I have the amazing opportunity to spend New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day at one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. I won't be counting down to 2019 in the archeological site but in the city down below, that doesn't make it any less exciting.
Part of what makes me so excited about this is the fact that I will get to experience a whole other culture's New Year traditions. And what an incredible place to spend New Year's because Peru has at least a dozen traditions meant to help bring good luck and fortune in the new year. Believe me, after the 2018 I have had I could use some fortune in 2019.
I have compiled a short list of Peruvian New Year's traditions that I am looking forward to enjoying.
1) Eat 12 Grapes
My research says that you are supposed to eat 12 grapes while counting down to the new year, 6 green and 6 purple. One grape for every month. You say the name of each month and make a wish. As a connoisseur of wishes that is a tradition I can get behind. Some of my sources said that you then have to eat a 13th grape to seal in your good luck. Be careful not to drop any grapes or stumble over any names of the months because that will bring you bad luck for that month.
2) Coin Toss
This one sounds fun. You toss 12 coins (I'm seeing some symbolism here) over your shoulder into the street. This symbolizes throwing out the financial misfortune of the last year. Then, on New Year's Day, it is good luck to find 12 coins in the street, so long as they were not your own.
3) Wear Yellow
So this one is a little weird to me but I sincerely believe that I can make any wish I want at 11:11 and it will come true so what do I know? Like so many cultures colors have special meanings in Peru. Yellow symbolizes happiness and it is especially important to wear NEW yellow underwear to bring lots of happiness in the new year.
Other important colors are Red, for love, Green for wealth, and White for health and fertility.
4) Champagne Wishes
Writing down five wishes and dipping them in champagne on New Year's Eve is supposed to make them come true. Like I said, I am a collector of wishes, especially if they involve champagne so I am extra excited to see if this one works.
5) Burning the Old Year
Of all of the traditions I have read about getting ready for this trip this one is my favorite. You dress up a rag doll or effigy (sometimes stuffed with FIREWORKS!) and burn it at midnight to symbolize getting rid of the old year and starting fresh. I don't know if you can possibly understand how excited I am about the prospect of blowing up 2018, the year in which life punched me right in the uterus.
There are so many other traditions that I didn't really understand but I'm looking forward to seeing in action; like running around the block with an empty suitcase, something about partially peeled potatoes, and having a shaman give you a chamomile bath.... by spitting on you.... to ward of evil spirits. I don't know, I just know that I am excited to see and experience it all for myself.
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