Not all countries in the world celebrate the new year at the same time, in the same way. Different parts of the world use different calendars and have different traditions.
In British Columbia, Canada, there is a traditional polar bear swim, where people of all ages put on their bathing suits and plunge into the icy water surrounding Vancouver.
China. The Chinese New Year lasts about 15 days, beginning some time between Jan. 17 and Feb. 19, depending on the moon. The Chinese have the Festival of Lanterns, which is a street procession that lights the way for the new year.
Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the Dutch burn their Christmas trees in the street and launch fireworks to purge the old and welcome the new.
Spain. The Spanish eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve to ensure 12 months of happiness for the coming year.
Japan. The moment the New Year begins, the Japanese begin to laugh to bring themselves good luck. They also forgive misunderstandings and grudges from the previous year.
United States. Probably the most famous tradition in the United States is the dropping of the New Year's Eve Ball in Times Square in New York City at midnight. Thousands gather to watch the ball make its minute-long descent, while millions more watch on television all around the world.
Another popular American tradition is the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day in Pasadena, Calif. It includes a parade of elaborate and inventive floats, later followed by a football game.
There are some widely observed New Year's symbols and traditions, such as resolutions, fireworks and noisemaking. It's believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year's resolutions.
People all over the world have been making and breaking them ever since. Noisemaking and launching fireworks on New Year's Eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.
Around the globe, colorful celebrations will mark the beginning of yet another year.
Happy New Year to all!
1 comment:
YOu forgot, probably one of the most important ones:
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. Its official date is the 31st of December. However this is normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of the 1st or, in many cases, the 2nd of January.
There are many customs, both national and local, associated with Hogmanay. The most widespread national custom is the practice of first-footing which starts immediately after midnight. This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread or silverware intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder. This may go on throughout the early hours of the morning and well into the next day. The first-foot is supposed to set the luck for the rest of the year, so it is important that a suitable person does the job. A tall, dark man bearing a gift is preferred.
An example of a local Hogmanay custom is the fireball swinging which takes place in Stonehaven in north-east Scotland. This involves local people making up balls of chicken wire, tar, paper and other flammable material to a diameter of about a metre, or three feet. Each ball has two metres (six feet) of wire, chain or non-flammable rope attached. The balls are then each assigned to a swinger who swings the ball round and round their head and body by the rope while walking through the streets of Stonehaven from the harbour to the Sheriff court and back. At the end of the ceremony any fireballs which are still burning are cast into the harbour. Many people enjoy this display which is more impressive in the dark than it would be during the day. As a result large crowds flock to the town to see it.
The Hogmanay custom of singing Auld Lang Syne, an old Scottish song made popular by Robert Burns, has become common in many countries.
Until the 1960s, Hogmanay and Ne'erday (a contraction of "New Year's Day" in Scots dialect, according to the OED) in Scotland took the place of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the rest of the UK. Although Christmas Day held its normal religious nature, the Presbyterian national church, the Church of Scotland had discouraged its celebration for over 300 years. As a result Christmas Day was a normal working day in Scotland until the 1960s and even into the 1970s in some areas. The gift-giving, public holidays and feasting associated with mid-winter were held between the 31st of December and the 2nd of January rather than between the 24th and 26th of December.
With the fading of the Church's influence and the introduction of English cultural values via television and immigration, the transition to Christmas feasting was well-nigh complete by the 1980s. However, 1 January and 2 January remain public holidays in Scotland, despite the addition of Christmas Day and Boxing Day to the public holiday list and Hogmanay still is associated with as much celebration as Christmas in Scotland. Most Scots still celebrate Ne'erday with a special dinner, usually steak pie.
When Ne'erday falls on a Sunday, 3 January becomes an additional public holiday in Scotland; when Ne'erday falls on a Saturday, both 3 January and 4 January will be public holidays in Scotland.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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