Serbia treats New Year’s Eve the same as Christmas Eve: Deda Mraz (Santa Claus) leaves presents under a tree in every home. Then, children open their gifts on the Serbian Orthodox New Year of January 13.
In Belgrade people gather at Republic Square or Svetogorska street, drink Rakija (fruit brandy) and say ‘Srecna nova godina!’
In Greece, they hang onions on the door as a symbol of rebirth and, before enterting the house, they break a promegranate for good luck and prosperity.
In Athens people gather in their homes, eat an almond cake called Vassilopita, and say ‘Eftyhism Éno to néo étos’.
Estonians eat up to 12 meals on New Year’s Eve in the belief that the person gains the strength of that many men the following year. Some food should still be left over for spirits who visit the home the night before January 1.
In Talinn people gather at Freedom Square, eat pork with sauerkraut and say ‘head uut aastat’.
In Chile, some people sleep in a cemetery near a deceased love, which started in 1995 when a family jumped over the gates to sleep next to a dead father. Since then about 5,000 locals in Talca take part.
In Santiago, people gather at the 418-foot tall Torre Entel, eat assortments of grilled meats called asado, and say ‘feliz año nuevo!’
There are a host of different customs during the New Year’s Eve in the Phillippines, including throwing cowns to increase wealth for the coming year, jumping to increase height, while others follow the Spanish customs of eating twelve grapes, one for each month.
In Manila people gather at Luneta Park, eat pansit (noodles) and lechon (roasted pork), and say ‘Manigong Bagong Taon sa Iyo!’
The residents of Denmark apparently love to clean on January 1. Right before midnight, locals smash plates on the doorstep of their neighbours – the most popular having more broken plates.
In Copenhagen people gather at Town Hall Square, eatboiled cod or stewed kale and say ‘Godt nytår’.
Traditional Italian rituals include wearing red underwear and eating a lentil stew made with pig entrails called zampone (or cotechino). For good fortune, each spoonful is eaten per bell toll when they begin at midnight.
In Rome people gather at St. Peter’s Basilica, eat pork and say ‘felice anno nuovo’.
Though Romanians simply like to have a great time on New Year’s eve, some farmers talk to their animals for good fortune. Meanwhile, other Romanians dress up in bear costumes (or brightly coloured clothing) and dance in front of different houses to ward off evil spirits.
In Bucharest people gather in the University Square, eat sauerkrat cabbage rolls and jelied pig’s feet, and say ‘la mulţi ani’.
Many still participate in the Dutch New Year’s Eve ritual of carbide shooting with milk cans. A 6mm hole is drilled on the bottom of the can. Then, clumps of carbide are dumped in along with some water and then closed airtight. After the gas inside forms, residents light the canon by waving a torch. Voila!
In Rotterdam people gather at the Erasmus Bridge, eat oliebol (Dutch doughnuts), and say ‘Gelukkig nieuwjaar!’
Residents in the Hillbrow neighborhood of downtown Johannesburg, South Africa still celebrate the old way: by throwing out old furniture from their high-rise building. Items like refrigerators, microwaves, and beds are thrown out of windows despite police officer’s attempts at preventing the practice.
In Cape Town... people gather at Alfred Waterfront, drink wine and say ‘Gelukkige nuwejaar’.
While there are several fire festivals all throughout Scotland in the days before, during and after New Year’s Eve, first footing is also practiced where friends go to each other’s houses in the hopes of being the first person there and bring good fortune for the coming year.
In Edinburgh people gather at Princess Street, drink whisky and some say ‘bhliain nua sásta’ while most say ‘happy new bruv’ or even “happy hogmanay’.
In Russia a bottle of champagne is popped open in climax to nationally televised speech by the president. There, the New Year is an even more important day than Christmas (Christmas day in RF is January 7) and people decorate their tree by December 31.
Also on this occasion, people love to one very popular movie A twist of fate (Ирония судьбы) a classic New Year’s romance.
First countries to say hello to 2015: Kiribati and Samoa.