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【往期回顾】 世界各国的新年传统5：各国新年里都会举行哪些庆祝活动？
【本期内容】 NEW YEAR TRADITIONS FOR GOOD LUCK 各国新年祈福的传统 One of my favorite things about New Year’s good luck rituals is that not all of them seem completely sane. Many of the customs from around the world we’ve already learned about on this list probably seem a bit off-the-wall. Here are a few New Years good luck traditions that seemingly come out of nowhere, but remain integral pieces of some countries’ annual New Year customs. 关于新年祈求好运的仪式，我最喜欢的一点是，并不是所有的仪式都看起来完全正常。我们在这份清单上已经了解到的世界各地的许多习俗似乎有点离谱。这里有一些新年祈求好运的传统，它们看似凭空而来，但仍然是一些国家一年一度的新年习俗中不可或缺的一部分。 1. Czech Republic (捷克) A New Year tradition from the Czech Republic suggests that apples can help foretell the future. By cutting an apple in half and seeing how the seeds are placed, people believe you can predict how the year will go. If the seeds form a cross it’s considered a bad omen, but if they make a star it means good luck is coming your way! 捷克共和国的新年传统表明，苹果可以预测未来。通过将一个苹果切成两半，看看种子是如何排列的，人们相信可以据此预测来年的情况。如果种子形成一个十字架，这被认为是一个坏兆头，但如果它们形成一颗星星，这意味着好运即将来临！
2. Belgium (比利时) In Belgium, Walloon and Flemish farmers rise early on New Year’s Day and promptly head out the stables to wish the cows (and other domesticated animals) a happy New Year. Though the origins of this tradition are unknown, the same thing is also practiced in Romania. 在比利时，瓦隆和佛兰德农民在元旦早早起床，并迅速走向马厩，祝奶牛（和其他家养动物）新年快乐。虽然这一传统的起源尚不清楚，但罗马尼亚也有同样的传统。
3. Chile (智利) In the small town of Tulca, Chile, it is tradition to spend the last night of the year at a sleepover at the cemetery. Locals believe that the souls of dearly departed friends and family come to hang around on the night of New Year’s Eve. So they make fires, bring food and drink, and decorate their loved ones’ graves for some ghostly quality time. 在智利的图尔卡小镇，一年中的最后一晚在墓地过夜是一种传统。当地人相信，在除夕之夜，逝去的朋友和家人的灵魂会来到这里。因此，他们生起火，摆上食物和饮料，装点亲人的坟墓，度过一段鬼魅般的美好时光。
4. Colombia (哥伦比亚) One of Colombians’ favorite ways to celebrate the New Year is to carry an empty suitcase around the block. The tradition is meant to bring celebrants a year of travel (which hopefully will involve a little more packing). 哥伦比亚人最喜欢的庆祝新年的方式之一是拎着一个空行李箱在街区里转一圈。这一传统做法旨在为庆祝者带来一年的旅行好运（真心希望来年真的能够拾囊成行）。
5. Denmark (丹麦) Many of the world’s New Year’s traditions revolve around the stroke of midnight: fireworks blasting off, the ball dropping, kissing a loved one, toasting with champagne, etc. In Denmark, people jump off of their chairs in unison at midnight. This symbolizes jumping forward into the new year and leaving bad things behind. 世界上的许多新年传统都围绕着午夜钟声：燃放烟花、水晶球倒计时、亲吻爱人、香槟祝酒，等等。在丹麦，人们会在午夜同时从椅子上跳下来。这象征着跳进新的一年，把不好的事情抛诸身后。
6. Ecuador (厄瓜多尔) In Ecuador, los años viejos (the old years) is a beloved part of how to celebrate the New Year. People construct large scarecrows of those they don’t like and set them alight at midnight in order to burn away the ills of last year. Building the scarecrow is a family activity. While it’s mostly done for fun and laughs, controlling the bevy of fires is sometimes a serious undertaking. 在厄瓜多尔，除旧是当地人在庆祝新年时很是喜爱的一个环节。人们用他们不喜欢的人建造大型稻草人，并在午夜点燃，以消除去年的疾病。建造稻草人是一项家庭活动。虽然这么做主要是为了取乐，但控制大火有时也绝非易事。
7. Finland (芬兰) Going to a fortune-teller can either be a fun or harrowing experience. But one Nordic New Year tradition involves reading the future for yourself. Finnish people melt tin horseshoes, pour the molten metal into cold water, and use the resulting solid to gain insight into the coming year. Its shape and shadow supposedly tell all, and a broken piece of tin is considered a sure sign of bad luck. 找人算命可能是一种有趣或痛苦的经历。但北欧有一个为自己测算未来的新年传统。芬兰人会熔化锡马蹄，将熔化的金属倒入冷水中，并利用由此产生的固体来洞察来年的凶吉。据说，它的形状和影子可以说明一切，锡块破损的话就意味着来年必遭厄运。
8. Romania (罗马尼亚) In Romania, people will save up their money for the New Year celebration… but not for spending on the party. Instead, they believe that if you put money under your rug before midnight, it will guarantee you to have a prosperous year ahead. 在罗马尼亚，人们会把钱存起来庆祝新年……但不会花在聚会上。相反，他们认为，如果在午夜前把钱放在地毯下，这将确保来年的富足。
9. Japan (日本) In Japan, Joya no Kane is a Buddhist ritual that takes place at midnight on New Year’s Eve. It involves ringing a bell exactly 108 times. Buddhists believe that we humans are entrapped by 108 different desires that keep us suffering. The chimes symbolize purification from the accumulation of these passions over the previous year. 在日本，Joya no Kane是一种佛教仪式，在除夕午夜举行。仪式中梵钟会被敲响整整108次。佛教徒认为，我们人类被108种不同的欲念所困住，而这些欲念使我们备受煎熬。敲响钟声象征着前一年所积累的这些欲念会因此得以净化。
10. Panama (巴拿马) Panama has a similar “viejo” tradition to the one in Ecuador. Only here the effigies are called muñecos. Rather than simply setting them on fire, the dolls are typically stuffed with fireworks in order to really get the festivities cranking. 巴拿马有着与厄瓜多尔类似的“viejo”传统。只有在这里，画像才被称为穆尼奥斯（玩偶；人偶）。为了让庆祝活动真正开始，这些玩偶通常会被装满烟花，而不是简单地点燃它们。
11. Turkey (土耳其) In Turkey, once the bell strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, it’s customary to sprinkle salt on your doorstep. It’s said that this brings peace and good luck to the home or business. 在土耳其，一旦除夕夜午夜钟声敲响后，按照传统，人们会在家门口撒盐。据说这会给家人或生意带来平和和好运。
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