European New Year Traditions that you must try

Unique New Year’s traditions from Europe that will be fun additions to your celebrations and double as great party games on your next getaway anywhere! 

So read on and try something different this New Year! 

Spanish New Year's Traditions: Gobble them Grapes 

The twelve grapes of luck 

The Spanish celebrate the start of the year with Las Doce Uvas de la Suerte or the 12 grapes of luck. According to this tradition, on New Year’s Eve or nochevieja, when the clock strikes 12, you munch on a grape with every toll of the bell to bring in good luck for the rest of the year. But this is not it – to seal in the luck, you must finish eating all the grapes before the final toll! 

Now there is a fun party game for everyone to enjoy. You can also celebrate this tradition with other food items to increase the challenge. Try it by giving a traditional French twist with a stack of pancakes or a Netherlandish turn by gobbling on anything ring-shaped! 

Celebrate a very Spanish new year with these amazing holiday retreats in Spain! 

Italian New Year's Traditions: Tombola and red underwear 

Will Tombola tell your fortune for the year? 

A popular new year’s tradition in Italy is to play Tombola, with a chance to win exciting prizes and sometimes even cash money.  In this game, tickets with random numbers from 1-90 are given out to everyone in the party. A host then extracts numbers, again randomly, which the players must cross out one by one. Whoever cuts out all the numbers on their tickets first, wins the prize – certainly an extra motivation to try this tradition. 

And don’t forget to wear red underwear. Italians think it will bring good luck in the next year! 

Bring in the new year in Italy with the best holiday homes in the country! 

Greek New Year's Traditions: Smash and pop pomegranates 

More seeds mean more luck in Greece! 

Greece, one of the oldest civilizations on Earth perhaps has the most fascinating new year’s tradition, wherein the Greeks start the year by smashing pomegranates on the ground called Kalo Podariko. And the more seeds jump out of the fruit, the more luck it is supposed to bring you! But we don’t want you to waste precious food in a game, so maybe you can find some innovative idea to try this tradition, perhaps use a piñata full of little coloured balls? 

Anyway, more sustainable tradition is to gamble all night long! Whether it’s a card game or a dice game, if you win, it’s thought to bring you luck for the year and at the same time you’ve made some extra cash. If you're planning to start a family, hanging onions outside your door, could bring you luck for the next year! 

Celebrate the traditions in Greece? Find fabulous holiday homes for friends and family! 

Belgium New Year's Traditions: New Year Messages 

In Belgium, children continue their letter writing from the Christmas season, only this time it is to the other family members rather than Santa Claus. Children write these letters to wish the elders the season's greetings and tell them that they will be good in the new year. 

In Belgium, children write Christmas letters to family members 

But can this be a fun party game? Totally! To turn this solemn tradition into an exciting game, everybody can write messages anonymously for the people present in the party and, at the end, everyone must guess from whom the message is! Who knows you might find your secret admirer? 

Want to authentically enjoy the traditions? Book your holiday home in Belgium now. 

Hungarian New Year's Traditions: Telling Fortune inside Dumplings 

As most of Eastern Europeans, Hungarians can be quite superstitious too! On New Year’s Eve or ‘Szilveszter’ it’s very common to make noises to scare off the evil spirits.  

Another fun tradition for girls (and why not for boys too!) is to put pieces of paper with the names of potential fiancées written on them inside 12 dumplings plus an empty one. The first dumpling to rise to the top of the water during cooking is going to contain the name of their future spouse. If it is the empty dumpling, then she is expected to be single for the entire year. Ouch! 

Are you curious to know who would be your spouse? 

Live the traditions in the country, book your holiday home in Hungary! 

French New Year's Traditions: Dress up and Kiss under the mistletoe 

The French often dress up to celebrate New Year's Eve, and the expression "se mettre sur son 31" reflects this tradition. This expression literally means "dress up like it's December 31st," and it signifies the idea of looking one's best for the occasion. While dressing up isn't mandatory, it's a common practice, and it's a good idea to check with the host or hostess regarding the expected level of formality for the event. 

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe on New Year's Eve in France is indeed rooted in history. It's believed to have originated from the Celts, who associated mistletoe with luck and fertility. This tradition has been passed down through the centuries, and it's a charming way for couples to share a special moment as they welcome the new year together. 

The romantic tradition of kissing under the mistletoe 

Other customaries are sending New Year’s wishes by greetings cards and giving etrennes, a traditional tip given to the maid, concierge, gardener who take care of their houses, etc. 

Say Bonjour to the new year in France! Book your holiday getaway now! 

Read about how other countries celebrate Christmas and New Year! 

We wish you luck for the new year and for the games!