You might think the only thing you need to do to secure a prosperous and happy 2020 is just to open the doors and windows after midnight to 'let the old year out and the new year in', but that's really just the start.
For many people, December 31 is a chance to get 'glammed up', and head out to some overcrowded pub or bar and shout with strangers at a clock as it strikes midnight.
But if you're superstitious like me, it's a demented rush around the house doing loads of chores so that I don't have to lift a finger on January 1... and condemn myself to 12 months of financial woe, exhaustion and general bad luck.
It is believed that if you spend a penny on January 1 you'll be paying out all year; that if you shed a tear you'll have twelve months of anguish; and if you wear a new outfit you can expect lots of new clothes in your wardrobe before the year is out.
Fireworks are traditionally let off to deter bad spirits from entering the new year with you, but there really are tonnes of other rituals and rites from all around the world designed to protect you in the year ahead, plus others that people have developed over time or through their own families.
Need some extra things to fret about before 2020 kicks off? Here are a few, and their 'reasoning'...
Don't do laundry on New Year's Day
Some people go as far as to refuse to wash anything in the no man's land between Christmas Day and January 1. This is because of a centuries old belief that you could 'wash a loved one away'.
No hoovering or sweeping
Another chore that has to wait until at least January 2 is hoovering, sweeping or dusting. The consequences of this aren't as severe as doing a load of washing, you just risk sweeping away good luck for the year.
Don't eat chicken
Eat chicken and expect to scratch around in the dirt (i.e. in poverty) for the whole year.
I fully embraced NYE superstitions in 2018/19, going as far as to pre-pay my psychic ready for a New Year's reading.
However, I totally forgot about not spending any money on January 1 from moment the chimes rang in 2019 at The Black Heart in Camden and I bought in several rounds of Jagerbombs. And then paid for a takeaway. And then got a cab home.
The past year, despite being very good on the love-front has however been shocking financially. Is this why? OBVIOUSLY.
I'm not taking any chances this year, I'm 100% not going to the pub.
