Spring Festival customs in ten European countries

Most countries in the world adopt the Gregorian calendar year system and designate January 1 as New Year, also known as New Year's Day. The customs of celebrating the New Year vary from country to country and may vary from time to time.

In various European countries, although the New Year is not as grand as Christmas, various celebrations still have their own characteristics and style.

Britain: On New Year's Eve, British people must have wine in bottles and meat in cabinets at home. They believe that if there is no remaining wine and meat, they will be poor in the coming year. In addition, the custom of "digging well water" is also popular in the UK during the New Year. People strive to be the first to fetch water, believing that the first person to get water will be blessed by angels and that the water drawn is also auspicious water.

France: The French believe that the weather on New Year's Day heralds the new year: the east wind blows, a bumper harvest year for fruit; the west wind blows, a bumper harvest year for fishing and milking; the south wind blows, a smooth year for rain; the north wind blows, a poor harvest year.

Spain: On New Year's Day, Spanish parents are particularly "kind". They will satisfy all their children's requests and think that children's cursing, fighting and crying are all bad signs. At the same time, most Spaniards carry a gold or copper coin on them for good luck.

Belgium: The first thing Belgians do on New Year's Day morning is to pay New Year greetings to livestock. They walk to cattle, sheep, and pet cats and dogs, and solemnly greet them: Happy New Year!

Germany: Germans climb onto chairs at midnight on New Year's Eve and a moment before the New Year's Eve. When the bell rings, they jump off the chair and throw a heavy object behind the back of the chair to show that they can get rid of the disaster and jump into the New Year. In addition, they will put a few fish scales in their wallets, because fish scales are the mascots of the New Year, indicating that wealth is rolling.

Switzerland: Swiss people believe that snow is auspicious. During the New Year, they take some snow from outside the house, turn it into water, sprinkle it on the ground to suppress dust, and then clean it.

Italy: Italians throw unwanted items at home into the yard or simply throw them into the wild on New Year's Eve. It is said that this will bring happiness to the family in the new year. In addition, people always tell children fairy tales about the banshee, saying that the banshee sneaked into the house down the chimney and brought the children some gifts and put them in their shoes.

Sweden: On New Year's Day morning, the youngest woman in the family wears a plain white dress, wears a red ribbon around her waist, and wears a crown with small candles on her head to distribute New Year food. There are many small deer made of grass sold on the streets, with firecrackers and fireworks inside. Most Swedes like to buy this kind of deer to set off.

Finland: Girls always throw their shoes up on New Year's Eve. If the toes of the shoes face the door when they fall, it means that they will find the right person in the new year.

Turkey: On New Year's Eve, Turks, men, women and children must take a good bath and then put on new clothes. In some places in Turkey, there is a habit of staying overnight on New Year's Eve. After people have lunch on New Year's Eve, tidy up their homes, they will take their children and their daughters to the homes of relatives and friends they have made in advance to stay overnight.