New Year's Eve is the final moment of a year's celebration. It's a night of reflection on what's left behind, anticipation for what's to come, and, of course, celebration. Among the festive attire, champagne toasts, and countdowns, one of the most popular traditions is the midnight kiss.
Whether you celebrate the New Year in front of the TV or in a nightclub, tradition says that entering the new year should be done next to someone who evokes positive emotions and with whom you share a symbolic kiss.
Why do people kiss at midnight?
According to folklore, the first person you meet in the new year and how you interact with them determines the energy and luck of the entire year. A kiss is considered a sign of strengthening the bonds that you want to maintain in the future. Legend has it that if a couple celebrates together and does not kiss at midnight, this does not bode well for the relationship.
Superstitions about New Year's kisses
For singles, there is a popular belief that not kissing anyone at midnight can bring a year of loneliness. This custom is related to the Scottish tradition of Hogmanay, where at midnight it was customary for people to kiss everyone present as a sign of friendship, good luck, and auspicious beginnings.
However, kissing for the sake of tradition is not always the best choice. Kissing someone against their will or without consent is worse than not kissing anyone at all, and respecting personal boundaries always remains more important than any superstition.
The New Year's kiss in popular culture
This tradition has also been reinforced by films and popular culture. In “Bridget Jones's Diary,” the New Year's kiss reunites Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy. While in “The Godfather: Part II,” the kiss on New Year's Eve takes on a completely different meaning, not romantic, but menacing, when Michael Corleone gives his brother a “kiss of death.”
One of the most iconic moments is the kiss at the end of the film "When Harry Met Sally", which marks the beginning of a long-awaited love story.
However, reality is not always like in the movies: many people feel under pressure, especially singles, while for some couples kissing is not a necessity.
However, the New Year is all about the people who make you feel good and safe. Whether it's with a partner, family, friends, or even without kissing at all, the most important thing is to start the year with calm, love, and no high expectations.
