Welcoming the New Year!

Around the world New Year's Eve is celebrated with different rituals, for good luck and prosperity. Each country has its own New Year's superstitions custom and traditions, especially prepared food, special clothes and decorating habits for house. Most people around the world adhere to these special New Year's Eve rituals, believing that it will bring them happiness and prosperity in the next year.


Because January 1 is the first day of the new year, we have drawn a connection between what we do on that day and  our fate throughout the rest of the year. Here are some customs and traditions to ensure that the new year being welcomed will be a prosperous one. 

1. Make as much noise as you can to scare away evil spirits. 

2. Turn on all lights so that the coming year is bright. 

3. Open all doors, windows, cabinets and drawers to let good fortune in. 

4. Debts must be paid off. Fill your wallet with fresh peso bills. (Filipinos believe that whatever your financial state is in at the stroke of midnight, so it will be in the new year.)

5. Clean everything. 

6. Wear polka-dots. Anything round signifies prosperity. 

7. Scatter coins around the house, on tabletops.... inside drawers... 

8. Prepare 12 round fruits, one for each month of the coming new year. 

9. Eat a native delicacy made from sticky rice to make good fortune stick in the new year. 

10. Eat long noodles (pansit) for long life.

11. Jump twelve times at midnight to increase your height. (Observed by Filipino children.)

12. Don't clean anything! You might sweep away the good fortune that came in on New Year's Eve. 

13. Don't spend money at all. Your thriftiness on the first day of the year will foretell your money management in the coming year. 

Spend the day on December 31st by taking some time to be quiet and reflect on the year that is drawing to a close. Think about the people that mattered most to you, your greatest accomplishment, challenging difficulties and the lessons you learned.

Have a Happy, Prosperous and Safe New Year Everyone!!!