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New Year’s Eve: Traditions of the Filipino

December 31 is the New Year’s Eve; it is the final day of the Gregorian year, and the night before New Year’s Day.  In modern practice, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight. Many cultures use firework and other forms of noise making in part of the celebration.

For the Filipino, the New Year’s Eve is the time of celebration for the entire family. It includes the children of all ages. Most Filipinos also follow a traditional belief which is the family should spend their time together at least the approach of midnight, then it will stay together for the entire year.

The things that Filipinos used to do in preparation for the New Year’s Eve:

1. Awake small children night before midnight.
2. If you’re out, make sure you return home before midnight. After the countdown and a short time of gathering with the family, you can leave again.
3. Light firecrackers at midnight. Some families dance and sing to bring the New Year.
4. Serve sweet rice and ginger tea after the countdown.
5. On New Year’s Day, roast a pig over hot coals and serve with any number of Filipino dishes such as pansit, lumpia and adobo.

The Filipinos also borrow many traditional beliefs from the Chinese, and some idea of letting go of bad luck/bad spirits and ushering in good luck for the coming New Year is the overall theme for Filipino New year celebrations. As also as the Chinese do, the Filipinos prepare 13 different kinds of round fruits during the New Year’s Eve like apples, watermelons, oranges, kiwi, and many more. It is said to bring good luck and prosperity to the family for the coming year. It is 13 because the number is a lucky number to the Chinese. And the fruits’ round shape resembles coins, therefore, wealth and prosperity. Eating also 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight is also said to bring wealth and luck.