Ecuadorian New Year custom: Burning dolls to bid farewell to the past and welcome the New Year

In Ecuador, a South American country, New Year's Eve customs and habits are full of flowers, among which the folk custom of burning humanoid puppets on New Year's Eve to welcome the New Year is the most unique and interesting.

On New Year's Eve, streets across Ecuador are filled with a dazzling array of dolls. These humanoid dolls are generally life-sized and made of stuffed wood chips or cotton into old clothes. On December 31, people will "beat up" these dolls representing bad luck and step on them under their feet to vent their anger for a year. People then set the puppet on fire. Ecuadorians believe that a pure flame can dispel evil spirits, and the bad luck of burning a doll for a year can be swept away.

People can not only burn the dolls of people they hate, but also burn the dolls of people they like. Relatives or friends burn each other's puppets in a playful manner, and most people laugh. World Customs Network is not surprised.

On New Year's Eve, according to Ecuadorian tradition, some men will wear women's clothes, make up and wear wigs, and cry over burned dolls. They pretended to be the "widows" of these "celebrities" and asked passers-by for "funeral expenses". If you don't pay, they will hug you and cry loudly until you pay the fee. These men, known as "black widows", often earn a lot of money on this day.

In addition, Ecuadorians still continue the tradition of Spanish colonists, eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve. Each grape represents a month and symbolizes the beginning of the new year.

On New Year's Eve, Ecuadorian people are still accustomed to changing into red or yellow underwear to pray for the harvest of love and wealth in the new year. People can still see many people carrying empty luggage wandering around the street. This is because people are hoping for a safe journey in the coming year.