Making resolutions at the start of a new year is a tradition that, according to historians, dates back more than 4,000 years. Babylonians, one of the first cultures to celebrate the changing of the year, made promises to pay debts or return borrowed items.

Following are plenty of other traditions—many believed to bring good luck—to start off your new year!

Break a plate In Denmark, people go around breaking dishware on the doorsteps of their friends and family. The more shards there are in front of your home the next day, the luckier and more popular you are.

Burn an effigy Burning a scarecrow stuffed with newspaper and sawdust, called an "año Viejo" in Ecuador and a "muñeco" in Panama, is believed to drive away any bad energy from the past year and welcome in good vibes.

Decorate your front door To Greeks, onions are a symbol of good luck and fertility, because they sprout even when no one is paying attention to them. Families in Greece hang bundles of onions above their front door as a means of inviting that prosperity into the home.

Eat a dozen grapes It’s a tradition in Spain to eat 12 green grapes, one for each strike of the clock at midnight, on New Year’s Eve. The custom is said to have originated in 1909 when Spain experienced a bumper grape harvest in Alicante, its principal grape-growing region.

Eat pork Eating pork brings good luck because pigs root forward.

Jump seven waves You can increase your luck by heading to the water and jumping over seven waves in Brazil. Be prepared with your "wants list" before heading into the water, because you only get one wish for each wave.

Make noise Noisemakers are a common tradition for “ringing in” the start of a new year. Party blowers, party whistles, blow ticklers, and noise poppers, are just a few of the items found in American homes at the turn of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Pray away the bad Nigeria is a diverse country, home to people of many different ethnic groups and religions. On New Year’s Eve, Nigerians gather at their local place of worship to renounce any bad deeds from the past twelve months and offer up prayers for a healthy and prosperous new year.

Smash the peppermint pig In Upstate New York, everyone gets to take a turn hitting the peppermint pig with a special candy-size hammer and eating a piece for good fortune in the new year.

Watch the ball (or the Just Born Peep) drop Crowds have been gathering in New York City’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve to watch the ball drop since 1907. And while the first ball was made of iron and wood, today you can watch the Just Born Peep drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, or a potato in Boise, Idaho.