Gift Traditions around the globe.

There are many interesting traditions around the world related to gifts for New Year’s Eve.

In Russia, Orthodox Christmas falls on January 6th, therefore New Year’s Eve is the biggest holiday celebration and many people exchange gifts on this particular day. Presents are placed under the tree and on January 1st you can open your special box. If you’d like to give a small present to a colleague or a friend, best thing to buy is the symbol of the New Year that presents the animal from Chinese Zodiac Calendar. Since 2014 is the year of the Horse, it will be appropriate to buy a statue, toy or a sculpture in the shape of the horse for a New Year’s gift.

Japanese host many ‘forget the old year parties’ that mean to leave all problems behind and prepare for the new beginning. Buddhists pray for expel of human weakness, people send each other New Year’s cards and children receive small gifts bags with money called ‘aotoshidamas’.

In Scotland, neighbours visit each after right after the midnight to wish Happy New Year. This tradition has a special ritual, people who visit the home of a friend first are called first foots and they have to bring along a gift such as a coal for the fire or shortbread as it means good luck. You will be considered especially lucky if the first foot will be tall, dark, and handsome man.

If you are visiting Spain on New Year’s make sure you buy grapes for your friends. It is the Spanish tradition to eat twelve grapes on New Year’s Eve because it’s symbolizing secure and healthy twelve month of the New Year.