The end of the year in Peru is a deeply rooted festivity in popular customs and an ideal time to gather with family and friends. The arrival of the New Year is celebrated with countless traditions filled with symbolism, experienced with great joy, hope, and prosperity. Across the country, families prepare for this event with rituals aimed at attracting good luck, abundance, and happiness for the upcoming year.
At Se Llama Perú, we understand how important it is to share these moments of tradition. That’s why we invite all our customers to join these celebrations and experience the most iconic Peruvian New Year customs up close. In this article, we’ll share some of the most popular rituals and how you can enjoy them at our restaurant.
Peruvian New Year Traditions
The 12 Grapes: 12 Wishes for the New Year
The Meaning of the 12 Grapes
One of the most popular traditions in Peru to bid farewell to the year is eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Each grape represents one of the 12 months of the new year, and it is said that as you eat a grape for each chime, you should make a wish for each month. This ritual seeks to attract luck, prosperity, and well-being for the year ahead.
An Invitation to Experience Se Llama Perú
At Se Llama Perú, we invite you to share this tradition while enjoying a festive dinner with your loved ones. We offer a variety of traditional dishes to accompany the celebration and, of course, fresh 12 grapes so you can make your wishes with us. Imagine the warm and festive atmosphere of our restaurant, where each chime marks a wish for success and happiness in the coming year.
Yellow Clothing: Attracting Good Luck and Prosperity
The Meaning of Yellow Clothing
In Peruvian culture, the color yellow is synonymous with prosperity and good luck. Tradition dictates that wearing yellow clothing on New Year’s Eve attracts positive energies and ensures a year full of abundance. It’s a custom practiced by all families, especially when seeking a more prosperous future.
The Burning of the “Old Year” Doll: Letting Go of the Negative
The Ritual of Burning the Old Year
Burning the “Old Year” doll is one of the most significant rituals in Peru. This doll, usually made of old clothes or recycled materials, symbolizes all the negativity of the outgoing year: problems, bad experiences, and worries. By burning the doll, all the bad is released, making way for a fresh start filled with hope.
How to Celebrate at Se Llama Perú
Although the burning of the “Old Year” doll is primarily celebrated in streets and homes, at Se Llama Perú, we aim to offer an atmosphere of renewal and hope. While we can’t have a literal burning in our restaurant, we provide an ambiance full of joy and good wishes so all our customers can enjoy the year’s farewell with optimism and hope.
Lentils and Money Bills: Attracting Economic Prosperity
The Meaning of Lentils
Eating lentils is another very popular tradition for welcoming the New Year. It is believed that consuming a spoonful of lentils right after midnight attracts economic prosperity and abundance throughout the year. In many families, lentils are the main dish of the New Year’s dinner, always with the hope that the upcoming year will bring financial well-being.
The Money Bill in Shoes Ritual
In some regions of Peru, it’s customary to place a money bill in your shoes to ensure the household economy flourishes in the coming year. This ritual is associated with attracting material abundance and is a symbolic way of guaranteeing economic stability.
Roasted Chicken for New Year’s Eve
In recent years, roasted chicken has become one of the most consumed dishes during New Year’s festivities. Unlike other traditional dinners, roasted chicken offers a delicious and accessible option for those who prefer something more informal yet equally festive. At Se Llama Perú, we offer high-quality roasted chicken, perfect for sharing with family or friends while celebrating this important tradition.
Celebrate with Se Llama Perú: A New Year of Tradition and Prosperity
At Se Llama Perú, we understand that New Year’s is more than just a party. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the traditions that unite us as Peruvians, to reflect on the year that passed, and to open the doors to prosperity in the year to come. We invite you to experience these customs with us, enjoying our delicious food, participating in our festive rituals, and sharing joyful moments with your loved ones.
Celebrate 2025 with us and ensure this New Year is full of health, good luck, prosperity, and, of course, lots of happiness!
FAQs
The 12 grapes represent the 12 months of the year, and by eating one with each chime, you make a wish for each month. It’s a symbolic way of attracting good luck for the entire year.
Yellow dishes like arroz con pollo or ají de gallina are perfect to pair with the prosperity tradition. Both dishes are available at Se Llama Perú.
It’s a ritual where a doll symbolizing the negativity of the outgoing year is burned, making way for a hopeful and renewed New Year.
Enjoy a delicious lentil dish at our New Year’s dinner to attract economic prosperity for the coming year.
Yes, roasted chicken is one of the most popular dishes during New Year’s in Peru, and we offer it at our restaurant for you to enjoy with your family or friends.
