New Year's Eve (Víspera de Año Nuevo)

December 31st (New Year’s Eve) is the last day in the Gregorian calendar.  New Year’s Eve (Víspera de Año Nuevo) is a Mexican cultural, not statutory, holiday in which the celebrations always start the evening of December 31st.  (New Year’s Day, however, is a Mexican federal statutory holiday.)  Employees do not receive a day off (with or without pay) on New Year’s Eve.  Banks, businesses, government offices, and schools are open as usual on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve (Víspera de Año Nuevo) is the most celebrated holiday in Mexico, followed closely by El Grito (The Cry of Independence) on September 15th.  New Year’s Eve is celebrated in Mexico, much as it is in the United States, with parties, drinking, and dancing.  The celebrations continue well into the wee hours of New Year’s Day.

In Mexico one says “¡Feliez Año!” to wish somebody “Happy New Year.”  One often adds ¡Y un próspero Año Nuevo! (And a Prosperous New Year), which is the English equivalent of “And a Happy New Year.


New Year’s Eve Customs and Celebrations
As stated above, there is a lot of drinking in Mexico on New Year’s Eve.  One should dive with extreme caution on New Year’s Eve because, as the evening progresses, nearly everyone operating a motor vehicle has been drinking.  Consequently, there are numerous auto accidents on New Year’s Eve.

Grapes
It is customary, especially for those celebrating New Year’s Eve with family and friends, to eat twelve grapes at midnight with the chime of the clock—one grape for each month in the coming year.  This is thought to bring luck in the coming year, although the practice is rooted more in tradition than in superstition.  (The custom is similar to the custom of making a wish while blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.)  One makes a wish with each of the twelve grapes that one eats.  A sweet grape means it will be a good month and a sour grape a bad month, so it is best to eat seedless grapes.  

Clothing Color Symbolism
Different color clothing is worn, especially by women, as a way of wishing for something in the coming year.  For example, those wanting a boyfriend/girlfriend wear red.  Woman wanting romance, love and passion in the coming year are especially like likely to red to wear red (especially red underwear) on New Year’s Eve.  While those with other hopes for the New Year wear other colored clothes on New Year’s Eve.  Those seeking prosperity, a job, a better job, and/or happiness wear yellow; those wanting health and well being wear green; those wanting love and friendship wear pink; and those desirous of hope and peace wear white.  So as not to appear desperate or needy women often wear undergarments associated with the color of their wish.

Symbolic Acts
On New Year’s Eve Mexicans often engage in symbolic acts that indicate their hopes for the coming year.  For example:

A person wanting to take a trip might pack a suitcase—and even go so far as to carry it around the block.

A person might eat a tablespoon of cooked lentils, or give a handful of raw lentils to family and friends for good fortune.

A person might display a rimmed tray with a candle at the center, and ask family and friends to deposit change in the tray, afterwards filling it with water for good luck.

A person might place a few candles on a white plate surrounded by lentils, beans, rice, corn, flour and a cinnamon stick to spice things up.  After allow the candles to burn all night until melted the person would then peel the waxy food mixture off of the plate and bury it for abundance.

A person might clean the house; take a bath; or wash the pets and cars on New Year’s Eve in the hope of obtaining renewal in the coming year.

A person on New Year’s Eve at midnight, throw a bucket of water out the window in the hope of obtaining renewal in the coming year.

A person on New Year’s Even might watch fireworks to frighten away evil spirits, allowing safe passage into the next year.

A person at midnight on New Year’s Eve might open the door and symbolically sweep out ‘the old’; then toss some coins on the ground and sweep them into the house for prosperity.


¡Feliez Año!



-- Modified on 12/30/2012 9:38:56 AM