New Year Superstitions: 5 Traditions for Good Luck and Prosperity
5 Popular New Year Traditions and Superstitions You Should Know

Source: Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty
2025 is literally around the corner! The New Year is all about fresh starts, good vibes, and a little bit of superstition to sweeten the deal. Across cultures, people have passed down quirky traditions to ensure the year ahead is full of luck, love, and prosperity. Here are five of the most popular New Year’s traditions and myths people swear by:
1. Eat Black-Eyed Peas for Good Luck
In the Southern United States, black-eyed peas aren’t just a side dish; they’re your ticket to a lucky year. Add a little cornbread for gold and greens for money, and you’ve got a full meal of fortune. This tradition dates back to the Civil War, when the humble pea was a symbol of resilience and survival.
2. Kiss at Midnight to Secure Love
If you want your love life to thrive, make sure you lock lips at midnight. Legend has it that starting the year with a kiss will ward off loneliness and keep your relationships strong. But be warned—forgetting this tradition could leave your love life a little… cold.
3. Sweep Out the Bad Energy
In many cultures, cleaning your house on New Year’s Eve is about more than just tidying up—it’s symbolic. Sweeping out the dirt clears away bad vibes, misfortune, and negative energy from the past year. Just don’t sweep on New Year’s Day, or you might sweep away all your good luck!
4. The Money Man at Your Door
In some traditions, the first person to enter your home in the new year sets the tone for the months ahead. It’s said that a man—preferably one with money or financial success—should be the first to cross your threshold to bring prosperity. So if you’ve got a wealthy uncle or a friend with a fat wallet, you might want to invite him over at midnight. Just don’t let him show up empty-handed!5. Eating Grapes Under the Table
5. Eating Grapes Under the Table
In Spanish and Latin American cultures, eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight is a must. Each grape represents one month of the upcoming year, and the ritual is said to bring love, prosperity, and good luck. For an extra twist, some believe that eating the grapes under the table will increase your chances of finding love in the new year. So if you see someone crouched under the dinner table popping grapes, don’t be alarmed—they’re just manifesting their romantic destiny!
Whether you’re smooching, eating, sweeping, or calling in the money man, these traditions are a fun way to welcome the New Year with hope and a sprinkle of superstition.
- Tory Lanez’s Appeal To Add Alleged New Evidence In Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case Denied California Court of Appeals
- 20 Rap Songs That Name-Drop Halle Berry
- Where My Girls At?: R&B Girl Groups You Forgot About
- Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2025
- Denzel Washington Cooked Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones So Bad Even Stephen A. Smith Was Speechless