英国:苏格兰除夕夜,家长一定要出门,午夜才雇一个把脸涂得很黑的人带路返回家园。半夜后第一个走进屋子的人,被称为“第一只脚”,如果来了一个快乐、幸福而有钱的人,那末主人将全年吉利。
德国:新年前夕,以村镇为单位,选几株高达三丈的大树,砍掉数枝,只留主干。新年清晨,参加竞技比赛的人听到讯号,迅速从家中奔到树下,谁到得早、攀得快、第一个爬到树顶的被誉为“新年英雄”。
希腊:在克里特岛上,外出拜年时要带上一块大石头,把它放在地板上,向主人恭贺新喜说:“愿你家有一块象这块石头一样重得金子”。
西班牙:过年时,人们手上一定要拿一枚金币;没有金币则用铜币代替。认为小孩在元旦那天打架、骂人和哭泣是不祥之兆,因此,这一天几乎满足他们的一切要求。
意大利:除夕是一个狂欢之夜,人们燃放爆竹和焰火,震耳欲聋,硝烟弥漫。午夜时,家家户户都可以将可打碎的东西,如瓶瓶罐罐,甚至澡盆,扔出门户外摔个粉碎,表示辞旧迎新。
法国:认为除夕这天家中如有余酒,来年定交厄运。因此,宁可喝得酩酊大醉,也要将酒喝个精光。
瑞士:过年时成群结队跑到雪山去,认为在冰山雪地里游玩,能忘掉人间烦恼,又有沐浴去旧的意思。
瑞典:新年里,许多人燃烧用草扎成的小鹿,里面装了鞭炮和烟火,以示除旧迎新。
美国:除夕夜举行野火晚会,天亮时把破旧的衣服扔进火堆烧掉,以示毁旧迎新。
比利时:在农村,元旦清晨第一件事情就是向动物拜年。他们走到牛、羊、马、狗、猫等旁边,向它们说:“新年快乐”。
United Kingdom: Scotland, New Year's Eve, the parents must go out before midnight on her face painted a very black-employed people who lead the way to return home. Middle of the night after a man walked into the room, known as the "first foot", if he came to a happy, happy and wealthy people, then the owner will be lucky throughout the year.
Germany: New Year's Eve, to towns and villages as a unit, the election of up to thirty feet Several Strains of trees, cut down the number of branches, leaving only the trunk. New Year's morning, to participate in athletic competitions heard signals quickly ran to their homes under a tree, who arrive too early, quickly climbing the first climb up the tops of trees known as "New Year's hero."
Greece: In the island of Crete, when New Year's to bring out a large stone, put it on the floor to congratulate the new owners prefer to say: "Your family has a piece of stone as heavy as was gold."
Spain: New Year, people determined to get a gold coin in hand; there is no gold coins were replaced with copper. That the kids on New Year's Day fight, curse and cry is the writing on the wall, so this is almost a day to meet all their demands.
Italy: New Year's Eve is a carnival night, people set off firecrackers and fireworks, loud, smoke filled. Midnight, every household can be will be able to break things, such as bottles and jars, and even a tub, throwing out a smashing outdoor wrestling that New Year.
France: that the New Year's Eve at home on this day, such as more than wine, in the coming year will pay doom. Therefore, rather drunk, but also to drink a nothing left.
Switzerland: New Year, snow-capped mountains in droves to go to that play in the snow, ice, can forget about human trouble, another shower to the old meaning.
Sweden: New Year, many people burning grass beaten up by the deer, which installed firecrackers and fireworks, to show the old and welcome.
United States: New Year's Eve party held at wildfires, dawn at the time of old clothes thrown into the fire burned in order to show destruction of the old and welcoming.
Belgium: In the countryside, on New Year's morning the first thing is to animals, Happy New Year. They went to cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, etc. next to them said: "Happy New Year."