Happy New Year Everyone!
This year I thought I would share a little history of New Year’s Eve/Day and a few holiday traditions celebrated around the world for those who observe the Gregorian calendar. You likely know that in the Gregorian calendar, New Year’s is one of the most popular and celebrated holidays. But did you know that the New Year originally commenced in March?
Brief History Of The Calendar
While today we celebrate New Year’s Eve on December 31st, traditionally, the Roman calendar began the first day of the new year in March.
The consuls of ancient Rome assumed the government however in January. The calendar was modified several times before finally settling on the calendar we use today. The Julian calendar was created by Julius Caesar, in 47 BC. The Mark Antony consul modified the calendar in 44 BC. Once again the calendar was changed in 8 BC by Emperor Augustus Caesar. In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII made the final modification to the calendar that we observe today.
Importance Of New Year’s Eve/Day
In general, for those who celebration New Year’s Eve on December 31st the celebration marks the end of the year and a look forward to the starting of a new one. Often the end of the year is marked by a reporting of major events that ocurred during the 364 precedding days. Noteworthy events include major weather, political, cultural events and the passing on of famous people. Predictions for the coming year are also made.
Making New Year’s resolutions are common on December 31st and include a resolve to stop smoking, drinking, eating poorly, spending excessively etc.
New Year’s Celebrations
New Year’s celebrations include both New Year’s Eve (December 31st) and New Year’s Day (January 1st). Parties typically occur on December 31st counting down the clock to the beginning of January 1st.
On January 1st there are often New Year’s Day celebrations which can include traditions (in the Northern Hemisphere) such as a polar bear dipp, often to benefit charities, in which people run into frigid water on New Year’s Day. Many city mayors hold New Year’s Day levees. New Year’s Day is also often celebrated with sporting events such as football and New Year’s Day parades.
Throughout the world the custom of making noise to ring in the New Year started as a way to scare off evil spirits. Today noise makers such as clackers, paper whistles and bells are party favors given to guests to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
First To Ring In The New Year
The first country to ring in the new year is New Zealand. The first major celebrations occur in Syndey, Australia. Sydney claims the world’s largest fireworks display and a midnight ball drop attracting up to 1.5 million people.
Celebrations Around The World
As the world becomes more connected thanks to international travel and technological advances and western culture spreads to the rest of the world, the celebreation of January 1 as New Year’s has spread to even countries with their own New Year’s (for example China and India).
Let’s take a look at some of the ways to celebrate this holiday around the world.
Sure everyone knows about the dropping of the ball in Times Square, but did you know some of these other customs? Like the colour of your underwear can bring you luck? Or carrying a suitcase around the block can bring travel in the new year? Check out these and other interesting traditions celebrated around the world.
North America
Canada and The United States of America
I’m Canadian so I’ll start here. Typically, in the US and Canada we celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of the new year at a New Year’s Eve Party. The New Year’s Eve party might be a house party, social club party, restaurant/bar party or a public party hosted by a community (city or town).
Typical Traditions include:
- Putting on your party best
- Toasting with champagne at midnight
- Fireworks displays
- Wearing silly paper party hats and blowing noisemakers
- Watching the crystal ball drop in New York City’s Time Square at midnight
- Singing of “Auld Lange Syne” at midnight. Auld Lange Syne is a song of renewal and goodwill based on Robert Burns’ poem written in 1788
- Kissing the person next to you at midnight
- Shaking hands and wishing a happy new year to those around you
- Wishing people a happy new year for the next several days (the first time you see them)
The biggest celebrations are in New York City’s Time Square in the US and for Canada, Nathan Philip’s Square in Toronto. Of course most cities in both countries have celebrations as well.
Mexico
Many of Mexico’s New Year’s celebrations are similar to those found in many other Latin American countries and are based on Spain’s New Year’s traditions.
Based on a tradition from Spain, Mexicans eat a grape with each of the twelve bell chimes during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one.
The colour choice of your underwear on New Year’s Eve are selected carefully depending on your wish for the new year. Looking for love, wear red, need a few extra pesos wear yellow and for more sustanance wear purple.
For Mexican’s wishing to travel more in the new year, they take luggage outside to symbolise trips to come in the new year. Hanging wool sheep dolls on the door handle is a tradition meant to bring more prosperity.
On New Year’s Eve Mexican’s light a life sized doll made from old clothes and filled with fireworks at midnight. the male doll calleed El Viejo (the old man) represents the the past year.
Europe
Celebrations in Western Europe are in general similar to that of the United States and Canada, where people gather to celebrate and ring in the new year together.
England
The New Year in England is currently celebrated with parties, fireworks, consumption of alcohol and the singing of Auld Lang Syne. The largest celebrations take place in the capital, London with people gathering in Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus around Big Ben to hear the chimes of the famous clock tower at midnight and near the London Eye on the River Thames for the fireworks display.
On New Year’s Day there is a parade in London.
Historical traditions include:
First-footing which means the first visitor to set foot in the house on New Year’s Day is an old British custom practised on New Year’s Day. The first-footer must be male, young, healthy, attractive and dark haired. He is believed to bring good luck. Blonds and red-haired women as the first footer are believe to bring bad luck. The first footer should be carrying a samll piece of coal, money, breat and salt, all symbols of wealth.
While like most countries that celebrate the Gregorian calendar, exchanging gifts is done during Christmas, they were originally exchanged at New Year’s in England.Englishmen gave money to their wives to purchase pins for the coming year. This tradition of course has since died however the expression “pin money” remains and refers to money set aside for personal use.
On New Year’s Day before noon, children visit neighbours to sing songs. They receive coins, mince pies, apples and other sweets for singing. The children must rise early and complete their visits before noon or otherwise risk being called fools.
Ireland
Modern Irish New Year’s Eve traditions are similar to those noted in other anglo countries.
Ireland is a country steeped in traditions and superstitions. A few historical Irish New Year’s traditions include:
Celebrations which involve a focus on sustenance. This focus on food is perhaps in a great part due to the fact that Ireland suffered from a devistating famine.
Irish celebrate December 31st with a gathering of family and friends for a large supper signifying propserity and plenty of food for the coming year. While the celebratory dinner is still practiced today, the tradition of setting a place at the table and leaving the door unlatched for family who’ve passed on has disappeared from the modern celebration.
As part of New Year’s celebrations it is customary to strike the side of the house with a loaf of bread. At the same time a prayer is recited for a hunger free year.
It was believed that the direction of the wind at New Year determined the political trend for the coming year. If the wind blew from the west Ireland would florish, if it blew from the east, England would have the upper hand.
It was customary to begin a new year with a clean house in Ireland. Houses were cleaned thoroughly as it was believed that a spotless house was to be a good omen for the coming year.
Girls go to bed with sprigs of holly, ivey or mistletoe laid under their pillows. The girls would then chant “oh ivy green and holly red, tell me, tell me whom I shall wed”. They would then go to sleep and dream of their future husbands. This tradition may be based on the Druids custom of giving a gift mistletoe twigs. The plant was sacred as a magic source of fertility, the red fruit signified fertility. This gift would bestow the recipient with a fruitful year in children and crops.
In a small fishing village in County Kerry called Portmagee people go celebrate the Old Year! This is a very popular event and they celebrate everything that happened that year with music and dance.
Another celebration is on the beautiful Achill Island off the coast of County Mayo this is the best place to watch the last sunset of the year fall over Europe. Watch it go down from Minaun Heights and afterwards enjoy the pipe bands playing in the village at midnight.
After a night celebrating you can take a dip in the ice-cold Atlantic waters joinning in on the traditional New Year’s Day polar dip which takes place on Silver Strand.
The Irish (Celtic) New Year festival is known as Samhain which means summer end and is celebrated on 31 October. The festival has evolved and is now celebrated as Hallowe’en.
Spain
New Year’s Eve in Spain is called Nochevieja or Fin de Año in Spanish, Cap d’Any in Catalan, Cabo d’Anyo in Aragonese. Celebrations in most of Spain include a family dinner including shrimp and lamb.
The tradition of eating twelve grapes at the each of the clock’s twelve chimes at midnight to ensure sweetness and fortune in the coming year is a tradition which started in Spain and is today followed in many Latin American countries. The tradition of eating twelve grapes is said to have originated in 1909 when grape growers in Alicante created it as a way to cut down on the large grape surplus they had that year. After the twelth grape and the strike of the clock, people wish each other a happy new year and toast with cava (Spanish sparkling wine). After the family dinner and the new year is rung in at midnight with the grape tradition, young people attend parties called cotillones de nochevieja. Cotillón refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats which are used in the celebrations. In true Spanish tradition, parties usually last until the next morning which is celebrated with a traditional winter breakfast of chocolate con churros.
Portugal
Similar tradition of eating twelve grapes as is practised in Spain. The tradition in Portugal has a slightvariation in which a wish is made for the coming year with each of the twelve grapes.
France
In France New Year’s Eve is known at La Saint-Sylvestre and the celebration is called le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre. New Year’s Day is called Jour des Étrennes (day of new year’s presents). To wish a French person a happy new year you can say Bonne Annees.
New Year’s in France is one of the most traditional and oldest celebrations. Businesses often send New Year’s cards rather than Christmas cards as is the custom in many other countries.
In France dinner parties are thrown for the entire family with greeting cards and gifts being exchanged. Most people in France celebrate with family and friends, it is the tourists that you see celebrating at the Eiffel Tower and on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Traditional menu items for New Year’s Eve dinner include duck or goose served with champagne and wine of course. Some also drink hot mulled wine known as vin chaud or sparkling cider.
Italy
New Year’s in Italy is called Notte di San Silvestro (St. Sylvester’s Night) or Eve Capadanno which means head of the year. Italians also celebrate with a family and friends dinner party. Sweets play a major role in an all night dinner party. The sweets signify the months of they year as Christ’s twelve
apostles. The sweets include biscotti, nougat torrone and a variety of fruit such as pears, plums and apricots.
Like in other countries, there is a special custom around the colour of your underwear on New Year’s Day. In Italy people wear red underwear and get rid of old or unused items.
Greece
In Greece families celebrate New Year’s Eve by switching off the lights at midnight and sharing a vasilopita (St. Basil’s Bread). St. Basil’s bread is a sweet bread which contains a coin hidden in it. The bread is sliced by the head of household and shared among family memebers. Whomever received the piece with the hidden coin is assured good luck in the coming year. After the bread is eaten a card game called triataena (thirty one) is played.
On New Year’s Day in Greece, families share vasilopita, or St. Basil’s bread. Baked with a coin buried deep in the dough, the sweet bread is sliced by the head of the household and then divvied up among family members. Whoever receives the piece with the coin is assured luck in the coming year.
Austria
Like many other countries, Austrians too celebrate New Year’s Eve with a lavish dinner. Pork takes centre stage on the menu with roasted suckling pig signifying success in the new year. Piglets in Austria are symbols of good luck and in addition to the main course featuring roasted pig, marzipan and chocolate pigs are also part of the menu.
Given Austria’s long tradition of music it is not surprising that the new year is celebrated with a concert, especially in Vienna.
Scotland
In Scotland, New Year’s is known as Hogmanay. Hogmanay’s biggest celebration in Scotland is in Edinburgh with a street party on Princess Street.
Russia
In Russia the New Year is greeted by fireworks and drinking champagne. The New Year is considered a family celebration, with lavish dinner tables and gifts.
The president of Russia normally counts down the final seconds of the “old year”, as it is called in Russia. A giant clock tower chimes in the new year, and it is customary to make a wish with each chime.
Asia
South Korea
The most popular way to celebrate New Year’s Eve/Day in South Korea is watch the sun rise from Jung dong jin.
Philippines
The tradition of making noise is a popular custom in the Philippines. In the belief that noise will scare away evil spirits, people light fireworks, firecrackers and bamboo canons and in general make a lot of noise. Coins added to tin cans are also shaken to make noise which is believed to bring prosperity in the new year.
Children are encouraged to jump around as part of an old tradition that was believed to make them taller.
Bright coloured clothing to show enthusiasm for the new year or clothing with polka-dots is worn to bring fertility.
As is true of most Filipino celebrations, food plays a major role. Tables are filled with food for Media Noiche (midnight meal). A basket of twelve different round types of fruit is on the table to symbolise prosperity in each of the coming twelve months.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong people usually get together in Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui to celebrate along the harbor and to view the lights. The Times Square shopping mall in Hong Kong also holds their own send-off to the ball drop held at Times Square in New York City.
China
celebrations of the Gregorian New Year are held in some regions. Celebrations with fireworks and rock concerts take place in Beijing.
South America
Brazil
In Brazil on New Year’s Eve the priestesses of the local macumba voodoo cult dress in blue skirts and white blouses for a ceremony dedicated to the goddess of water, Yemanja. A sacrificial boat laden with flowers, candles and jewelery is pushed out to sea from Brazil’s famous Ipenama beach in Rio de Janeiro.
One of the country’s largest celebrations for New Year’s Eve is in Rio de Janeiro at Copacabana beach. The celebration draws up to 2.5 million people. Like in New York there is a ball drop at midnight.
Like in many other countries, food plays a role in Brazilian New Year’s Day traditions. The lentil is believed to signify wealth, so on the first day of the New Year Brazilian people serve lentil soup or lentils and rice.
Clothing too is part of the Brazilian custom for New Year’s Day. Brazilians wear a colour to signify the type of luck they are hoping for in the coming year.
White, which most Brazilians wear, particularly in Rio, represents harmony, peace and overall good luck. Gold symbolizes wealth, silver means new things, red signifies love and green indicates hope. The tradition is believed to be rooted in Candombe (Afro-Brazilian) religious beliefs that colors attract energy.
Chile
In Chile, many of the traditions are based on Spain’s traditions for New Year’s Eve celebrations including the eating of twelve grapes. Other customs include putting money inside your shoes, a gold ring in a champagne glass and eating a spoonful of lentils at midnigh to bring prosperity in the new year. Wearing yellow underwear to ensure happiness. Taking a suitcase around the block for lots of travel in the new year.
Ecuador
Following Spain’s custom’s people in Ecuador also celebrate with eating twelve grapes at midnight. They wear yellow underwear to bring positive energy and walk around the block with luggage to bring a dream trip in the new year.
People in Ecuador also celebrate with effigies called Años Viejos (Old Years). The effigies are created to represent people and events from the past year.
The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, old clothes and papier-mâché masks. Like in Mexico they are often stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the New Year.
Know more customs and traditions? Add them in the comments.
Sources include Wikipedia and various travel sites
