Mexican New Year

Mexico celebrates the new year joined by family and those who find it impossible to get together with their loved ones, those close to them will invite them to celebrate.

The festivities begin in the evening. Families gather at home to talk, play, dance and sing until dinner time. Dinner usually consists of stuffed turkey, tamales, lechón, or even lamb, it is not much different from Christmas dinner. After dinner,the children enjoy hitting a piñata filled with candy and then a toast is made to welcome the new year. Traditions and rituals vary between Mexican households but are usually started after 12.

In Mexico there are different traditions and rituals to celebrate the new year. For example, in some states it is tradition to burn a wooden doll of an old man at the stroke of 12 to represent let the previous year pass and receive the new one. In other states it is custom to break clay pots to represent getting rid of the old and stay with the new.

Other traditions are practiced by Mexicans collectively. Some common rituals include matching the color of your underwear to what you would like to attract for the new year. Wearing a red colored underwear when the clock strikes 12 will bring in a new love interest while green will improve health and yellow will increase your money. Another interesting custom, at midnight it is not uncommon to see neighbors running down the street with suitcases to manifest lots of travelling in the new year.

A more common tradition is sweepingyour house from the very inside/back of the house to the front entrance to get rid of bad vibes. If it is done in reverse, front to back of the house, the effect is also reversed meaning you are inviting more bad vibes into your home.

Another is eating lentils. It is said that people who eat lentils in the New Year will attract good fortune and wealth but most important, always having food on the table.

Finally, the most practiced in Mexico large parts of the world is eating grapes. One grape is eaten for each stroke of the clock until it marks 12. Each grape represents one month and should have an intention or goal set while eaten to ensure those wishes come true.