When the clock strikes midnight tomorrow and this year comes to a close, we’ll celebrate with drinks and fireworks.
But around the world, they celebrate the coming of a new year differently.
From water fights and bathing rituals to giving chickens as a gift and using cow dung to polish the floor, this photo series reveals how people welcome moving into a new year in ten different countries.
WaterAid created the seriesas part of its Access Denied campaign, which aims to raise £2 million to help poor communities around the world build a better future with clean water and decent toilets.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive of WaterAid said: ‘The New Year is a great time for celebration, and around the world, people carry out traditions in the hope of bringing good luck for the year ahead.
‘For the millions of people with no clean water or decent sanitation, dreams of a healthy, prosperous year ahead are at risk as they are denied an equal chance to be healthy, educated and financially secure.’
Scotland
In Scotland, the tradition of first footing means the first person to enter the household after midnight on 1 January usually brings gifts such as whisky, coal or shortbread. They symbolise good fortune for the coming year.
Ewan Robertson, 58, from Scotland, will be doing the tradition this year. He said: ‘The first-foot is a chance to get together to look forward to all the opportunities the year ahead could bring, to celebrate how lucky we are to be warm, well and loved.
‘It is a time to remember that we live in an amazing country, that we have the opportunities to help others and to look after each other, our families and our friends around the world and to use our gifts and talents to make the world a better place.’
Tanzania
Ashura Masanja, 28, cooks a New Year meal of pilau rice with vegetables and meat, either a goat or cow that was slaughtered that day. She cooks alongside other women who cook on stoves outside and fetch the water needed to boil rice and cook the vegetables. She will eat with family and the community.
Pakistan
Shafique and his family are Christians in Pakistan. To celebrate the New Year, they visit a special church service on New Year’s Eve followed by a meal which includes fish, biryani, and gajjar ka halwa (carrot pudding).
They also give kheer (a Pakistani sweet dish) to their neighbours.
Cambodia
In Cambodia, a New Year tradition is for families to wash elders in a holy bath to get rid of the sins of the previous year and bring blessings for the year ahead.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, before New Year’s Day, people wash clothes, carpets and blankets in order to start the new year clean and tidy. People also use cow dung to polish the walls and floors of their houses as part of a house cleaning tradition to banish dust, illness and fleas and to bring good health for the coming year.
Uganda
For the Karamajong tribe, it is traditional to mix balls of black soil with water, sorghum and bear to create a paste that is smeared on women’s faces as part of the Ngasuban new year ritual to bring a good harvest.
Another part of the tradition is that women smear cow ghee on their faces to symbolise peace. It is thought to prevent bad omens that could bring drought or floods.
Japan
In Japan, it is traditional to visit a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine for Hatsumode. People wash their hands and rinse their mouths at the entrance before praying for happiness for the coming year.
They then choose a fortune slip (omikuji) and write wishes on a wooden plaque.
Myanmar
Water fights are held for the Thingyan Burmese New Year festival in April as the water is believed to wash away the misfortunes and bad luck of the past year in time for the upcoming new year.
Shihab Uddin Ahamad, 52, who lives in Myanmar: ‘New Year is a very special time in Myanmar – a time for families from near and far to gather and celebrate. The water-spraying during the Thingyan festival is believed to wash away misfortunes and the bad luck of the past year.
‘My wish for the new year is that Myanmar and all its people will lead healthy, happy and prosperous lives.’
Madagascar
In Madagascar, as part of a New Year tradition, elders are given the gift of the ‘vody akoho’ (the tail of the chicken which is the tastiest part) by their children or grandchildren as a sign of love and respect. The elder will then give them a blessing for the new year.
Children also go door to door to greet neighbours and wish them a happy New Year, before getting sweets in return.
Juliette, 56, from Manjakandriana, Madagascar, said: ‘We do this tradition as a sign of respect and to show that we love one another. When we do this, I feel loved, cared for, proud and blessed for having all my children and grandchildren around me.
‘I feel special. We have been talking a lot about our village getting running water next year so that is one of my hopes. I also hope that life will be easier next year.’
Timor Leste
Catholics celebrate the new year with a special meal, gathering together to share stories, visiting loved ones or neighbours and praying for new year blessings.
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