El Año Nuevo

Just as you have a selection of favours to choose from at the heladería so does there exist a selection of ingenious that now call Chile home. In the 15^th century the mighty Incas conquered the northern part of Chile and their influences infiltrated the existing traditions of the Atacaminans and the Diaguitas to name a few. In the south the savage Mapuche ruled and the Selk’nam roamed Patagonia. In 1540 the explosive gun power of Pedro de Valdivia marked the entrance of Spanish governance.

Along Catholicism the Spanish also introduced paganistic superstitions to Chile, which especially become apart during the festive season. The oncoming weeks before New Year's Eve one can find a strange array of yellow underwear on sale in the street instead of the usual fake handbags and sugarcoated peanuts. Why all this yellow a perplexed foreigner might ask? The answer is easy: if you are wearing golden yellow underwear as the clock strikes midnight on the 31^st you will be endowed with great financial fortune this new year.

If that doesn’t work the trick, perhaps try dropping your gold jewellery into your celebratory glass of champagne. And if you want to ensure your good fortune will last the entire year, with each chime of midnight eat 12 grapes (ideally 6 green and 6 red), one for each month and make sure to shallow the seed.

There is a superstition for all of us: for all those singletons bursting for a proposal of marriage this coming year, simply sit down and stand up 12 times in accordance to each chime of the clock. Or if you want more clothes, on New Year’s Eve wear your underwear inside out. Or perhaps you’re worried you won’t be happy. Not to worry, at midnight go out into the street and try to make the first person you see be young – the younger the person, the greater your happiness will be.

And put your packed bags at the front door to ensure you take lots of trips. Better yet, go around the block with your suitcases. And burn a doll to get rid of all the bad energy from last year but be careful; it is necessary that the doll is wearing old clothes. If you want, put a list of all the bad things from last year that you want removed in the doll's pocket and set it all alight at midnight.

The superstitions don't stop there. The question is though do you really believe in it all? Maybe it’s all just a placebo, who knows.