5 Unimaginably Fabulous Way of Ringing in the New Year – How Are You Going to Welcome 2020?

In Singapore, I believe people place a huge emphasis on Christmas and ringing in the New Year than other festivals. There will be fireworks during the New Year countdown celebration, but for my fiancé’s and my families, we prefer avoiding crowded areas. We’ll just stay home and enjoy a scrumptious feast for dinner. Since it’ll be boring to share about how I ring in the New Year in Singapore, I’ve approached 5 of my favourite travel girls on Instagram to find out how they usually welcome the New Year around the world. Don’t forget to check out their amazing Instagram feeds!

Yu Cui
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishsflourish/
Blog: https://www.fishsflourish.com/
Ringing in the New Year in NEW YORK CITY

New York City is my favourite place to welcome the New Year. Looking for lovely holiday decorations is one of my biggest hobbies during this season. Many restaurants and rooftops get super creative and go all out to decorate. They put me right in the holiday mood. Many sites, like Saks Fifth Avenue, Cartier, and Rockefeller Centre, all put up their splendid holiday decorations. The dazzling colours make the city even more festive. The holiday markets are always my favourite places to visit during this time. I’m always impressed by how diverse the shops are. From artworks to jewellery, to fun accessories, everyone can find the perfect holiday gifts there.

Walking around with a cup of hot chocolate in my hand, it is so comforting even on a cold day. Another New Year ritual for me is to see a holiday show. My favourite ones are The Nutcracker from New York City Ballet and Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, the beautiful details and the talented dancers have always stunned me. It is a great way to celebrate a brand new year with family and friends. There is so much to do in NYC, and I’m looking forward to discovering more and more each year.

Helena Bradbury
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenabradbury/
Ringing in the New Year in UNITED KINGDOM

I’m from the UK and while Christmas is usually a time to spend with family, New Year is more commonly spent with friends. I usually host a large house party or go to a friend’s party where we dance, drink and see in the New Year with fireworks, alongside the friends and family who matter to me most. In the UK, New Year is an occasion to throw big parties, go to large public events and since Brits do enjoy a drink (or several!) it’s also an occasion to get very merry, as 1st January is a Bank Holiday so most people don’t have to go to work. As well as fireworks all over the country, the huge fireworks event in London and the official countdown is projected on screens and played on TVs at every party, bar and club across the country.

As the clock strikes midnight, it is a tradition to kiss those you want to spend the coming year with, congratulate everyone on the New Year, drink champagne (or other appropriate celebratory beverage) and then join in with a group rendition of Auld Lang Syne. In the streets, clubs and bars, strangers will link arms and sing together, it’s a huge occasion of celebrating the year to come. On the 1st January, to clear the cobwebs from the night before, I will usually go for a New Years Day walk with family and a lot of other people have a similar tradition too. There’s nothing like a brisk, cold walk outside to refresh you and get you ready for the year ahead!

Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little.brave.travels/
Ringing in the New Year Around the World

New Years for me is usually spent in a different city or country every year. This tradition started because we (my husband and I) moved across the country four years ago, and have been away from friends and family ever since. We are both South African, but we currently live in Italy. It started as a way to keep our minds busy from missing our loved ones, and has become our own tradition since then. I love the fact that I get to experience the beginning of a New Year in a different place every time. It’s also interesting to see how other people choose to bring in the New Year. As much as I miss not being with my family, I think the whole point of the New Year is to open yourself up to new traditions, habits and experiences. I think that being able to travel for the actual celebration truly embraces that spirit.

Travelling has always been a part of my life, my parents raised me to look outside of my comfort zones, and see other people’s homes as your own. We have made friends and “family” all over the world, so spending New Years exploring different parts of the globe just makes sense to us now, I can’t even imagine staying in my apartment for New Years, when there is so much out there to see, so why not start your year out with a small trip, and celebrate in a new place!

Anna Kim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytravelanthropy/
Blog: https://www.mytravelanthropy.com/
Ringing in the New Year in TORONTO

Being a Canadian, Korean living in Toronto, Canada, it’s important for me to celebrate New Year’s twice:
1) Counting down with family and friends here at home on New Year’s Eve
and
2) on Lunar New Years, which is the day my friends and family back home in Korea celebrate. Happy Lunar New Year in Korean is – “Saehae Bog-Manh-i Bad-Euseyo”. Lunar New Year, is not only celebrated in China and Korea but in Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and many Asian countries as well. Some Korean traditions we continue in our home are: eating a traditional Korean dish called “Ddeokguk” – rice cake soup and performing a formal bow to our parents and elders, who then give us money and wise words of advice for the New Year.

Adele
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderlusterprincess/
Ringing in the New Year in SCOTLAND

As long as I can remember, I have always spent New Year’s Eve with my family in the Dolomites (Italy) for skiing. Last year my tradition changed, because the skiing vacation moved to January and first time since I was a small child, I had no fixed plans so, I decided to go to Ireland with my boyfriend for New Year’s Eve Celebration. This year, my boyfriend and I are visiting Scotland!

We flew to Edinburgh on 27th December and are staying in Scotland till 2nd January. I planned a fun road trip for us across the Scottish Highlands. Travel planning is my favourite thing to do and I always plan all our travels months in advance. I am going to visit some of the most famous Scottish castles like Dunnottar Castle, Castle Fraser, Craigievar Castle, Urquhart Castle by Loch Ness lake, Eilean Donan Castle and Edinburgh castle.

Scotland has always been on my bucket list so I am really excited to finally go there. Exploring castles is one of my favourite things to do and there is plenty to see and explore in Scotland. I am also a huge Harry Potter fan so of course I will visit Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Elephant House Cafe. For New Year’s Eve celebration, we will be in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. We will probably have some nice dinner and watch fireworks together. Starting the New Year exploring a foreign country with the love of my life, my boyfriend Matthias, is definitely the best start into 2020 that I could wish for.

Don’t all of the above New Year’s celebrations sound exciting to you? I’d love to hear about your New Year’s celebrations, so do share with me in the comments below! Meanwhile, wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have a wonderful time ringing in 2020!