16 Strange New Year’s Superstitions That People Have Believed Through History

At the conclusion of every year, we look into the sunrise of a new one as an expansive canvas of opportunity. Yeah, but how can we ensure we'll acquire an abundance of ~luck~? Well, there are a number of New Year's superstitions that people have believed through history to bring them all the good things. Whether you're looking for a spike in your checking account or a commitment for cuffing season, there are supposedly little rituals that you can carry out to attract these things to your life as a new year refreshes.

Let's be honest, every year sees their fair share of good days and bad days. There will be doses of rejections and enough tears to at least fill the kind of bucket you bring to the beach to build sandcastles. But, that's normal and okay and ~therapeutic~. Regardless of the inevitable hefty sobs, the general vibe of the entire 365 days could be an overall positive one. The year is what you make it. The superstitions carried on throughout history all around the world believe you can literally make it a good one. In rather interesting ways. Skeptical? You might as well try one and find out for yourself.

Leave Your Laundry Alone

Got a pile of dirty laundry? You're better off leaving it that way until Jan. 2. The Spruce reports that doing your laundry on the first day of the year could result in washing away all your good luck, or morbidly maybe even losing a loved one. Choose to stay in your reserved laundry day underwear.

Carry An Empty Suitcase Around

In Colombia, it's tradition to carry an empty suitcase — at least around the block — on New Year's to ensure a year of adventure ahead. If you're looking to expand your travel bucket list, you might want to try this one out.

Eat 12 Grapes

Forget wine and champagne and even a kiss. In Spain, it's customary to eat 12 grapes for 12 lucky months. Make sure you have enough at your NYE party for everyone to have a great year ahead.

Drop Whipped Cream Or Ice Cream On The Floor

For a sweet new year ahead, enjoy hefty scoops of cream. And then drop it, intentionally, on the floor. Why? It's believed in Switzerland that this will bring on abundance in the new year. Of what? Probably good, sweet things like promotions at work and a calendar full of memorable nights out with friends.

Keep Money On Hand

Have a few bucks in your pocket? Great! If you're more of a Venmo and plastic card kind of person, you might want to make sure you have some paper cash on hand when the clock strikes 12. This is believed to, you guessed it, welcome economic wealth into your life-slash-bank account.

Wear Specific-Colored Underwear

If you're looking to spice up the romantic sector of your personal life, PopSugar reports that red underwear might by the right thing to wear underneath your sequin dress this New Year's. But if you're looking for success in 2018, try for yellow.

Throw Bread Against The Wall

In Ireland it's customary to chuck a loaf of bread against the wall. This will chase the bad spirits and negative energy away from entering a pure, new year. And let's be honest here, 2017 had many low points. Get yourself a loaf or five for your New Year rendezvous.

Chuck Furniture Out The Window

This one actually could hurt to try. So maybe don't. But, in South Africa it's reported by the Washington Post that tossing furniture and appliances as big as refrigerators outside your window will help letting go of past sorrows to make room for new hope. And a new microwave.

Enter Your House With Your Right Foot

To make sure you're starting off the year "right", literally enter your home with your right foot forward.

Eat Wreath-Shaped Sweet Bread

In Eastern Europe, eating a round sweet bread is believed to usher in a complete and well rounded year, according to the Library of Congress. It will at least make you full for the night!

Burn A Picture Of Something You Don't Like

Reported by Conde Nast Traveller, the people of Ecuador typically burn an image of something that negatively affected their previous year. It's about banishing the negativity of that thing from entering the new year with you. As Taylor Swift once sang, "you're just another picture to burn."

Eat Your Lentils

Italians typically eat lentils on New Year's Eve to attract prosperity and wealth into the brand new year. That's because it was believed that the flat lentils resembled Roman coins, as reported by TODAY.

Eat Black Eyed Peas

Not super into lentils? Do as the American South then and get your helping of Black Eyed Peas. The tradition, according to food researcher John Egerton and as reported by Southern Living, the peas hold powers that bring good luck. So, yeah, you might want to fill a bowl up with a few scoops.

Leap Into The New Year

Travel + Leisure reports that in Denmark it's not unusual to feel a little ~quake~ at midnight. This is because mostly everyone is leaping off chairs together in order to literally jump into the new year, free of negative energy and loads of luck.

Eat Fish

You have to have dinner on New Year's Eve anyways, and so it might as well be fish. It's been believed through time that eating fish would bring abundance to your life because fish swim in schools and their scales resemble shiny coins.

Burn Your Wish And Drink It

ABC7 reports that in Russia on New Year's Eve writing your wish for the new year on a piece of paper and then burning it will make your dream come true. I mean, that is if you sprinkle your wish's ashes in a flute of champagne and drink it.