10 Weird But True New Year's Eve Traditions Around the Globe

All around the world, people like to ring in the New Year in their own unique ways. In America, we have a weird tradition, too. It consists of eating yourself into borderline obesity for two months straight, then vowing to get back to your normal weight before totally forgetting that vow two weeks later. New Year's is fun. We're kicking off 2012 by rounding up ten of the weirdest New Year's traditions from around the globe.

Burning pictures, Ecuador: Burning someone's photo is usually reserved for bad breakups, but in Ecuador, that's how they ring in the New Year. Locals get together with pictures that symbolize something from the past year and burn it. It's a way of saying goodbye to the past.

Wearing colorful panties, Mexico: It's Mexican tradition to wear colorful underwear on New Year's Eve. For example, if you want good luck, you wear yellow panties. If you want to find love, you wear red panties. And if you want to get laid, don't wear any panties at all. Okay, I just made that last one up.

Hanging out in graveyards, Chile: In the Chilean city of Talca, on New Year's Eve, a mass of people gather at a local graveyard and count down to the New Year with the deceased.

Watching TV, Germany: Not that weird, but definitely kinda boring. Since 1972, every New Year's Eve at midnight, Germans watch the British show Dinner for One. Good way to get ratings though.

Throwing dishes, Denmark: A lot of cultures seem to be cool with breaking kitchenware. In Denmark on New Year's Eve, people throw their old dishes on their friend's doors.

Putting leaves under pillows, Ireland: Single ladies in Ireland place mistletoe leaves under their pillow hoping to catch a future husband. Ladies, I don't want to tell you how to find a man, but leaves under a pillow just doesn’t sound effective. Maybe try putting out?

Wearing polka dots, Philippines: Wearing polka dots on New Year's Eve is considered good luck in the Philippines, money-wise. The dots are supposed to resemble coins. Why stop there? How bout a dress made out of twenties?

Burning a scarecrow, Ecuador: In Ecuador, they make a scarecrow out of newspapers and wood, and then as midnight approaches, everyone takes turns lighting it on fire.

Eating grapes, Spain: At the stroke of midnight on December 31st, Spaniards eat one grape for every chime of the clock. Yep, in Spain, you start the New Year off by eating 12 grapes. I'm down for that. Especially if they've been stomped on and fermented for a couple of years.

Food fighting, China: In China, it's customary to kick off the New Year by getting together to throw around an appetizer called Lo Hei. You're supposed to toss the food up as high as you can and shout out your wishes for the New Year. "I WISH WE'D STOP THROWING ALL THIS FOOD EVERYWHERE!"