In Spain these rituals are said to bring luck in the new year

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2021 is almost over, a year that we will remember as different, but with the hope that 2022 will be better. We have 12 new months ahead of us for good things to happen. We need to attract this good luck from the first day of the year, so here are some rituals to help leave the bad energy behind and welcome the new year full of positive energy and good wishes.

Eat the 12 lucky grapes

Eating 12 grapes in the last few seconds of the year, as the clock strikes 12, is a tradition in practically every home in Spain. This ritual consists of preparing twelve green grapes and eating one each time the clock strikes the clock in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol. The tradition dates back to the late nineteenth century and started because there was a glut in the grape harvest. Since then, every New Year’s Eve, people have eaten 12 grapes to bring good luck.

Pick up a suitcase to travel in 2022

Many households follow this ritual each year to mark the end of one year and the beginning of another. If you are fond of travelling, don’t forget to pick up a suitcase when you are eating the grapes, or walk round your house with one, so that next year you will go on lots of trips. And don’t forget to come to the Canary Islands in 2022, because we’ll be waiting for you!

Drive out all the bad energy

Some years, like 2020 and 2021, seem to bring nothing but bad news. So it’s important to enter a new stage by driving out the bad energy and trying to attract good vibrations. This ritual consists of opening all the doors and one window in your house a few minutes before midnight. You can also open drawers and cupboards so that there are no corners for the bad energy to hide in. And remember to leave a light on in each room. The bad energy will leave your house and you will start the new year without any negativity.

Attract fortune from 1 January

As well as good luck, you’re sure to want the new year to bring you wealth. The ritual is very simple. On New Year’s Eve put a couple of coins in your right shoe to attract money to your home.

Put some gold in your glass

If the coins in your shoe don’t seem enough to attract money in 2022, you can also put some gold in your champagne glass, for example a ring. Leave it there when you toast and drink, but be careful not to swallow it! This will summon riches from the first day of the year.

Start the year on the right foot

Did you know that entering with your right foot is a way of wishing people good luck? When you step into a new year, you should also do so with your right foot. If you want to start 2022 well, make a note of this ritual: move your right foot forward a few seconds before 12 o’clock or rest your left foot on a chair and leave only the right foot on the floor, to start the new year well.

Candles: ideal for decoration and to attract good luck

Candles are an essential part of everyone’s Christmas decorations. In addition to decorating tables, fireplaces and other corners of the house, different coloured candles are said to bring fortune in different ways. If you want wealth in the new year, light yellow candles. If you’re looking for peace, blue candles are ideal for achieving the calm you long for. If you are looking for love and passion, red is the colour you should go for. Green candles will bring you good health, white candles clarity, and orange candles are perfect for attracting intelligence. 

Eat lentils the last day of the year

New year rituals also include food. According to an Italian tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, you should eat lentils on 31 December. The reason for this custom is very similar to that for grapes in Spain. At that time, there was a surplus of lentils, making them a typical dish at Christmas. Another story linking lentils to good luck is that a small bag of lentils was once given to friends or family to wish them luck and prosperity.  

Fill a bucket with water to purify your home

When the last day of the year arrives, fill a bucket with water to draw out all the bad energy that your home has absorbed. At midnight pour it down the toilet to get rid of all the negative energy. This purification ritual means you will start the year with no bad vibrations.

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