While following another tradition, men in Ecuador dress up as the widows of the burnt effigies, some even calling them as the ‘widows of the old year.’ The tradition involves dressing up in revealing tops and short skirts and wigs and then the groups of people dance on streets, even harassing the drivers to take some coins from them to let them pass.
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On 31st December, the Swiss take part in the annual visit of the St. Sylvester’s mummers or as it is natively known, the visit of the Silvesterklaeuse. The mummers dress up in very elaborate traditional clothes, or even in full-length coats that are made from conifer or ivy branches. The masks that they put on their faces may resemble some evil pinecone-possessed Grinch or even a possessed porcelain doll. On top of this ensemble, they also wear a prickly large wreath and that is not all. The entire look gets completed when the mummers wear giant cowbells, which are mostly the size of watermelons. With these costumes, the mummers then walk in snow, village to village ringing in the New Year with their giant cowbells.
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In one of the weirdest traditions that people follow during the last days of the year, the residents of a town in Peru beat each other up. The festival, known as Takanakuy is actually celebrated on the morning of Christmas, but basically, the intention is to start the New Year with the right spirit. In Santo Tomas, neighbors and relatives drink a ton and then wear masks before heading to the bullfighting ring to settle their differences.
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