What is the name of the Brazilian New Year's Eve tradition of jumping seven waves for good luck?

The Brazilian New Year's Eve tradition of jumping seven waves is called jumping seven waves.

At coastal celebrations, especially in Rio de Janeiro, some people enter the sea and jump over seven waves after midnight. Each jump is associated with a wish or request for good fortune in the coming year. The number seven has symbolic importance in several Brazilian cultural and religious contexts, though participants may interpret the custom in different ways.

The practice is particularly visible during Réveillon on Brazil's beaches. Some participants also make offerings or wear white, customs that can reflect Afro-Brazilian religious influences and broader ideas of purification and renewal. Not every celebrant follows the ritual, and meanings vary among individuals.

The custom is sometimes described as simply “going into the ocean,” but the defining feature is counting seven waves. It is also distinct from Spain's 12 grapes: both are New Year luck traditions, but they use different numbers, settings, and actions.