Customs of various countries

Superstitions [Customs] During Pregnancy There are many things that need to be paid attention to during pregnancy. Although medicine is advanced nowadays, we still need to pay attention to the occurrence of some accidents and abnormal phenomena. Since ancient times, there have been superstitious beliefs in Japan that if a child is born in a fire during pregnancy, it will develop red spots, and if a child bullies an animal during pregnancy, it will develop harelips. Although these are unfounded, this is after all important life knowledge of the ancients, so just believe it, it is always good for babies.

Naming [Customs] A child's name is as concerning as wanting to know his gender when he is born. And naming is a very important thing. The quality of the name will affect everything in the future. Generally, after the name is chosen, the elders will write it on paper in a certain format and offer it in front of the altar.

How to write a birth notification letter [Custom] The purpose of writing a birth notification letter is the same as making a phone call to inform everyone, except to inform everyone that the baby has been born. The letters used are the same as during the New Year, just use printed business cards. Generally, it is sent out about 1 to 2 weeks after the baby is born. The content of this birth notification letter is written by the parents, and generally includes information such as the time of birth, condition at birth, gender of the child, date of birth, health status of the child, weight, and whether the appearance of the child matches the appearance of the parents.

Congratulatory words to celebrate the birth [Custom] When you receive a letter from relatives and friends informing you of the birth, it is polite to write some words of congratulations in reply. There are no formal requirements here, so just express your joy appropriately. What you need to pay attention to when speaking is to avoid words that mean "shen", "hui", "go", etc. or have the same sound as "death". In addition, if you see the baby in person, just express how cute it is frankly. Be careful not to overdo the praise to avoid having the opposite effect.

Gifts to celebrate birth [Custom] Generally speaking, gifts given to celebrate birth are mostly things that babies can use. When giving something that can be used by a baby, one thing to note is that it is best to use it for about a year. In order to better meet the needs of babies, you can also ask their parents before giving gifts. If necessary, including cash gifts or department store gift certificates is also a good choice. In addition, giving gifts to celebrate birth must not only celebrate the birth of the baby, but also consider the mother. Giving appropriate food or necessities to take care of the baby in the future is a good choice.

The third night and the fifth night [Custom] The third night and the fifth night refer to the third and fifth days after childbirth. They used to be celebrated as grandly as the seventh night. The earliest It used to be a celebration for nobles during the Heian Dynasty, but now it is almost no longer held. Generally speaking, mothers begin to recover physically and mentally on the third day. At this time, they can begin to express their gratitude to the doctors and nurses who helped with the delivery. It is usually customary to give some wagashi and fruit juice. In the past, the Fifth Night, like the Third Night, would have many people gathering together to celebrate the birth and growth of children.

Qiye [Custom] The so-called Qiye is to celebrate the seventh day after childbirth, and it is still widely celebrated today. This day is also a day to pray for the healthy growth of children. Most places will announce the names of children at celebrations on this day. After gradually becoming a habit, Qiye also becomes the deadline for naming children.

Seven Nights Celebration [Custom] There are many ways to celebrate the Seven Nights, and there are different celebration methods according to different places. If you want to celebrate in a real way, it is best to ask your parents and local elders method. Although there are slightly different customs in different places, the common custom that is the same and very important across the country is to invite close relatives and friends to participate in the prepared Japanese banquet. The indispensable part of the banquet is oily rice and grilled fish with head and tail. It is necessary to serve the grilled fish with the head and tail on it to express blessing. Usually, sea bream is used. In addition, fish species with the meaning of birth and growth are also used.

Shrine visits [Customs] In addition to being an important activity for children during the seven-to-three period, it is also very important for children to visit shrines to thank the gods when they are just born. Generally speaking, boys should visit the shrine on the 31st day after birth and girls on the 32nd day after birth.

At this time, the grandparents will hold the newborn baby in formal clothes and then accompanied by the parents, who are also wearing formal kimonos, to worship at the shrine

箸ZOME [Custom] This is a custom that has been passed down from ancient times. The so-called 箸It is chopsticks, and ZOME means the beginning. The time of this custom will vary depending on the place, but it is usually held on the 100th or 120th day after the child is born. Of course, the children will not be able to eat by themselves at this time, but they will prepare some food such as sea bream, soybeans, pickled prunes, etc. and eat them symbolically with chopsticks to express blessings.

Gifts and gifts in return for the first festival [custom] The so-called festival refers to January 7th, March 3rd, May 5th, July 7th, and September 9th in Japan. A folk festival. The festival sentence is the first time a child encounters his own festival. In the past, when giving gifts, girls would be given prototype dolls, and boys would be given warrior figures. Nowadays, more practical gifts are given. As for returning gifts, you don’t need to be too deliberate. Generally speaking, girls will respond with diamond pancakes and miniature dolls, while boys will respond with cypress pancakes or oily rice. No matter what, as long as there is sincerity of gratitude, it is enough.

Qiwusan Clothing [Customs] The Qiwusan ceremony is very important to children, so the clothing should also be quite formal. At this time, girls will wear furisode kimonos, while boys will wear monsuke, haori, and hakama-style kimonos. However, the clothing of Qiwusan is no longer as standard as in the past, and sometimes there are some strange costumes. However, no matter how you dress, the importance of the ceremony and the focus of prayers remain unchanged.

Girls’ Seven-Five-Three [Custom] Girls’ growth is celebrated when they are three and seven years old. It was originally held in the Kanto region. When a girl is three years old, she wears a formal hairstyle, and when she is seven years old, she wears a tie. It is very important to celebrate the growth of a girl, and the kimono she wears at this time is also the first time since she was born, so she is very careful.

Boys’ Shichigosan [Customs] When three years old, boys and girls dress up in the same way. When they are five years old, boys will wear hakama-style kimonos to celebrate. At this time, the ceremony and clothing are very important. of. In the samurai society of the Edo period, boys would wear formal hakama-style kimonos when they reached the age of five to symbolize the solid foundation they would lay on the foundation. Being firmly established on the foundation also means that you will become a warrior above all others and will enter another stage, so the ceremony and clothing at this time are very important

How to celebrate the first birthday [Custom] Because we are happy that everything will be safe in the first year of the child's life, and also pray for a happy growth in the future, we will celebrate the child's first birthday carefully. At the celebration, "Nativity Bread" was prepared, but now other different cakes are prepared depending on the place. In addition, a "one-liter cake" will be prepared in the hope that the child will take the first step towards carrying out the mission, and at the same time, it will also prove that the child is healthy and sound.

Gifts to celebrate entering kindergarten [Custom] The cute children have been at home since birth and are cared for by everyone around them. Now that he can speak and do basic activities, he will go to kindergarten to learn initial contact with people. This beginning is very important and worth getting excited about, so give him some small gifts to encourage his children to move forward! Usually, crayons, picture books, etc. are given to the children at this time, but the best way is to directly ask the children about their preferences. In addition, when it comes to returning gifts, it does not need to be too grand, usually just a sincere thank you is enough.

Giving gifts to celebrate entering elementary school [Custom] When a child enters elementary school, it means that he will enter the first stage of life challenges, so giving gifts to celebrate is a symbol of blessing and prayer. Before entering elementary school, parents usually prepare many preschool education books or related learning tools to prepare their children for school. Therefore, when giving gifts, avoid giving more learning tools. Usually the most common gift given is a school bag, but the best way is to directly ask the children or parents their preferences before giving gifts. If there is no better way, it is also a good idea to give some socks, pencils, tops, etc. that can be used frequently in school.

Giving gifts to celebrate entering middle school [Custom] Because entering middle school is also regarded as an adult process, it seems natural to give gifts to congratulate you at this time. Usually the gifts given are mainly things that can be used in school such as watches and pens. However, if you know your child or parents who are going to be in middle school very well, it would be best to ask them face-to-face why they like the things you like before choosing what to give them. In addition, the gift should not be too expensive, as long as it has the intention of blessing.

Gifts [Customs] When packaging a gift with a celebratory meaning, just like Mizuhiki, don’t forget the gift at the end. The Japanese kanji on the gift sign is "iron". Its origin comes from the iron abalone. In the past, abalone was cut into thin slices and stretched before being dried in the sun. It was an indispensable and important item in various ancient ceremonies. The elongation in the practice represents good omens such as extended stretching, and gradually evolved into a necessity when celebrating happy events. In the past, the real abalone was put on the wrapping paper, but now only the shape is left, which is usually made of wrapping paper. NOSI is usually red and white Japanese paper folded into a slender hexagonal shape at the top. It is folded in half during festive occasions, half-folded when celebrating a wedding, and half-folded when visiting a doctor.

Ebisu Festival [Custom] Ebisu Festival is the Ebisu Festival held on October 20th. This is a practice spread among businessmen to pray for prosperous business.

PETARA City [Custom] The so-called PETARA City is a market selling pickled radish. On October 19th, it will be held between Odenmacho and Kodenmacho in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The streets of PETARA City unfold. Here you will hear the voice of merchants selling PETARA. In fact, PETARA is the name of pickled products. The original PETARA sold salt snapper and other items needed for the Ebisu festival the next day. I don’t know how long ago it became a market that exclusively sold pickled radish.

Gokai-style [Custom] On October 13th, a ceremony to celebrate the death of Nichiren Shonin is held, and this ceremony is called Gokai-style. The Okai Ceremony of Ikegami Honmonji Temple in Tokyo is very famous. Believers will make offerings of ten thousand lanterns.

Two hundred and tenth day [Custom] September 1st is also called the two hundred and tenth day. Counting from the beginning of spring to September 1st, it happens to be the two hundred and tenth day. At this time It is the season with the most typhoons and it is also the time when crops are harvested, so farmers will be very worried during this period. So it is important to be careful and well prepared at this time.

Sprinkling beans [custom] The season and name of sprinkling beans are different in each place in Japan. There is a custom ceremony called Onida held on New Year's Eve or December 27th. The main one is The content is generally to drive away evil spirits. Beans are actually a tool that can be used for divination. In Wakayama Prefecture, beans are burned on the night of Setsubun and then used to predict the weather. This is called bean burning or bean fortune telling. Regarding bean divination, there are many methods in various places. Among them, 12 beans are placed from the right to represent the 12 months, and then the beans are burned separately. When the color of the beans looks white, it means it is sunny. If it is quite dark, it means it will rain. There are many divination predictions like this, which is a very special custom.

Rongyang [Custom] If you worship Rongyang, one of the seven gods of good fortune, on the 10th of the New Year, it is said that you will receive blessings. Ebihara was originally a sacrificial god of Nishinomiya in Hyogo Prefecture, and merchants in Kansai believed in him very much. The Rong-like figure wearing a black hat and posing like catching a sea bream looks very similar to ordinary people.

The so-called Chuchu [Custom] The so-called Chuchu originally means that the children of samurai will put on armor for the first time when they reach adulthood. Wearing means wearing it, and Chu means the first time. The meaning of "Chu" now is that the whole body and mind should be completely transformed during the New Year, and all things and clothes need to be renewed.

The Imperial Palace Visit [Custom] The Imperial Palace Visit is held on January 2nd every year. On this day, the emperor, the empress and the crown prince and his wife will appear in front of the public once in the morning and once in the afternoon to receive New Year's greetings from the people across the country.

Fireworks Display [Custom] Fireworks display is the most representative custom of summer.

The origin comes from the fireworks competition set off by two pyrotechnics manufacturers on the Sumida River in Edo (now Tokyo) during the Edo period. Nowadays, fireworks displays are held all over Japan in the summer. On hot and humid summer nights where it is difficult to sleep, watching fireworks displays is the most appropriate activity to feel the lively atmosphere. The way fireworks explode with a "pop" in the night sky and then disappear is like cherry blossoms, symbolizing purity and impermanence.

Tea picking [Custom] Green tea is a very important drink in Japanese life. In contrast, tea picking has become a very important activity. The so-called tea picking is to pick the new buds and leaves of the tea tree. The tea picking activity takes place for about three weeks from mid-April to late May every year, and starting from the Eighty-Eight Night (about May 2) The next two to three weeks are the peak time for tea picking. The picked tea leaves need to be kneaded that night after being steamed. In the past, when picking tea, you could see people tying red towels on their heads and singing tea-picking songs while picking tea. Such a scene full of tea-picking joy has disappeared in the modern era of mechanization.

Bun [Custom] The so-called basin is the Hungry Ghost Festival, which is a Buddhist ceremony held around July 13th to 15th or August every year, mainly to worship ancestors. It is said that during this period the ancestors will return home. In order to prevent the ancestors from finding their home, a brazier will be placed at the door of the house and lanterns will be hung inside the house. In addition, the Buddhist altar will also be beautifully arranged and decorated with vegetables, fruits and other offerings. After the pot period is over, the ancestors will start to be sent back. At this time, a fire pot will be placed at the door, and the offerings will be put into rivers and seas to float, which represents paying tribute to the ancestors.

New Year’s Eve Soba [Custom] The custom of eating New Year’s Eve soba on New Year’s Eve has been spread since the Edo period. The origin of the custom is that a long time ago during the cleaning on New Year's Eve, the gold craft master would combine the scattered gold powder and buckwheat in the workplace and roll them into balls, and then grill the meatballs on a brazier to get the gold powder on the balls. . The buckwheat used was used to collect gold, and then it gradually evolved into the custom of eating buckwheat noodles on New Year's Eve. Today's soba noodles are elongated, and the purpose of eating soba noodles is to pray for longevity.

Around the 3rd century AD, China invented black gunpowder and later spread it to Europe. By the 14th century, Europe began to set off grand fireworks, which often lasted for nearly half a day. On August 6, 1613, Britain When I went to Japan to meet businessmen from the Ming Dynasty in China, they displayed fireworks at Junfu Castle for Tokugawa Ieyasu to admire. It is said that this was the first "fireworks" in Japan.

You can clearly see that the fireworks are The first and most important factor to consider is the [wind direction]. If you look downwind, not only will you not be able to see the fireworks clearly because of the smoke, you may also encounter gases released by the fireworks, which will be very painful if it gets into your eyes. Yes, it is also very dangerous. In addition, according to your own preferences, if you want to see clearly the overall configuration of the fireworks after they hit the sky, you should generally stay about 400-500 meters away from the place where the flowers are placed; if you want to feel the fireworks as if you were there, It seems that it is better to be bolder. It is very important to confirm various things in advance before it gets dark and find a satisfactory location. In addition, be careful not to be on the road, stalls, etc. where people move frequently. The place is nearby, otherwise you won’t be able to concentrate on enjoying it.

Hanami [Custom] Hanami is the activity of enjoying outings while admiring the beautiful cherry blossoms. In Japan, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in March and April. At this time, everyone goes to enjoy the cherry blossoms with their family, friends, colleagues, etc. Usually everyone would sit under the cherry blossom trees, drink wine and sing together to enjoy the beautiful spring.

New Year’s dishes [Customs] New Year’s dishes are called “OSETU cuisine” in Japanese and are special dishes eaten during the first three days of the first lunar month. Various dishes such as grilled food and boiled food are packed in lacquerware laminated square boxes. The food not only looks very luxurious, but also can be stored for a long time. This will save the housewife from having to spend a lot of time preparing meals in the next three days, thus reducing the burden of housework. Basically, there are some New Year dishes that are necessary and have special meanings. For example, sea bream means "auspiciousness and celebration", and kombu means "happy". However, there are still slight differences depending on the place.

Seven Herbs Porridge [Custom] On January 7, there is a custom of cooking porridge with "seven spring herbs" such as celery. As long as you eat this kind of porridge on this day, you can stay away from all kinds of diseases. In addition, seven-grass porridge is cooked in different ways depending on the place. For example, in some places, adzuki beans are added.

King Kai [Custom] On January 11, taking down the mirror cake decorated in the niche and eating it is called Mirror Kai. Originally this custom was held on the 20th, but due to the death of Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, on January 20, 1651, the 20th was changed to the 11th. From the first day of the first lunar month to the 11th day of the first lunar month, Kagami-mochi must be cut into pieces and eaten. Since Kagami-mochi is a mascot, we must avoid using sharp objects to "cut" it, so we use our hands to hammer it open. The mirror cake mallet has an "open" appearance, so this custom is called mirror opening.

Kingmochi [Custom] Kagamimochi is two round flat rice cakes about 10 to 20 centimeters in size stacked on a stand. During the first month of the year, mirror cakes will be placed in niches to offer sacrifices to the gods. There is an ancient belief in Japan that it is said that the god of the year will visit your home during the first lunar month, and in order to worship the god of the year, you must prepare mirror cakes. But in recent years, fewer and fewer people adhere to this mythical custom. Usually the mirror cake is just used as a decoration.

Straw rope [Custom] Straw rope is something hung on the door during the first month to ward off evil spirits. Because the straw rope represents a pure place to welcome gods, the straw rope was originally a hanging ornament made of oranges, Ise shrimp and other mascots gathered together. Oranges symbolize prosperity for descendants, and other mascots also have different meanings. After the New Year, the straw ropes are removed together with Kadomatsu and brought to the shrine to be burned.

New Year's greetings [Custom] New Year's greetings are letters containing congratulations sent to good friends, relatives, elders, etc. during the New Year. In fact, it is the so-called New Year's card. Originally, I started writing the New Year's greetings on January 2nd, and then sent them out during Matsunouchi's period (until January 7th). But now, in order to cooperate with the special postal system for New Year's Day, people start preparing New Year's greetings at the end of the year. On the contrary, fewer and fewer people start writing on January 2.

Tusu [Custom] The custom of drinking Tusu in Japan started in the early Heian period. Tusu is a medicinal wine containing san pepper, platycodon, cinnamon and other herbs. It is said that drinking it can drive away evil spirits and prolong life. It is indispensable during the New Year. Usually after family members wish each other good health this year, they will drink Tusu in order of eldest and youngest.

Kadomatsu [Custom] To celebrate the New Year, "Kadomatsu" will be decorated at the door of the home. This is a sign to attract God, and it is also a representative of the place where God comes to stay in the world. In the past, this decoration was made of evergreen trees such as pine and cedar, but at some point it became mainly pine. Because it was placed at the door, it was called "Kadomatsu". The "Kadomatsu" displayed today is usually decorated with three bamboos surrounding the pine branches and knotted with ropes. But in the Kansai region, Kadomatsu is also made with Japanese paper knotted on paper string and decorated with small ornaments. Kadomatsu and many New Year decorations will be removed on January 7th. It means that the New Year celebrations in the first month will come to an end. The period from New Year's Day to January 7th is called "Matsunouchi".

lt; brgt; Zazhu [Custom] Zazhu, originally called "Zhuza", is a kind of soup made mainly of mochi and various things added to it. It is also an indispensable and important food in the New Year. Legend has it that the custom of eating miscellaneous rice began among the people in the Muromachi period. At that time, eating mixed food during the New Year was also called "protecting the internal organs." The meaning is that I hope to be healthy after eating. The method of making zizhu varies from place to place. Generally speaking, round mochi is used in Kansai, while square mochi is used in Kanto. Eating mochi means praying for perfection and good luck. In terms of soup, Kanto mainly uses clear soup, and Kansai mainly uses miso. The ingredients added to other miscellaneous dishes are mainly famous products from various places.

Chu Meng [Custom] Literally means the first dream in the first lunar month. In fact, it was a dream I had on the night of the second day of the first lunar month after I started working. The term Hatsume has existed since the Edo period. According to the theory of lucky dreams spread by Tokugawa Ieyasu, dreaming of "one Fuji, two eagles, and three eggplants" is a sign of good luck.

Carp streamers [Custom] The custom of flying carp streamers on the Dragon Boat Festival began in the mid-Edo period. Its origin is based on a Chinese dragon gate legend that "a carp that crosses the dragon gate of the Yellow River rapids will become a dragon." The sight of carp streamers fluttering in the wind is like trying to swim upstream in a rapid stream. Therefore, I use this to pray for my children to make progress and achieve success.

Calamus [Custom] This is a very fragrant plant that was also used in stomach medicine in ancient times. During the Dragon Boat Festival, people will make calamus soup and plant calamus and mugwort in the entrance to ward off evil spirits.

Zongzi [Custom] Zongzi was introduced from China during the Nara period. Because it is easy to store and carry, it quickly became popular in people's dietary life. During the Edo period, rice dumplings became more popular as a snack. In addition, the Japanese custom of eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival was also influenced by the story of the Chinese poet Qu Yuan.

Chinese Spring Festival culture with thousands of years of profound accumulation has been brought to all parts of the world by 30 million overseas Chinese. There, the Spring Festival celebrations are full of Chinese flavor, but also mixed with a bit of exotic flavor.

Singapore

Citrus is a must-buy during the New Year. When Singaporean Chinese celebrate the New Year, they must put two tangerines in a delicate paper bag as a New Year gift to express the multiple blessings of "good luck", "two grains of gold" and "good things come in pairs". "Red envelopes" are indispensable, but this year "red envelopes" will be replaced by "gold envelopes". Because gold, blue, black and white are considered auspicious colors for Singapore this year, and Chinese people don’t like to use plain colors during the Spring Festival, so they mostly choose gold.

Malaysia

20% of the Chinese are Catholics and Christians, and they also celebrate the Spring Festival. For this reason, the church is open on the first day of the new year for these believers to attend mass. The church also allows the Chinese lion dance team to perform lion dances in the church to symbolize prosperity. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, unmarried boys throw apples to unmarried girls, while women throw oranges to men, hoping to find a good husband or a gentle girl in the future.

Iraq

The few Chinese people like to eat crabs fished out of the Tigris River, but the Iraqis don’t eat crabs because they don’t know how to eat them. The Iraqi owner of Hani's shop usually only buys a small amount of crabs. If there is a Chinese company with a large number of visitors, or the embassy holds an event to purchase, the store will be sold out. Therefore, if you want to be sure to eat crabs during the festival, you must visit this store every now and then. However, some Chinese in the United States avoid eating crabs during the Spring Festival because they have a reputation of being domineering or not following the right path, which shows the cultural differences between people of the same origin and different places.

United States

Every Spring Festival, the 1,327 lanterns on the Empire State Building, the iconic building in New York, will change the red, white and blue colors of the American Stars and Stripes in the past and light up the Chinese-American lanterns. The favorite red and gold express congratulations on the Chinese Lunar New Year. This form has lasted for 6 years.

Canada

Due to the prosperity of local Chinese food culture, many Chinese choose to have New Year’s Eve dinner in restaurants. However, there are two habits at the dinner table that evolved from absorbing local culture. : one is that people mostly talk softly and rarely talk loudly; the other is that individuals drink alcohol casually and in moderation, and rarely get drunk.

Australia

The Spring Festival falls in midsummer, and dragon boat racing is the finale of the Spring Festival celebrations, often attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators. In addition, Melbourne has the longest dragon in the world, which is 150 meters long and has a history of more than 100 years. Every Spring Festival, more than 200 strong Australians and Chinese people carry this giant dragon through the streets, which is extremely festive.

Arctic

On February 16, 2002, my country’s first purely non-governmental Arctic expedition team flew to the North Pole, and on New Year’s Eve, it arrived in Langi, Svalbard Islands, Norway. Ercheng held an unprecedented Chinese Polar Spring Festival Gala, igniting a red flame of China in the polar regions.

Spring Festival around the world

: Hungry

Indians fast on New Year’s Day from early morning until midnight. After midnight, each family tasted the prepared meals and congratulated each other on the New Year.

France: Save the wine and drink it all

The French have a superstition that if there is leftover wine at home on New Year’s Eve, it will bring bad luck in the coming year. Only when everything is clean can we usher in a good year. Therefore, they would rather get drunk than drink all the wine in the house.

Poland: Eat green vegetables

During the New Year, Polish girls wear distinctive rabbit clothes and eat green vegetables. It is said that eating green vegetables will make everything go well.

Paraguay: Do not eat fireworks

The Paraguayans in South America designate the last five days of the year as "cold food days". During these five days, everyone from the head of state to the common people did not use fireworks and only ate cold food. After the New Year's Eve clock rings, people can start to cook delicious food and hold a feast to celebrate the New Year.

Madagascar: Avoid eating meat

In Madagascar, you are not allowed to eat meat within 7 days before the New Year, and you can only eat some poultry until the New Year’s Eve dinner. On New Year's Day, couples should give chicken tails to their parents to show respect; they should give chicken drumsticks to brothers and sisters to show care and friendship.

Vietnam: It is forbidden to drink soup

On New Year's Eve, some ethnic minorities in northern Vietnam have to go to the place where they usually get water to burn incense, kowtow, and get a bucket of water to cook New Year's Eve dinner. After cooking, first pay homage to the ancestors, and then the whole family has New Year's Eve dinner. It is absolutely forbidden to drink soup when eating this meal. They believed that if they drank the soup, the crops they planted would be waterlogged.

Hungary: Avoid eating birds

Hungarians do not eat poultry on New Year’s Eve because they believe that eating chickens, ducks, pigeons and other birds will bring good luck in the coming year away. When they give gifts to relatives and friends during the New Year, most people like the gifts to have images of chimney sweepers and little fat pigs. Chimney sweeping is of course a symbol of getting rid of old age, and the chubby little fat pig is lovable and has the same meaning. People respect the little fat pig in appearance, but in fact it is another matter, because their traditional New Year food is fried suckling pig, which requires surgery on the little fat pig!

Bulgaria: Sneezing will bring you cattle and sheep

If you have New Year’s Eve dinner at a Bulgarian home, be sure to sneeze, as you will get unexpected benefits. Local custom believes that the first person to sneeze will bring happiness to the whole family for a year. So the director walked to his farm and brought over the first sheep, calf, or pony he saw first, and gave it to the first guest who sneezed. How worth it to sneeze. !