This weekend, celebrations around the globe once again marked the arrival of a new year. From the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square to the beaches of Brazil to the traditional 떡국 (tteokguk) rice cake soup in Korea, these festivities all started 2024 in a positive and hopeful way. Sophomores Olivia Figueiredo and Arianna Chin reflected on their cultural traditions to usher in the new year.
In New York City, one famous celebration is the Times Square ball drop at midnight. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Times Square, and over one billion people tune in to watch the festivities on television. Leading up to midnight, musical performances and festivities in New York City and across the United States entertain audiences. Since the first drop in 1907, seven versions of the ball have been atop One Times Square. The current ball captivates viewers across the globe by displaying more than 16 million colors and patterns. This tradition has become the world’s symbolic welcome to the new year, according to timessquarenyc.com. For Olivia and her family, waiting for the ball to drop is a central New Year’s Eve tradition.
“I think my favorite tradition would be the famous New York ball drop because it brings people together, and I enjoy having my friends come over to watch it,” Olivia said. “I love seeing everyone celebrating together on TV and watching all the performances.”
Olivia also shared her family’s traditions in Brazil. The new year arrives during the summer in Brazil, as the country is in the Southern Hemisphere. It is tradition to head to the beach as evening falls on New Year’s Eve. The tradition of jumping waves pays homage to Yemanja, the goddess of water in Afro-Brazilian cultures, according to britannica.com. Participants also wear white to symbolize purity, according to glamour.com. Seven is a lucky number in Brazil, so Olivia’s family incorporates seven into their activities and food, inviting prosperity in the new year.
“Those who are around the coast go to the beach, jump seven waves for good luck, and see the fireworks from the beach,” Olivia said. “Everyone wears white for good luck, and we eat seven pomegranates and seven grape seeds and lentils on the first meal after New Year’s.”
As for Arianna and her family, they welcome a new year not only on January 1 but also on Lunar New Year, which will begin February 10. The Lunar Calendar reflects the moon’s cycles, so this celebration’s exact date varies annually. The Lunar New Year is an essential celebration for East and Southeast Asian cultures. The holiday began as a time for feasting as well as honoring ancestors and household and heavenly deities. In Korean culture, families typically gather in the home of the oldest male relative to share a meal of tteokguk soup. The clear broth and white rice cakes in tteokguk symbolize a clean mind and body heading into the new year. Additionally, it is tradition for elders to give children money in white and patterned envelopes, according to history.com. Arianna described the traditions she celebrates in her Korean household each year.
“We celebrate not only New Year’s but also Lunar New Year,” Arianna said. “Another tradition we have is jeol, which is when we bow down to our elders to show respect. This tradition is important to me because I can show my elders, especially my grandparents, how much I respect and cherish them, even though I do not see them much.”
Featured Image by Brianna Timlin ’26
