31 New Year’s Eve Superstitions to Bring Love & Good Luck

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Astrologer Mechila Blake shares her favorite ritual to try out on New Year’s
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New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to attract some good fortune for the year ahead. Luckily, we’ve compiled this comprehensive list of New Year’s Eve superstitions to help you do just that! From the viral TikTok trend of eating 12 grapes under a table to classics like kissing someone at midnight to ensure love in the new year, we’ll go over all the essential superstitions you need to know for a lucky 2026, with tips and suggestions from astrologer Mechila Blake.

Common NYE Superstitions

Astrologer Mechila Blake suggests sweeping out every door in your household to get rid of bad vibes and other problems. Some other NYE superstitions include:

  • Eating 12 grapes at midnight while sitting under the table.
  • Wearing red underwear to attract love.
  • Wearing polka dot clothing for wealth and prosperity.
  • Stepping with your right foot first for good luck in the new year.
  • Jumping over 7 waves in the ocean and make a wish for each one.
  • Eating collard greens and black-eyed peas for good fortune.
1

Eat 12 Grapes at midnight.

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  1. Eat 12 grapes at midnight to attract good luck in the coming year.
    This New Year’s Eve tradition originated in 19th-century Spain and is now followed in many Latin American countries. To participate, all you need to do is eat 12 grapes (one for each month of the year) when the clock strikes midnight. There’s also a popular variation of the superstition that involves eating your 12 grapes while sitting under the table, which supposedly attracts love as well as luck![1]
    • You might have come across this trend on TikTok, where several creators have posted viral success stories.
    • For example, user @camillegriffith posted a video of herself eating grapes under the table on NYE in 2024 with the text, “POV: Eating 12 grapes under the table on New Year’s Eve worked…” The screen then flashes to videos of her getting engaged in 2025.
    • In this post by @amanda.pulitano, the user also shares a video of herself participating in the superstition while wishing for a relationship, then the screen flashes to romantic videos of her and her boyfriend, suggesting that the superstition worked.

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Mechila Blake is an astrologer and intuitive tarot reader with over 7 years of experience. Known as Astrology_Lyfe online, she boasts 53k+ followers on Instagram.

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2

Wear red underwear.

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  1. Choose red underwear to attract luck and love in the new year.
    In Latin America, it’s tradition to wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve to attract passionate romance in the year ahead. The superstition is also popular in Italy, where red underwear is thought to attract luck and success for the next 12 months.[2]
    • In fact, some people believe you can attract all sorts of things by wearing specific underwear colors when the clock strikes midnight on NYE!
    • For example, white underwear is thought to attract peace and tranquility in the new year, yellow is associated with money and prosperity, and green is believed to bring change and adventure.[3]
3

Opt for polka dot clothing.

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  1. Throw on a polka dot ensemble for your New Year’s gathering.
    In the Philippines, polka dots symbolize coins and money, so wearing them on New Year’s attracts financial luck in the new year. Luckily, they’re pretty darn fashionable, too![4]
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4

Wear an all-white outfit on NYE.

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  1. Wear white head-to-toe on New Year’s Eve for good fortune.
    In Brazil, it’s customary to wear an all-white ensemble to ensure a good year ahead, since the color is thought to symbolize luck and peace.[5]
5

Kiss someone at midnight.

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  1. Smooch someone at midnight for a romantic year ahead.
    You’re probably familiar with this one, since it’s super popular. To participate, all you need to do is share a kiss with someone as the clock strikes midnight! Since this superstition is so widespread, interpretations vary. Some believe that kissing someone at midnight ensures that your love will last all year long, while others think the act attracts romance in general.[6]
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6

Make noise when the clock strikes 12.

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  1. Welcome the new year with a lot of noise at midnight.
    It’s customary to bang pots and pans, set off firecrackers, and use noisemakers as soon as midnight hits. This is a fun, celebratory tradition for parties or gatherings, and it also has a practical purpose. Folklore says that the loud noises ward off any evil spirits that may be lurking around before the new year![7]
    • If you’re spending NYE with other people, Blake definitely recommends that you “only spend time around people whose energy you want to bring into the new year.”[8]
    • Similarly, Blake says to avoid people you don’t like or who you aren’t good friends with. She explains that it’s better to be by yourself on New Year’s rather than “riding the low vibrational wave of whomever you're with.”[9]
7

Step with your right foot first.

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  1. Start your year off on the right foot (literally).
    Some people believe that stepping with your right foot first once the clock strikes midnight ensures luck and good fortune in the coming year. This one’s incredibly easy to do since it requires zero supplies and very little effort, so it doesn’t hurt to try it out![10]
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8

Invite a special first guest into your home.

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  1. Make sure the first person who enters your house brings a lucky item.
    In Scotland, it’s tradition for the first person who crosses the threshold of your house in the New Year to bring a small silver coin with them to ensure good luck in the coming year. It’s also customary for them to bring gifts like bread, coal, or whiskey to symbolize prosperity, food, and warmth. This special guest is appropriately called the “First Footer!”[11]
9

Jump over 7 waves.

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  1. If you live near the ocean, try hopping over 7 waves at midnight.
    This comes from Brazil, where many people jump into the sea for a midnight swim on New Year’s Eve. To participate, jump over 7 waves while making 7 New Year’s wishes as you clear each one. If you want to enhance your good luck, try wearing the underwear color associated with whatever it is you’re wishing for (red for love, yellow for prosperity, green for hope, or white for peace)![12]
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10

Open the doors and windows at midnight.

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  1. Go around opening the doors and windows in your house at 12.
    In the Philippines, people participate in this tradition to clear away any bad vibes from the previous year and welcome good luck and positive energy for the year ahead.
    • According to Irish superstition, opening all the windows and doors also welcomes in the spirits of family members who have passed away, so that they can take part in the celebration, too.[13]
11

Sweep your front and back doors.

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  1. Open all of the doors in your house and sweep everything out of them. Blake recommends this superstition to remove bad vibes, money problems, and other negativity from your life. She says to simply open every door in your house and sweep everything out of it, setting your intention to remove anything bad and watch it walk out the door.[14]
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12

Throw furniture out a window.

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  1. At midnight, toss a few items (and even old furniture) out the window.
    In Italy, many people throw furniture out the window when the clock strikes 12. This tradition is believed to clear out negativity and welcome in positive energy for the new year. It’s out with the old and in with the new, literally![15]
13

Walk around with an empty suitcase.

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  1. Grab an empty suitcase and take a quick jog around the block.
    In Colombia, people participate in this trend to guarantee a year filled with travel. Traditionally, participants make sure to step with their right foot first and run around the block as fast as they can, but a regular walk or stroll should do if running isn’t your thing![16]
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14

Burn a scarecrow.

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  1. If you happen to have a scarecrow, burn it to banish bad luck.
    This one might seem a little extreme, but it’s a popular tradition in Ecuador with a super positive message. According to custom, burning a scarecrow at midnight on New Year’s represents burning away any misfortune or bad luck from the previous year to make room for good fortune in the new year.[17]
15

Put a sprig of mistletoe under your pillow.

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  1. Sleep with mistletoe underneath your pillow to attract true love.
    If you have any leftover mistletoe from Christmas, this Irish superstition is the one for you! According to legend, if you place mistletoe under your pillow before going to sleep on New Year’s Eve, it’ll cause you to dream of your future spouse.[18]
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16

Bang bread against the walls in your home.

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  1. Grab a loaf of bread and bang it against your walls on New Year’s Eve.
    This Irish tradition is believed to chase bad luck and evil spirits out of your home, while also welcoming in good luck and good spirits before the new year starts.[19]
17

Smash a pomegranate on your porch.

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  1. Throw a pomegranate down on your entryway for good luck.
    In Greek culture, pomegranates symbolize abundance, luck, and fertility, so it’s customary to smash one open on your porch or entryway to attract these things in the new year. According to tradition, the more the seeds splatter, the more luck you’ll have![20]
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18

Sprinkle sugar around your house.

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  1. Place some sugar outside your home for an amazing new year.
    This Puerto Rican tradition is thought to invite good luck into your life. If you want to go all out, you can also dump a bucket of water out your window to drive away any evil spirits, but just make sure there’s no one underneath you![21]
19

Eat collard greens and black-eyed peas.

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  1. Eat this meal to attract good luck and prosperity.
    According to this Black American and Southern custom, black-eyed peas represent coins and collard greens represent paper money, so eating them on New Year’s Eve welcomes wealth into your life in the coming year.[22]
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20

Eat long noodles at midnight.

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  1. Eat long noodles on New Year’s instead of short pasta.
    In many cultures, long noodles represent longevity and fortune for the year ahead, so it’s considered good luck to eat them at midnight. Soba noodles, in particular, are the customary dish to eat when the clock strikes 12 in Japan.[23]
21

Eat pork and sauerkraut.

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  1. Cook some pork and sauerkraut on NYE.
    In Germany, it’s tradition to eat this yummy meal on December 31st for good fortune in​​ the year ahead. Pigs are thought to represent luck because their snouts are always leading them forward.[25]
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22

Eat round foods.

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  1. Snack on any round-shaped food for financial prosperity.
    In many cultures, these round foods symbolize coins, so eating them on New Year’s is thought to attract wealth and abundance for the coming year. You could cut round fruits into coin-like slices, eat round beans like lentils or black-eyed peas, or go for a pizza—it’s completely up to you![26]
23

Eat a dish with honey in it.

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  1. Drizzle some honey on your food for good fortune.
    In ancient Rome, it was believed that eating honey ensured a life full of sweetness in the coming year.[27] This one is a pretty easy tradition to follow, since honey tastes so delicious in all kinds of sweet and savory dishes!
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24

Stock up your kitchen.

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  1. Fill up your cabinets with lots of food before the new year.
    According to this superstition, entering the new year with empty cabinets suggests that you’ll struggle financially in the coming year. To avoid this, hit the grocery store and make sure you’re stocked up on food before the clock strikes midnight![28]
25

Make sure your wallet is full.

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  1. Start the year with some cash in your wallet.
    A lot of people don’t carry paper money anymore, but you might want to head to the ATM before New Year’s. According to this superstition, entering the new year with a full wallet ensures wealth and prosperity in the 12 months ahead.[29]
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26

Don’t lend anyone any money.

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  1. Avoid letting your friends borrow any cash on New Year’s.
    According to this superstition, loaning others money on New Year’s Eve ensures that you’ll be doing the same thing for the rest of the year. So, if you don’t want to be lending cash to friends and family all year long, keep your wallet closed for the night![30]
27

Don’t eat lobster or crab.

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  1. Avoid eating any crustaceans during the New Year’s holiday.
    Crustaceans like crabs and lobsters move backward or side to side on the ocean floor, so eating them on New Year’s is thought to symbolize setbacks instead of progress in the coming year. If you’re a seafood lover, don’t fear! Any fish that swims forward (salmon, tuna, etc) is totally fine to eat on the holiday.[31]
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28

Don’t eat chicken or turkey.

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  1. Steer clear of any winged fowl dishes on New Year’s.
    According to this superstition, eating chicken or turkey on New Year’s can cause your luck to fly away, since these animals have wings. Instead, opt for pork, fish (but not crustaceans!), or vegetarian dishes.[32]
29

Don’t clean your home on New Year’s Day.

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  1. Hold off on tidying up your home on January 1st.
    In Chinese tradition, cleaning on New Year’s Day is actually thought to clean away the good luck you’ve stored up for the coming year. This superstition is the perfect excuse to spend New Year’s Day relaxing and enjoying yourself, rather than sweeping, scrubbing, or doing the laundry![33]
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30

Don’t wash your hair.

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  1. Avoid lathering up with shampoo on New Year’s.
    Similar to the superstition around cleaning homes, the act of washing your hair is thought to wash away luck or good fortune for the coming year, so try to hold off for a day.[34] If your hair feels a little dirty, try using some dry shampoo to tide you over.
31

Don’t cry on New Year’s Day.

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  1. Avoid crying on January 1st!
    Hopefully, you have an amazing New Year’s Eve, but even if your night is a little disappointing, try not to shed any tears over it on New Year’s Day. According to superstition, crying on January 1st sets the tone for the coming year, so it’s best to keep the vibes as positive as possible, just to be safe!
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What shoulder should I shake salt over to prevent bad luck?
    Mikki78
    Mikki78
    Top Answerer
    To prevent bad luck after spilling salt, you should throw a pinch of the spilled salt over your left shoulder. This tradition is rooted in the belief that evil spirits or the devil lurk behind the left shoulder, and throwing salt over it is thought to blind or distract them, thereby warding off misfortune.
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    Is washing my hair on New Year's Eve considered unlucky?
    Mikki78
    Mikki78
    Top Answerer
    It is important to know that in many Chinese cultural contexts, washing your hair on Lunar New Year's Eve or during the first few days of the new year is traditionally discouraged. This superstition stems from the belief that doing so may "wash away" good fortune, prosperity, and luck associated with the fresh start of the new year.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.delish.com/food/a69606840/12-grapes-new-years-tradition/
  2. ↑ https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-new-year-s-eve-traditions-from-around-the-world-italy-brazil-bulgaria-spain-germany-scotland
  3. ↑ https://www.instyle.com/new-years-lucky-underwear-color-11853102
  4. ↑ https://www.vogue.com/article/new-years-eve-traditions
  5. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/
  6. ↑ https://www.vogue.com/article/new-years-kiss-tradition
  7. ↑ https://www.stlmag.com/dining/Superstitious-What-to-eat-and-not-eat-what-to-wear-on-New-Years-Day/
  8. ↑ Mechila Blake. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ Mechila Blake. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  1. ↑ https://pappaspost.com/why-greeks-enter-right-foot-new-years/
  2. ↑ https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-new-year-s-eve-traditions-from-around-the-world-italy-brazil-bulgaria-spain-germany-scotland
  3. ↑ https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-new-year-s-eve-traditions-from-around-the-world-italy-brazil-bulgaria-spain-germany-scotland
  4. ↑ https://www.voguescandinavia.com/articles/new-years-eve-traditions
  5. ↑ Mechila Blake. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/g42180424/new-years-superstitions/
  7. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/
  8. ↑ https://youthjournalism.org/burning-up-the-old-year-in-bogota/
  9. ↑ https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g29538911/new-years-superstitions/
  10. ↑ https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/7-essential-irish-new-year-traditions-163007
  11. ↑ https://www.mashed.com/720006/why-we-eat-pomegranates-for-new-years-eve/
  12. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/
  13. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/holidays/why-do-you-eat-black-eyed-peas-collard-greens-new-years
  14. ↑ https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/new-years/g69852985/new-years-good-luck-bad-luck-recipes/
  15. ↑ Thuong Tan. Noodle Expert. Expert Interview
  16. ↑ https://www.visitpa.com/blog/post/pork-sauerkraut-new-years-tradition-pennsylvania/
  17. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/
  18. ↑ http://year.barrheadnews.com/news/25729145.9-superstitions-might-follow-approach-new-year/
  19. ↑ https://www.stlmag.com/dining/Superstitious-What-to-eat-and-not-eat-what-to-wear-on-New-Years-Day/
  20. ↑ https://hyperjar.com/blog/15-new-year-money-traditions-superstitions-from-around-the-world
  21. ↑ https://hyperjar.com/blog/15-new-year-money-traditions-superstitions-from-around-the-world
  22. ↑ https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/new-years/g69852985/new-years-good-luck-bad-luck-recipes/
  23. ↑ https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/new-years/g69852985/new-years-good-luck-bad-luck-recipes/
  24. ↑ https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/blog/new-years-traditions-superstitions/
  25. ↑ https://instrcc.ubc.ca/why-cant-i-wash-my-hair-on-lunar-new-year/
  26. ↑ Melissa Matos. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview
  27. ↑ Mechila Blake. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  28. ↑ Mechila Blake. Astrologer. Expert Interview

About This Article

Melissa Matos
Co-authored by:
Melissa Matos
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
This article was co-authored by Melissa Matos and by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes. Dr. Melissa Matos is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Long Beach, California. With over ten years of experience, she specializes in rehabilitation psychology and helping individuals adapt and thrive while living with a chronic health condition or disability. She has presented nationally on the psychological aspects of living with chronic health conditions including social stigma and concealment in apparent and non-apparent differences. She was also recently featured in Bald Life magazine where she discussed mental health awareness and alopecia areata. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University, Los Angeles, her MA in Psychology from Chapman University, and her BA in Psychology from California State University-Fullerton. Dr. Matos is a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist and is licensed to practice psychology in California. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Division 22 Rehabilitation Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She is also listed in the National Register as a Health Service Provider in Psychology. This article has been viewed 2,382 times.
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Updated: January 26, 2026
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