全球各地過新年都有自己獨特的慶祝方式，比如日本人喜歡寄賀年卡，朝鮮人會吃甜飯，阿根廷人洗“新年浴”，葡萄牙人斗牛迎新年。然而，在一片喜慶祥和的氣氛中，也有些地方的元旦習俗令人匪夷所思，甚至有點驚悚。

1. 用面包驅趕鬼魂

Back in the day, residents of Ireland would bang loaves against doors and walls just before midnight to ward off any angry apparitions or problematic phantoms that might be lurking. Whacking bread against the wall is also believed to send bad luck packing and ensure that your family won't go hungry for the next 12 months.

過去，愛爾蘭人在新年前夜會用長面包用力敲打門和墻，以驅趕潛伏在家中的怨鬼邪靈。據認為用面包敲打墻面還能趕走厄運，保佑家人新的一年不會挨餓。

2. 不要在新年第一天洗衣服

Some people believe that if you clean clothes on January 1, you'll be "washing for the dead" and a member of your family will die at some point in the coming year. It will also send a year of good fortune spiraling down the drain.

有些人相信，如果你在1月1日這天洗衣服，你洗的將會是“死人的衣服”，你的一位家人將會在這一年去世。他們認為，元旦洗衣服還會將一年的好運都沖走。

3. 不要在新年第一天扔東西

According to this New Year's superstition, nothing—be it leftover pizza, empty wine bottles, you get the idea—should be removed from your house until after New Year's Day. The idea is that it'll set the tone for a steady stream of people and things to leave you in the year to come.

有一種迷信說法是，元旦不能扔家里的任何東西，無論是吃剩的披薩還是空酒瓶。如果你在這一天扔東西，你身邊的人和物都會在這一年陸續離你而去。

4. 在新年前夜打開所有門窗

Homeowners in the Philippines open all the doors and windows just before midnight to serve up an eviction notice to any bad juju that might be lingering around and usher positive auras into their abodes. According to Filipino tradition, the more noise you make on December 31, the better, as it's also believed that a big ruckus helps to drive away evil spirits.

菲律賓人會在新年前夜打開家中的所有門窗以驅邪納吉。依照菲律賓傳統，12月31日家里越吵鬧越好，因為菲律賓人認為吵鬧聲可以趕走惡靈。

5. 在新年前夜扮成妖怪

In small villages around Japan, young men dressed as the Namahage (a.k.a. ogre-like demons) go door to door to frighten lazy people. They also threaten to snatch away misbehaving children but back off once the head of the household offers sake and rice cakes. These terrifying figures are also believed to bring protection from illness and disasters once appeased, as well as a good harvest and plentiful food year-round.

在日本的一些小村落，年輕男子會扮成生剝鬼（一種食人魔鬼）走家串戶去嚇懶人。他們還威脅要抓走調皮搗蛋的小孩，但是只要主人拿出清酒和年糕款待，他們就會離去。據認為這些可怕的鬼怪形象可以祛病消災，還能保佑來年莊稼豐收，一年到頭都有充足的食物。

英文來源：Mental Floss

翻譯&編輯：丹妮