17. Ecuador – Scarecrow Burning
The New Year is celebrated in Ecuador with the burning of a Scarecrow filled with paper as well as photographs from the previous year. This is a way to bring good fortune to all those involved over the coming year and likely has roots that fall deeper into the idea of letting go of the past to allow room for the future. The interesting part is the burning of photographs as it forces you to remember those moments from then on adding an emotional significance to the practice. The burning is used to burn away the past and scare away bad luck from the following year and not surprisingly, Fidel Castro was a popular scarecrow for many.