From not washing laundry on New Year’s Day to drizzling honey, there are plenty of superstitions you might get behind.
Whether you follow any is entirely up to you but we thought we’d round up some of the quirky things people do as they enter a new year.
New Year superstitions you can follow
Don’t wash laundry on New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day should not be a day that you wash laundry, according to an Old Wives’ Tale, because it is believed to symbolise washing a member of your family away.
In other words, a member of your family could die at some point in that year as a result of you washing your clothes on New Year’s Day.
Some people also avoid cleaning their houses.
Drizzle honey on a dish
Taking it back to Roman times, you might have heard that some people drizzle honey on a dish.
According to Country Living, this gesture “is said to ensure sweetness for the coming year”.
Put mistletoe under your pillow
In Ireland, some singletons believe that putting mistletoe under your pillow on New Year’s Eve means you’ll dream about your future significant other.
Mistletoe is placed under pillows in Ireland for a New Year’s Eve superstition (Image: Getty)
Avoid crying
Crying on January 1 could “set the tone” for the year ahead, explains Cosmopolitan.
Don’t eat lobster
While you might look forward to a feast on December 31, make sure you don’t include lobster on the menu.
This is because a few cultures believe eating lobster on New Year’s Eve could mean you’re held back in the next year since the crustaceans travel backwards, suggests Good Housekeeping.
Open the windows
Have you ever heard someone say they’ll be opening their windows as they welcome a new year?
Despite the time of year being a chilly one, the superstitious among us might open their windows on New Year’s Eve to let the old year escape their home and the new year enter.
Some people open their doors to do the same thing instead.
Break dishes
Many countries believe that smashing dishes is “good luck and a sign of friendship to break dishes and plates on the homes of those closest to you”, explains Good Housekeeping.
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Get a midnight kiss
Have you ever kissed a loved one at midnight on New Year’s Eve and wondered why it’s considered the thing to do?
Well, apparently if you kiss someone you love at midnight, your relationship will continue to thrive for the next year.
Hang onions by your front door
In Greece, homeowners hang onions at their front doors to symbolise growth and rebirth which is “a tradition that has been kept since the Ancient Greek times.”
Do you follow any superstitions as you enter a new year? Let us know in the comments.