What colour will you wear this New Year’s Eve?published at 02:29 GMT

02:29 GMT

Malu Cursino
Live reporter

In just over 30 minutes Brazil will enter 2026. And there, New Year’s Eve is big deal – as I’ve seen myself many times over the years.

There are several traditions some Brazilians follow to welcome the new year, from wearing white clothes to jumping seven waves (if you are near a beach).

Sported by religious and non-religious people, the tradition of wearing white clothes is widely adopted by worshipers who celebrate Iemanjá, a Yoruba deity known as the “Queen of the Sea”.

As well as wearing white, those who worship Iemanjá take flowers to the sea at the end of the year as offerings to give thanks for the year that’s passed.

For others, including many Catholics or those with no religious beliefs, wearing white and going into the sea is about manifesting peace and harmony for the year ahead, rather than being linked to the deity.

There’s also a tradition of wearing specific colours to “attract” different things for the new year. Although this is subjective, here’s what each colour symbolises:

  • White – peace, harmony and tranquillity
  • Gold – light and richness
  • Silver – youthfulness
  • Yellow – enthusiasm and joy
  • Blue – confidence and stability
  • Green – growth, renewal and hope
  • Brown – solidity and safety
  • Black – elegance and power
  • Red – energy, strength and passion