5 Latin American Traditions to Bring in Good Luck This 2016

Welcoming the new year differs from one culture to another. Here are a few of the more popular Latin-American traditions that are believed to bring in good luck.

1.    Eating 12 grapes

Eat exactly 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one grape for each month of the year.

In some cases, people make a wish before eating a grape. According to Popsugar, some people turn this tradition into a game to see who can finish all grapes the fastest.

The Cosmopolitan suggests picking the sweetest grapes from the bunch. Eating a sour grape is said to signify that there may be bad times ahead.

2.    Wearing colored underwear

Wearing colored underwear is a common practice for Latinos, with varying colors having different meanings.

The Latino publication says people wear red underwear to signify love, green for money or yellow for prosperity.

Cosmopolitan says in Brazil, locals believe that wearing white while welcoming the new year will bring good luck and peace to the wearer. It can be white underwear or a white dress.

You can also take it a step further by wearing your underwear inside out a few minutes before midnight then wearing it the right way around a few minutes into the new year. The Huffington Post says performing this ritual will assure the individual of lots of new clothes in the coming months.

3.    Carry a suitcase

Do you want to travel more in the coming year? Grab a piece of luggage and take a walk or run around the block.

HuffPost says what you pack inside your suitcase signifies what type of trip you would like to have.

4.    Grab a potato

In parts of Colombia and Peru, people celebrate New Year's Eve by placing three different potatoes underneath a person's bed: one peeled, one unpeeled while the last one is half-peeled.

According to the Huffington report, the tradition involves grabbing one potato without looking underneath the bed. Getting the unpeeled potato indicates prosperity in the coming year.

On the other hand, grabbing the peeled and half-peeled potato indicates financial trouble in the coming months.

5.    Lentils

There are two well-known rituals involving lentils.

In some countries, people eat lentils throughout the last day of the year or a spoon's worth of the legumes on the first day. An alternative is grabbing a handful of raw lentils and putting them into your pocket or bag.

Both practices are said to guarantee a year filled with riches.