New Year’s Eve Underwear Traditions from Around the World
New Year’s Eve Underwear Traditions from Around the World That You Didn’t Know Existed – WATCH
by Sean Mandell
December 28, 2015 | 11:19am
If you have certain goals in mind for 2016 — prosperity, love, fortune, happiness, friendship, etc — you may want to don a specific color of underwear come December 31st.
As a new video from The Underwear Expert explains, nations from around the world have different customs of what color underwear you should wear on New Year’s Eve to ensure a fortuitous year ahead. Argentinians believe pink skivvies will bring you love, while in China, red underwear (preferably with golden embroidery) wards off bad luck for the coming year. And it’s not always about color; Bolivians suggest wearing pink underwear backwards to keep up strong friendships and Peruvians wear green underwear inside out to receive positive energy all year long.
Among the many nations profiled in the video, there is one consensus: wearing black skivvies on New Year’s Eve will bring misfortune to your year ahead. So opt for something colorful instead, depending on what’s on your 2016 vision board.
Watch the video below:
And check out this cheat sheet of New Year’s Eve underwear traditions from The Underwear Expert:
For more information on the items featured in this video, head to our Curated Underwear Club, and check out the many traditions mentioned in the video below:
1. Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, wearing white underwear is believed to aid in fertility and a year of good health.
2. Spain
Wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve in Spain dates back several hundred years where it was seen as a symbol of life. It is also common to eat a grape with every chime of the bell at midnight for a year of prosperity.
3. Peru
In Peru, green underwear will bring you positive energy in the new year, especially if you wear it inside out, and change it back at midnight.
4. Philippines
Wearing anything polka dotted in the Philippines will work, as the roundness symbolizes prosperity, so why not start from the inside out!
5. Argentina
Looking for love? Argentinians dressed in pink skivvies hope the color will spice up their romances for the year to come.
6. Colombia
In Colombia, yellow underwear is worn to ensure a year of happiness and good fortune.
7. Chile
Also, in Chile, yellow underwear is worn to ensure a year of happiness and good fortune.
8. Ecuador
In Ecuador, yellow underwear is– um– well– In most Latin America countries, yellow underwear is worn to ensure a year of happiness and good fortune. This also may be a good time to note that, similar to Spain, red underwear is also worn in many Latin American countries.
9. China
In China, red underwear with golden embroidery is seen as a way to fight off bad luck for the new year. This holds especially true when it is your ‘benming nian’ or the year of your animal, so any born in the year of the monkey better stock up by February!
10. Bolivia
Bolivians looking to keep friendships going strong wear pink underwear on NYE. To double their luck, they also wear the underwear backwards!
11. Portugal
If you are looking for tranquility in Portugal, many people will sport blue undies under their New Years best.
12. Brazil
In Brazil, sporting orange knickers will potentially provide a year professional success. Bright underwear is usually also paired with an outfit of all white.
13. Italy
Want some ‘allegra’ in the new year? Italians fashion themselves in luxurious red underwear for a year of cheer. Extra cheer ensues from red underwear received as a gift the day before.
14. Black Underwear
Though it is not tied down to one nation, most countries believe wearing black underwear on New Years Eve will bring misfortune unto the New Year, so steer clear!