New Year's Day Traditions
In Cuba, many individuals engage in thorough house cleaning on the final day of the year, retaining the dirty mop water until the stroke of midnight. At that moment, they pour the filthy water into the streets, symbolizing the cleansing of past misfortunes from the previous year and ushering in the New Year with renewed, positive energy.
A life-sized rag doll is set ablaze in certain regions, primarily rural areas. This effigy represents the unpleasant events of the preceding year. People gather around the figurine at midnight, igniting it like a puppet, hoping to attract good luck for the forthcoming year.
