Many people in Colombia traditionally wear yellow on New Year’s Eve to symbolize prosperity and good fortune.
Yellow clothing, especially yellow underwear, is associated in Colombian popular tradition with hopes for luck, happiness, and financial success in the coming year. Some people buy a new yellow garment or wear it beneath their ordinary clothes during the celebration.
The custom belongs to a wider family of New Year color traditions across Latin America and other regions. Meanings differ by country: colors may be linked with love, health, money, peace, or protection. These are cultural symbols, not official national rules.
Colombian New Year celebrations also include family gatherings, fireworks, music, and regional customs such as burning an effigy called Año Viejo. The yellow clothing practice should therefore be understood as one popular custom among several.