This document summarizes several New Year's traditions celebrated in Colombia and other Latin American countries. Some of the traditions include eating 12 grapes at midnight for good luck, wearing or using the color yellow for good fortune in the new year, hiding potatoes under the bed and feeling around to find them without looking for luck, and decorating homes with sheaves of wheat for prosperity. Children also dress up as devils and dance in the streets to earn coins and bring good fortune door-to-door. Special New Year's meals often include lechona (roast stuffed pig) and tamales wrapped in banana leaves. Major cities also illuminate their main streets to celebrate.

1. New Year’s Traditions
in Colombia
by Larry M. Lynch
proflmlynch@gmail.com

2. Question: What do
a suitcase,
12 grapes,
a sheaf of wheat,
the color yellow,
five potatoes and
banana leaves
all have in
common?

3. Right!
They’re all are part
of New Year’s
Traditions in
Colombia and other
Latin American
countries

4. Follow along then …
and learn how …

5. Many believe that if you
carry an empty suitcase
around the block on New
Year’s Eve, you will have the
good fortune to travel in the
New Year.
One Interesting Tradition
is to Go on a Mock “Trip”

6. A Widespread
Tradition is to
Eat twelve
Grapes at
Midnight for
Good Luck –
One for
each month of
the
New Year

7. How about me?
No, not yet …

8. It’s also traditional to Use or Wear
Yellow for the New Year:
“Like me?”
Well not quite…
http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/tweety-bird-clip-art

9. … a yellow shirt for men
or yellow panties for the Ladies
… more like …

10. Another interesting Tradition
is to: Take 5 Potatoes…
Peel one, then toss
them all under the
bed …
Then reach under
the bed and feel
around for them …
No peeking now!
Got one? Great!
Now take it out –
If it’s the peeled one:
It’s Good Luck for
the New Year!

11. How about now?
No, not yet.

12. A Decorated Sheaf of Wheat
It is believed that
hanging a
decorated sheaf of
wheat on a wall in
the living room,
over a desk or
bed, or in the
dining room
brings Good Luck
for the New Year
http://funny-pictures.picphotos.net/

13. Dancing Devils Fill the Streets
“Carnival Devils”,
traditionally children
dressed as skeletons, devils,
witches and the like, fill the
streets of cities like Cali,
Bogota and Medellin, to
dance and play flutes,
tamborines and drums.
You tip them a few coins
for their efforts so they’ll
dance onward to another
area. They start to appear in
late November and almost
“magically” disappear after
the first week of the New
Year.

14. So what is this?
… and now? Okay …

15. It’s “Lechona”:
a whole roast, stuffed pig
prepared for special occassions
like New Year’s Celebrations

16. Some Prefer “Tamales”
They’re chicken, beef, pork
and vegetables wrapped
and cooked in a banana leaf

17. Cities Illuminate Main Streets

18. You can experience The Cali Festival
Come see it all for yourself from
December 26 to December 31

19. Have a Happy &
Prosperous
New Year in
2015
Larry M. Lynch
proflmlynch@gmail.com
http://www.barefootconsultants.com/public/
Speak-English-Get-Paid-Reviews.cfm
For More Information Contact Us at: