New Year's Day 2013: 10 Bizarre New Year's Celebrations

2. Baptism By Fire - South Africa

South Africa's New Year's eve festivities can't so much be called "celebrations" as they can be termed "catastrophes", especially in down-town Johannesburg, where things resemble a particularly manic episode of The Wire more than they do a jubilant celebration. If Sri Lankans cleanse their home with some elbow grease and plenty of chemical agents, South Africans go about it their own way, by literally relieving their homes of old furniture and appliances, throwing them into the streets below. Flying fridges cause innumerable injuries, even deaths on New Year's Eve in South Africa, while the police frequently tries to battle these tides by scoping out suspect neighbourhoods days ahead of time in the hope of catching those who are stashing faulty appliances ready for hurling. Easily the most dangerous "celebration" on the list, you'd need a death wish to get in on this action.
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.