The end of the year is a time for reflecting on the past year and preparing for the year ahead. Many cultures have traditions and rituals for New Year’s Eve:

The American custom of spending the night with the one you love and kissing them at midnight insures that the relationship will flourish during the coming year. In Rio de Janeiro, more than a million people gather on the beaches on December 31st to honor Yemanja, the Yoruban “Mother of the Sea,” who brings good fortune.

Even the color of underwear Brazilians wear on the first day of the new year has meaning. Pink brings love, yellow, prosperity; and white, peace and happiness.

excerpted from The Meaning of New Year’s Traditions