Which New Year's Eve tradition involves kissing someone at midnight for good luck?

A midnight kiss is the New Year’s Eve tradition of kissing someone as the clock reaches midnight, often as a symbol of affection and good luck.

The custom is especially familiar in North American and European popular culture, where couples may kiss during countdowns, parties, and televised celebrations. It is not a single religious rite or globally universal practice; its meaning and popularity differ among families and communities.

Folklore often treats the first moments of the new year as influential for the months ahead. A kiss can therefore represent hopes for love, companionship, or continuity. Modern celebrations may also emphasize consent, friendship, or simply participation in a shared countdown.

The midnight kiss should not be confused with Spain’s twelve-grape custom or Scotland’s first-footing. Those traditions involve food and household visits, while the midnight kiss is a social gesture associated with the exact change of year.