In Colombia, carrying a suitcase around the block on New Year's Eve is meant to attract travel.
People who want a year filled with trips may walk around their home or neighborhood carrying an empty suitcase shortly after midnight. The action is a symbolic way of expressing hopes for journeys in the coming year.
The custom belongs to a broader set of Colombian New Year's traditions involving symbolic objects and actions. Families may also burn an Año Viejo effigy representing the old year, make resolutions, or eat foods associated with prosperity and luck.
The suitcase ritual is not a travel requirement or a prediction. Its meaning is folkloric and aspirational, and practices differ between households and regions. Similar “walking with luggage” customs are also reported in other parts of Latin America.