Lucky chips on “Dinner for One” and cheesecake

Torben Hede Hansen from Denmark (37)

“A typical Danish New Year starts about 15 minutes before 6pm. Guests gather next to their hosts to listen to the Queen’s speech. He performs at the same time every December 31st, ending his speech with “God bless Denmark” and then toasting with cheap sparkling wine. When it comes to food, hosts often put in a lot of effort and guests share the cost of the menu. One of the guests is giving a speech about the past year or preparing a quiz. Shortly before midnight, the movie “Dinner for One” is shown on TV. Many Danes watch this movie every year. At five to twelve the bells of Copenhagen’s town hall slowly begin to ring. Then the countdown begins.”

Elsa Mitova from Bulgaria (26)

“For New Year’s we traditionally make banitsa, a kind of cheesecake, with Bulgarian feta cheese and puff pastry. My grandmother was particularly good at cooking. The kusmetcheta are placed between the dough sheets and the cheese, these are small auspicious notes with good wishes for the New Year. This is always done by the oldest man in the family, in our case my grandfather. At midnight, each person in the family turns over the banitsa plate once. And finally you take the piece with Kusmetcheta in front of you. Then you read the papers to each other and you get the wish you drew.”

Jennifer Thomas from England (50)

“My husband, our two children and I live in Buckinghamshire. We love to celebrate New Year’s and have been doing it at the same friends’ homes for the past few years. When large groups were appropriate, these friends would invite eight to ten families at a time – as you can imagine, we always had a lot of fun. As a slogan, we were given a country and we dressed accordingly. Songs were sung, danced and games played at the party. Just before midnight we turned on the TV to watch the fireworks all over London. At midnight we counted down from him and said, “Cheers!” and sang the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” song. This year, we dress and dine in our formal dining room to make the evening special. Then at midnight we call all our family members.”

Bianca McInnes from Australia (27)

«It is a tradition to see huge fireworks on New Year’s Eve in Sydney, Australia. I’ve always been up close and personal since I lived in the city too. I watch the show either from the beach or directly from the Sydney Harbor Bridge. My friends and I hang out there, listen to music and have a drink together. Before the fireworks, we count the countdown out loud. Unfortunately, the fireworks have been canceled this year, and due to the renewed curfew, I don’t have a very exciting but relaxed New Year’s Eve with my family at home. »

Bruno Rocha from Brazil (44)

“I especially love going to the beach on New Year’s Eve because it reconnects me with the good things in life. The sea brings the peace and tranquility I need. In my city in northeastern Brazil, we often get together with people we love to celebrate another year of success. It is also customary to prepare special dishes for the new year and to eat lentils, which are said to bring good luck for the new year. Just as it is said that opening champagne brings luck, money and peace. And the most superstitious jump into the sea three times.”

Jessica Droujko from Canada (29)

“Every house in Canada has its own New Year’s Eve tradition. This is mainly because most Canadians are immigrants. For example, I am a first-generation Canadian. My family is originally from Russia. This year will be a quiet New Year’s Eve with the immediate family. In other years, I always spent December 31st with my friends. Sometimes we would go to an open-air concert organized by the municipality for free, but mostly we would have a big house party. There, all the guests brought something to eat and prepared a “potluck dinner”, a Canadian buffet. We counted down from ten and as soon as the clock struck twelve, you gave your loved one a kiss. And if you don’t have that, you better find someone to kiss you right away!”

Misa Hofrajterova (30) from Czech Republic

«On December 31, friends and family gather in the Czech Republic for a meal together. We are preparing Chlebicky and Chutovky. These sandwiches are a typical holiday special. We have a lot of rituals, especially at Christmas – things you should or shouldn’t do. For example, on January 1, you should not clean, otherwise luck will be wiped from the house. A plate of lentils is traditionally eaten as it brings prosperity in the New Year. There is also a belief that the mood on New Year’s Day determines the course of the rest of the year – so it’s best not to argue or be in a bad mood.”

Moon Heo from South Korea (34)

«We celebrate New Year twice in South Korea. On New Year’s Eve, fireworks are set in some places, and after that it is usual to see the first sunrise of the new year. To see the sunrise as early as possible, head somewhere east, to the top of a mountain, or to the seaside. However, according to the lunar calendar, Korean New Year is more important for us Koreans. On this date, which is one of the biggest traditional holidays, all family and relatives come together to cook and eat together. The main dish of the day is tteokguk, which is rice cake soup. If you eat them, they say you’re a year older.”