Crazy New Year’s Superstitions

Don’t Cry On New Year’s Day

Crying on New Year’s day is thought to bring unhappiness for the entire year. So try not to cry if your team loses the bowl game.

Don’t Wash Your Clothes

Who knew there were so many of laundry-based superstitions? Doing laundry on New Year’s day is said to produce a variety of results. One belief is that a family member will be “washed away” (die) during the coming year. Another is that you will wash fortune down the drain. Another simply says that you’ll end up doing more laundry in the coming year. Whichever is right, it’s just safer to save the laundry for later.

Drop Whipped Cream On The Floor

It’s a tradition in Switzerland to eat whipped cream and deliberately spill a bit on the floor. This is said to “guarantee abundance” in the new year. The drop is supposed to linger as long as possible. So, if you have pets or small children, you might want to cordon off the area.

Walk Around The Block With Luggage

If you have dreams of traveling more in the coming year, all you have to do is go for a spin around your neighborhood while carrying luggage. But, don’t just carry empty bags. You’ll want to fill your suitcases with items that represent the locations you’d like to visit. For instance, a swimsuit and sunscreen if you want to go to the beach, or a passport and French guidebook if you’d like to visit Paris.

Eat 12 Grapes

It’s a New Year’s tradition in Spain to ring in the new year with 12 grapes. Each grape represents a month of the year, and for each grape, you get one wish. The grapes must be chewed and swallowed before the clock strikes 12. It was once believed that the ritual would ward away witches and general evil. Just beware of sour grapes. They are believed to bring you a bad month.

Wear Your Underwear Inside Out

This one must have been started by someone who got dressed in the dark. The custom of wearing your underwear inside out, and fixing it during the first few minutes of the new year is thought to bring plenty of new clothes in the year to come. Make sure that your underwear is not black, because…

The Color Of Your Underwear Determines The Year Ahead

Yellow is believed to bring good fortune and happiness. Red means you’ll be lucky in love. Gold is for luck and white is meant to bring peace. But, stay away from black, which is considered bad luck.

Place A Handful Of Lentils In Your Bag

Place a small handful of uncooked lentils in your purse, backpack, or handbag and keep them there all year. The tradition is thought to bring prosperity as long as the lentils are in the bag.

Throw A Bucket Of Water Out The Window

The water is meant to symbolize renewal. Tossing the water outside is meant to represent getting rid all of your tears and problems. Just be careful not to hit anyone with that water … unless they’re the person causing all of your problems. Just kidding. Sort of.

Don’t Sweep Your House

It’s believed that you’ll sweep away all of your good luck. There seems to be some debate over whether you can clean at all. So maybe you should just sleep in and forget about cleaning up the mess left by all of your party guests.

Next time you drop whipped cream on the floor, forget to do your laundry or don’t feel like sweeping, just tell everyone you’re heeding some of your favorite New Year’s superstitions!