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New Year's Day in Ecuador, known as "Año Nuevo," is celebrated on January 1st as in many other parts of the world. It marks the beginning of the new calendar year and is a public holiday across the country.
The celebration of New Year's Day in Ecuador follows the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. This replaced the Julian calendar and standardized January 1st as the start of the new year. Over time, this date has been embraced globally, including in Ecuador, for new year festivities.
Ecuadorian New Year’s celebrations are rich with unique traditions. One of the most notable is the burning of "años viejos" (old years). This involves creating effigies that represent the old year – often resembling public figures or fictional characters – which are then filled with newspapers or sawdust and set aflame at midnight. This symbolizes burning away the bad from the previous year and making way for new beginnings.
People also write satirical "testamentos" (wills) supposedly left behind by these effigies, humorously bequeathing their traits or belongings to friends and family members.
Another tradition includes wearing yellow underwear for good luck or red if one is seeking love. Some may also carry suitcases around their homes or down streets symbolizing a hope for travel in the coming year.
On New Year’s Day, it's common for people to gather with family and friends to celebrate. Festivities often include fireworks displays and street parties with music and dancing throughout cities like Quito and Guayaquil. After midnight revelries, January 1st itself tends to be more low-key, with many spending time relaxing at home or visiting loved ones to extend well-wishes for the new year.
During this time, it's also traditional to enjoy festive meals that may include dishes like 'hornado' (roast pig), 'fritada' (fried pork), 'ceviche' (a seafood dish), along with other local delicacies that vary from region to region within Ecuador.
