In Colombia's New Year's Eve tradition, people carry an empty suitcase around the block to symbolize travel in the coming year.
The custom is a form of sympathetic magic: performing an action associated with a desired experience is thought to help bring that experience about. Someone hoping for frequent journeys, international trips, or new adventures may walk outside just after midnight with an empty suitcase.
The ritual is especially recognizable in Colombia, where it sits alongside other New Year's customs involving luck and prosperity. Families may also eat twelve grapes, wear particular colors, or use symbolic objects, although practices vary between regions and households.
The suitcase tradition does not promise a specific destination or type of trip. Its meaning is aspirational, expressing a wish that the new year will include movement and travel. It is therefore best understood as a playful cultural custom rather than a formal religious observance.