes is considered to be a sign of good luck for the following year.

After just a small look at the variations of New Year’s traditions around the world, one may see just how different New Year’s can be celebrated from country to county or from state to state. So, enjoy and celebrate your New Year in any way you wish – just remember to have fun and to keep your New Year’s resolutions.