Scotland is famous for its Hogmanay celebrations and the many traditions than come with it.
Whether it’s first footing and singing Auld Lang Syne, or eating black buns and cleaning ashes from the fire, there are many things we do that visitors may find a little odd.
And it’s no different around the world, with a variety of ways of welcoming the start of another year.
Here are 12 of the quirkiest, as collated by the Travel Experts at Riviera Travel.

5. Smashing Plates in Denmark
Danes welcome the New Year with an unusual and playful tradition: smashing plates against the doors of friends and family. The more broken dishes you find at your doorstep, the more luck you’re said to have for the year ahead. | Canva/Getty Images

6. Jump!
Another notable custom in Denmark involves jumping off a chair at the stroke of midnight, symbolising leaping into the New Year with enthusiasm. Homes are decorated with candles and wreaths, creating a cosy setting for hearty feasts and gatherings. | Canva/Getty Images

7. Light Celebrations in India
India’s New Year celebrations vary widely across regions and cultures. For instance, the Sikh festival of Lohri, celebrated in January, features bonfires, music, and dance to mark the end of winter and the harvest season. Meanwhile, in South India, New Year is marked with offerings to deities, traditional feasts served on banana leaves, and the lighting of oil lamps. In Goa, beach parties and fireworks are a highlight, blending modern celebrations with age-old customs. | Canva/Getty Images

8. Seollal in South Korea
In South Korea, the Lunar New Year, known as Seollal, is a time for family gatherings and paying respect to ancestors. Traditional customs include wearing hanbok (traditional Korean attire - pictured), playing folk games such as 'yutnori', and eating tteokguk, a rice cake soup that symbolizes growing a year older. Seollal is a three-day holiday, during which families exchange gifts and perform ancestral rites, known as 'charye', to honor their heritage. | Canva/Getty Images