Every new year we look forward to what it will bring. For a lot of people, especially Latinos, the first few days of a new year are filled with rituals and traditions that are meant to help usher in a year filled with prosperity, love, and abundance. For many of us, starting the year off with a clean house, a new outfit, and new underwear have been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember. But there are many other traditions from around the world that people faithfully follow that we can all incorporate into our usual routines, based on what we want for our lives in the new year.
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There are so many fun and even whacky ways that people like to celebrate the start of a new year and there's no wrong way of doing it. Whether your aspirations and goals for the new year include more money, travel, happiness, or love, there is a ritual you can try to see if you can inspire luck to be on your side for the next 12 months. While you should take these things with a grain of salt because nothing is truly guaranteed, it doesn't hurt to give it a shot! And there is nothing wrong with setting intentions through rituals. With that in mind, here are 24 easy rituals that will get you through the year.
Wear white and head to the beach.
This tradition comes from Brazil and is a good one if you live by the beach. The idea is to go to the beach wearing all white and at the stroke of midnight you jump seven waves and make seven wishes for the coming year. The tradition is meant to honor Iemanja/Yemanja, the goddess of the sea. This isn’t hard to do in Brazil because it’s warm over there, but if your beach is cold, you may want to instead bring white flowers as an offering to the ocean so you don’t have to jump in there yourself.
Drop some gold into your champagne glass.
There are those who believe that putting a gold ring or any gold jewelry into their champagne glass and drinking from it is the same as drinking to wealth in the new year. That's all great, but please don't choke on your jewelry.
Looking for a spouse in the new year?
Some people believe that if you are looking to get married or find a special someone in the coming year, then you should sit and stand three times in a row at the stroke of 12. Keep your eye on the clock so that you're near a chair at midnight.
Brush away stagnant energies.
My abuela, tías, mamá, primas, we all do this: Brush every corner of their homes. This includes the ceiling, the doors and windows frames and under beds, sofas, and furniture. Make sure that there is no residual dirt when 2021 starts. Stagnant energies are not helpful at all.
Mop away bad energies.
Mop your floors, making sure that you get the corners with a mixture of water and disinfectant (use ammonia, bleach, or white vinegar). Clean away all the bad energy from people who envy you and your family.
Decorate with purple and gold.
Bring purple and gold to your New Year's table—the colors of prosperity and health. You can also consider putting up purple and gold decorations in other parts of your home.
Wear something new.
A brand new piece of clothing, preferably red, will attract prosperity and passion. My mom also always bought us all new underwear to welcome the New Year. Brand new things near your skin helps ring in a brand new year without past issues.
Give away what you don't need.
Empty your life of all all the things that you don't need. It will make you feel lighter and open space for the new stuff coming your way in the new year. If you donate it to a nonprofit, make sure you get your receipt to submit with your taxes. Win-win.
Eat black-eyed peas and collard greens.
In the South, people believe that if you eat collard greens on New Year's Eve, you will see much green (aka dollars!) in the new year. If you eat black-eyed peas, you will receive many coins.
Eat grapes as the clock strikes midnight.
This is a Spanish tradition that we do every year. Eat 12 grapes in the last seconds before midnight on New Year's Eve. You are supposed to ask for one wish for every grape. It's a great way to focus your priorities.
Take a lucky bath.
Take a bath with the aromas that promote whatever it is you want to manifest in the new year. Think lavender for relaxation and rosemary for prosperity. You can combine scents to manifest more than one thing. If nothing else, you will start the new year clean and smelling fresh.
Light candles to channel positive energy.
Candles of different colors attract different energies. Make sure to include green for health, red for love, and yellow or orange for money.
Start the new year with kisses.
Since most rituals from throughout the world recommend starting the new year doing something you want to keep doing often, I always try to kiss my husband and children. Wouldn't you?
Some people go out and purchase brand new underwear in specific colors.
There are various colors that symbolize a different intentions for the new year. Some people choose yellow for prosperity, red for passion, pink for love, or green for money. If you're feeling like you need all those things, try wearing all the colors at once!
Circle your block with an empty suitcase in hopes of traveling more in the new year.
After the clock strikes midnight, grab an empty suitcase or any kind of luggage and take a trip around your block. This is something a lot of South Americans believe in and practice so that they can travel more in the new year.
Place money inside your shoe for economic stability.
If you want the new year to bring you a raise or more money, put a bill of any amount under your left foot before putting your shoe on. Bonus points if you put a whole wad of cash in there because it means you've got a wad of cash and that's a good thing.
If having a bill in your shoe weirds you out, just hold it in your hand.
Like putting money in your shoe, holding money in your hand when the clock strikes midnight is also used for economic growth and abundance. Again, bonus points for having a whole bunch of bills to hold because YAY you!
Start your year off on the right foot.
In Argentina, some people take a step forward with their right foot as soon as the clock strikes 12 to ensure that they're starting the year off on the right foot, literally. Poor left foot gets no love. Oh, well.
A lot of people do a thorough cleansing of their entire house.
It makes sense to want to start the new year with your house being completely clean. Wash your clothes, put new sheets on your beds, scrub the counters and dust away any bad energy in every corner of your house, so that you can usher in the new year in with a fresh home and a clean slate.
Not only are lentils super nutritious, they can even make your year better if you believe.
A lot of people place a handful of lentils in their pockets to welcome in abundance for the new year. You can then take the lentils and store them away in a bag for the rest of year. Some people also eat a spoonful of (cooked) lentils for a year filled with money and work. That's always important!
Use your loose change to bring in financial luck and abundance.
Take 12 pennies and go outside of your house and toss them over your shoulder, while facing the opposite side of the street. This is believed to bring you money throughout the year.
Some people like wearing white to bring in the new year.
Some believe that wearing white to bring in the new year will help ward off evil or bad spirits for the next year. This might not be the best option if you are prone to spills though.
Toss a bucket of water out of a window to symbolize letting go.
Let go of any suffering, tears, or sorrow by filling a bucket or glass with water and throw it out the window or door before midnight. Make sure to look and make sure the coast is clear before you throw the water out so you don't start the year off by getting a neighbor soaked.
Make a list of things you want in the new year and things you want to leave behind.
Create two different lists before the start of the new year. Make a list of all your future goals, wishes, and intentions for the new year on one list and keep it with you to welcome the new year. Make another list of people, things, memories, or situations you want to leave behind, and burn it before the start of the year to symbolize leaving it all in the past.
