NEW YEAR AROUND THE WORLD

Kissing, smashing crockery and burning effigies – just some of the weird and wonderful ways the new year is celebrated

- MAXINE PETERS

FOR many people, New Year’s Eve is the culmination of the holiday season, a night to slip into something sparkly, to bellow over loud music and to knock back a few too many glasses of bubbly.

But around the world some indulge in celebrations of a different kind – so if you’re tempted to do things a little differently this year, here are some traditions you might want to consider.

DENMARK

Like the Greeks, the Danes are partial to smashing crockery during celebrations.

On New Year’s Eve the citizens of this Scandinavian land hurl plates, dishes and cups they’ve collected throughout the year at the front door of their nearest and dear­ est to wish them luck for the year ahead.

The more shards of shattered crockery that land on a doorstep, the more luck the person will have, according to the tradition.

“I once threw a cup at my friend’s house,” a reveller told the University of Copen­ hagen’s University Post. “The cup didn’t break – his window did instead.”

ROMANIA

Villagers in the northeastern farming regions of Bucovina and Moldova come together for the Festivalul de Datini È™i Obiceiuri StrămoÈ™eÈ™ti (“festival of customs and ancestors’ customs”) on 30 December.

Farmers and their families dress up in wooden masks, animal skins and bear furs, a ritual dating back to ancient times that’s believed to bring prosperity, health and good fortune. They then perform dances and go from home to home to ward off evil spirits.

SCOTLAND