Erika’s guide to hosting or attending a Venezuelan New Year’s Eve party
Hi, I am Erika Urvina, part owner of the Venezuelan restaurant: Liqui-Liqui in South West London. My other half is Ryan Gilbert, a proud Cornish man whom I met and married here in the UK. We have been navigating running this business and bi-cultural marriage for over 10 years now. Amongst the many things cultural shocks we have experienced as a couple is that of how to host a proper New Year’s Eve party. Here are some of my tips on how we do it Venezuelan style.
Me, Erika from Liqui-Liqui.
It was when I asked my British friend what colour her underwear was that I realised maybe our Venezuelan New Year’s Eve traditions may require a little explaining. Up until that point my thinking was that every country must have its own quirky customs and superstitions. But nope, turns out the only three things you need to supply at a British New Year’s Eve party are fireworks and an obscene amount of alcohol, and a bit of singing “Auld Lang Syne” if you are lucky. Not that I have anything against that, at least their heart is in the right place. But the next year when I decided to host my own New Year’s Eve party, I decided I wanted to do things my way.
However this time, I learnt from my mortifying underwear experience and decided to give my British friends a head’s up when it came to what it is that they can expect at my Venezuelan New Year’s Eve party. And here you have it, Erika’s guide to hosting or attending a Venezuelan New Year’s Eve party:
Children are always welcome at our Venezuelan New Year's Eve parties.
1.VENEZUELAN NEW YEARS EVE DRESS CODE: Dress. The. Part.
I cannot over stress this enough.
Catch a Venezuelan woman picking up her kids’ afterschool on a Wednesday and she’ll still have her nails done, her hair blow-dried and a pair of 5-inch heels on – just to give you an idea of the bare minimum required here. We grew up receiving a new outfit for Christmas that would become our “estreno del año nuevo” - a new outfit for a new year. This means that your glittery sequin top and jeans ain’t gonna cut it for a Venezuelan New Year’s Eve party. People are DRESSY. Men are at the very least in shirts and women are in anything from cocktail dresses to full evening gowns. Even children (especially children), are dressed to their very best, with girls’ hair immaculately done up with ribbons and boys in proper dress shoes, not trainers.
A New Year is a new beginning, so why wouldn’t you want to welcome it looking your very best?
Yellow knickers for good luck! Photo credit: Victor Candiani, Pexels
2. Why the colour of your underwear matters on VENEZUELAN New Year’s Eve
Circling back to the memory of the horror on my British friend’s face when I asked her what colour underwear was all those years ago. This could all have been easily been avoided if I’d led with the explanation that, the colour underwear you wear on New Year’s determines your future for the rest of the year. Yes, you read that right.
The colour underwear you wear could help you find a new partner or save your business from going under. It’s Venezuelan lore that if you wear red underwear as the clock strikes midnight, the new year will bring you a new love. Whereas, if you wear yellow underwear as you go into the new year, your year will be filled with wealth and prosperity. Okay, maybe it’s not 100% guaranteed but what’s the harm in trying?
3.TRY YOUR LUCK WITH VENEZUELAN NEW YEAR’S EVE STRATEGIES
Eat lentils for prosperity
But what if you want new love AND prosperity? Well, let me tell you, there’s a way you can have both! Another way to bring prosperity to your New Year is to make sure you eat some lentils either at midnight or at some other point on New Year’s Day.
Cross the road with a suitcase with a passport filled with money
Okay so now you’ve got a recipe for love – check, money – check, but what about travel? If you’re someone that likes to travel, look no further than this trusty old trick.
If you cross the street with a suitcase at midnight then the new year will bring you lots and lots of travel.
What if you’re broke, I hear you ask? We have an answer for that too! Just fill your passport with cash and bring that along for the walk around the block to make sure your year is filled with travel WITH money.
Makes complete sense to me!
Our social media content creator, Giovanella Paludi getting ready to have her 12 grapes as the clock hit's midnight.
Eat 12 Grapes IN the countdown to midnight
The thing is, midnight on New Year’s Eve is actually quite a stressful time because there’s quite a lot that needs doing. Not only do you have to have your underwear on and suitcase ready to go, but you also need to eat 12 grapes in the 12 counts to midnight, making a wish as you eat every grape.
Top tip is to buy SEEDLESS grapes otherwise choking becomes a real hazard here.
4. venezuelan Hallacas for everyone this new year’s eve
Then of course, no New Year’s Eve would be complete without hallacas! Hallacas are the hallmark of the festive season so of course it makes sense that there would be a place for them on the New Year’s menu. If by this point in December you’ve run out of hallacas or you’ve discovered your nephew is bringing his VEGAN girlfriend… Don’t panic! We’ve got you covered, here at Liqui-Liqui, we sell hallacas right up until the New Year and we have Vegan and Vegetarian options as well!
5.- There is no party without a Latin Playlist
We love to dance and New Year’s eve is no exception. So put on your party shoes, pump up the volume and use our favourite playlist to inject some Latin flavour to your party.
Sergio enjoying his 12 grapes!
!Feliz Año Nuevo!
There you have it! Now you know everything you can expect at a Venezuelan New Year’s Eve party.
If anyone ever asks you what colour underwear you’re wearing, they’re not being creepy! They just want to know if you’re looking for love or for prosperity in the new year. It’s perfectly normal! You also now have all our secrets to having a year filled with love, money and travel, so you never have to have a bad year again!
YOU’RE WELCOME.
“NO AI HERE: This blog post is written by humans. Please enjoy our opinions, expertise, advice, experiences, and typos.”
