Brazilians know how to welcome every new year in style.

With a vibrant culture full of traditions and colorful customs; they are ready to celebrate with dancing, good food and socializing. Throughout the country, families and friends gather at the beach to toast the new year with parties that continue until sunrise on the 1^st of January. Many people who live farther away will make a road trip to the white sandy beaches to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Wear white clothing and brightly colored underwear

For New Year's Eve in Brazil, dress in white. A tradition that originated from the Candomblé religion of Brazil, where people would wear white during rituals to seek peace and spiritual purification. Increase your luck by wearing brightly colored underwear. Red brings love; yellow brings money.

Lucky 7’s

The number seven is considered a lucky number in Brazil. After dinner and before midnight, it’s lucky to eat 7 grapes for abundance. It will ensure your wallet will be full of money and your life will be overflowing with everything you desire in the upcoming year.

One must jump over seven waves in the ocean, and for every wave you jump you make a wish for the New Year.

Food Traditions

In order to attract luck and abundance, you have to eat the right foods on December 31^st; such as rice, lentils, pomegranate seeds, and grapes. Eat lentils for positive energies. Eat pomegranate for good luck.  Foods to avoid– turkey and crab, unless you want a year full of bad luck.

Offerings to the Sea

If you live close to the beach, traditionally at midnight everyone makes offerings into the ocean to Yemanjá, the "Goddess of the Sea" and the "Mother of Waters".

Yemanjá, is an African-Brazilian religious figure from the Candomblé and Umbanda religions. Yemanjá is frequently portrayed as a mermaid and is connected to the moon, water, and feminine mysteries (among some diaspora groups).

She stands up for women's rights.

She oversees all matters affecting women, including motherhood, child protection, love, and healing.

The first mortal humans were supposedly born from her womb. When her water broke, a huge flood created rivers and streams.

She is revered as the goddess of the moon. The feminine force of creation. For fisherman as well as those who have survived shipwrecks.

Yemanjá is represented as a stunning woman emerging from the water with long hair and dressed in white clothing.

For good luck for the whole year, it is important to offer white flowers, soaps, combs and necklaces to Yemanjá. Tossed into the sea with a wish.

Make your wishes for the year

In Brazilian tradition for good luck, at midnight you must jump the oceans waves 7 times, making wishes for the rest of the year.  This is my favorite tradition of them all.  You allow the ocean to wash away the things you don’t want to take with you into the new year. You make 7 wishes of gratitude and hope for the rest of the coming year.

Fireworks

There is always a big fireworks show at midnight with lots of cheering, And celebrating, with hugs. Wishing your friends a prosperous and happy new year.

Feliz Ano Novo!  Happy New Year!