New Year's traditions around the world

It's almost New Year's time! Different countries celebrate New Year's time in different ways. Let's look at some traditions in different countries.

United States: Watching the ball drop
Millions of Americans gather around their television sets to watch the ball drop at the stroke of midnight each year. This tradition started in 1907.

Brazil: Heading to the beach
In Brazil, people usually go to the beach since it's the summer there.

Spain: Eating 12 grapes
The Spanish start off their new year by eating 12 grapes, which symbolize each strike of the clock.

India: Building a sculpture of an old man and burning it down
In Mumbai, they make an effigy of an 'old man' that symbolizes the old year and burn it at midnight.

Haiti: Sharing soup joumou
They eat pumpkin soup (soup joumou) because it was a delicacy that enslaved Black people were not allowed to have before Haitian independence.

Denmark: Throwing old plates
Throwing old plates to break them is supposed to bring your family good luck.

These are just a few of them. Why don't you try one this New Year?