Happy New Year Latin Style: Unusual South American Customs for Bringing in the New Year

Many South Americans believe that if you carry an empty suitcase around the block on New Year's Day you will be fortunate to travel during the course of the year. When my elderly neighbor sauntered out of her front gate in Cali, Colombia with a beat-up valise she'd dusted off for the occasion, she brushed off my queries brusquely.

"Don't bother me now! I'm leaving!"

Minutes later, her "tour" complete, she confided her desires to "see the states" this year.

According to her, a voyage this year was now, "in the bag".

Around the middle of December you begin to notice a disproportionately large number of fruit and vegetable street vendors starting to sell grapes. Grapes are everywhere by Christmas. Green grapes, purple grapes, mixed grapes - they roll down the street and squish beneath your careless feet as you stroll market areas and shopping districts. Eating 12 grapes at or near midnight of New Year's Eve will bring you good luck throughout the New Year. Green grapes are preferred by the majority, but any will suffice I was told by Anna Lucia who walked into the room with a bag of mixed grapes ample enough to produce a case of "vino". Happy New Year CELEBRATION 2020

"You're not planning to eat all those, are you?" I chided.

"No, they're not just for me. They're for my family too."

I remembered that she and her husband have five children. Add in the extended family and well, enough said. Haven't had your twelve yet? Hurry up, there's still time.

A Bundled Sheaf of Wheat

A black youth stood on a downtown Pasto, Colombia corner hovering over a five-gallon bucket full of bundled sheaves of wheat. Each was wrapped with a brightly colored ribbon or two. Some were enhanced even further with a flower or small bouquet. People up and down the streets walked with a similar-looking sheaf held upright out in front of them like a siren in front of a fire engine. Crossing the Zocalo, or main square downtown, a young girl sitting on a park bench waved her sheaf at us like a magic wand.

"That's a new one on me", I said to my companion when she explained.

"If you hang a bundled sheaf of wheat in your home it's very good luck."

She continued, "It has twelve stalks of wheat in each bundle".

"How much for one?" I asked the youth.

We quickly bargained to a lower price.

"Are you sure there're twelve in here?" I questioned, not wanting to get short-changed.

"Oh yeah. Go ahead and count them."

When my partner responded, "No there're only eleven."

He quickly snapped back, "No way! Count them again."