10 New Year's Eve superstitions to bring luck in 2025 - from eating grapes to avoiding this one dish

Scotland is arguably one of the best places in the world to celebrate the New Year. We have our own unique way of marking the occasion - including some interesting traditions that have been practiced for hundreds of years.

As we previously reported, Christmas was outlawed in Scotland for many years amidst the backdrop of the Scottish Reformation. As a result, Scots began to shift their celebrations to Hogmanay instead — which is why there are more New Year's traditions in the country compared to Christmas.

A lot of these practices involve superstition, such as First Footing, which is when the first visitor to enter your home after the blls at midnight determines your luck for the year ahead.

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Countries across the world have their own weird and wonderful ways of ringing in the bells, though, and Good Housekeeping recently got a hold of some of the lesser known superstitions thought to ward off evil for 2025.

Keep your cupboard fully stocked

For those entertaining on Hogmanay, or preparing for the inevitable hangover that follows a wild night out, making sure your fridge and cupboard are packed full to the brim may seem obvious.

But, did you know having lots of goodies stored away for New Year's Day signifies good luck, and may help you and your family avoid hard times in 2025? It is a popular ritual in the deep American south, apparently.

Walk around with an empty suitcase

One of your New Year's resolutions may be to travel more. Whether it's visiting that long distance friend in Australia or seeking adventure on a European city break, carrying around an empty suitcase on Hogmanay could be for you.

The custom is intended to usher in new experiences and a year filled with plane hopping. It is mostly practiced in Spain and Latin American countries - maybe one of the countries you may be heading to in 2025?

Eating 12 grapes

Tucking into a fresh bag of grapes as the clock strikes twelve is a tradition that has gone viral over the past year or so on TikTok and other social media platforms. It is believed to have originated in Spain.

In many Latin countries, eating 12 grapes is thought to bring good luck. The number signifies each month of the new year. For extra good omen, you can make a wish after every grape, and hope those manifesting powers pull through.

Having cash in your wallet or purse

You may be avoiding looking at your bank balance after the festive period. That may be even more reason to indulge in this superstition of keeping a few notes in your wallet or purse on Hogmanay.

Doing so apparently brings financial stability and prosperity for the next 12 months. We can all use a bit of that after going a bit spend happy on presents and food and drink throughout December.

Swing those windows and doors open

Cracking a window open is a common thing to do when we want to feel more rejuvenated and refreshed after a hectic party season.

Much like the saying 'out with the old, in with the new,' leaving your doors and windows open on Hogmanay may send a signal to the universe that you're ready to do just that. Just make sure to close them before bed - it's cold!

Wear Polkadots

In the run up to New Year's Eve, our thoughts may be consumed by who to invite round for drinks, or what to cook. In actual fact, there may be more significance in what you wear - specifically the pattern of your clothing.

In the Philippines, it is considered good luck to wear anything with polka dots on New Year's Eve. People there also surround themselves with other round objects like coins and oranges to welcome wealth in the new year.

Worth a shot...

Clean the house

This superstition is not unfamiliar - it is like the Scottish tradition of 'redding the house'. This is the act of cleaning your home ahead of the new year, as it's thought to be bad luck to start a year with a dirty home.

Many people around the world believe in starting New Year's Day with a clean house to avoid carrying the dust and dirt of the last year into the new one.

Avoid lobster

Hogmanay dishes normally include steak pie and haggis, neeps, and tatties, but the chefs or foodies among us may want to opt for something more adventurous. That's fine, but if you're superstitious, it looks like it can't be lobster.

Lobster is considered bad luck by many cultures because the crustaceans move backward. This is a trajectory we might not want to follow. New Year's is about looking forward and new beginnings. Ditch the seafood for now.

Keep an eye on the elements

According to New Year's weather folklore, the forecast during the first 12 days of the year can predict how good or bad it will be during all months of 2025.

With much of Scotland currently under Met Office yellow and amber weather warnings for snow, ice, rain and wind, we might not want to buy into this superstition, but it stands regardless.

Share a midnight kiss

The mistletoe has been stored away for another year, but that doesn't mean some of us won't be eyeing up a New Year's smooch to see us into 2025.

In ancient Scotland and Rome, the exercise was thought to help prevent a year of loneliness. So, whether you're looking for love come January or want to show your partner how much they mean to you, you know what to do.

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