New Year-New Assurances , New Hopes

Dear friends! Year 2013 is round the corner.

 

 

 We all celebrate New Year eve with lots of festivities and follow age old rituals to celebrate New Year in our own ways. The New Year dates vary from country to country and from culture to culture. However, the New Year of the Gregorian calendar that is now used universally falls on 1 January, as was the case with the Roman calendar. The order of months in the Roman calendar was January to December since King Numa Pompilius in about 700 BC, according to Plutarch and Macrobius. According to Catholic tradition, 1 January is the day of the circumcision of Jesus (on the eighth day from his birth), when the name of Jesus was given to him.

The Roman senate declared January 1 as the New Year in 153 BC. Though even this date saw major tampering, it was Julius Caesar who again declared January 1 in Julian calendar as the New Year, in 46 BC.

The first month of the year i.e. January has been named after God Janus (Latin word for door), in the Roman calendar. Janus is the God with two faces, one looking backwards and one forward, at the same time and marks the ‘spirit of the opening’. The tradition of making New Year resolution also dates back to the early Babylonians.

I have compiled some of the interesting rituals practised worldwide on the New Year. I am sure the readers would find them interesting.

In Britain, when the Big Ben clocks strikes 12, everyone gathers around to sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’, a Scottish song. It was written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, literally meaning "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days", to remember old and new friends.

Many cultures believe that anything given or taken on New Year, in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle".

Probably the most famous tradition in the United States is the dropping of the New Year ball in Times Square, New York City, at 11:59 P.M. Thousands gather to watch the ball make its one-minute descent, arriving exactly at midnight. The tradition first began in 1907. The original ball was made of iron and wood; the current ball is made of Waterford Crystal, weighs 1,070 pounds, and is six feet in diameter. Many parts of the U.S. also celebrate New Year by consuming black-eyed peas and other legumes, as it has been considered good luck in many cultures.

The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.

The Dutch burn bonfire of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.

In Greece, New Year's day is also the Festival of St. Basil, one of the founders of the Greek Orthodox Church. One of the traditional foods served is Vassilopitta, or St Basil's cake. A silver or gold coin is baked inside the cake. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake will be especially lucky during the coming year.

In China, families welcome the New Year with the color red, which symbolizes good luck. Deck the family in red from head to toe, add red food coloring to your family meal, or make an obnoxious red desert, use red napkins and light red candles.

The people of Talca, Chile are celebrating the New Year with their dead relatives for the past 15 years. The doors of the cemetery are opened for the local public by the Town’s mayor at 11 pm sharp. People are welcomed in the cemetery with light classical music and dim blinking lights making the cemetery are perfect party place

Residents of Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia and other South American states welcome the New Year by wearing colorful underpants. The usually wear red, yellow or other brightly colored under-wears past midnight to catch good fortune for the coming year. This also helps them find a loving mate. Red means an amorous love life ahead and yellow expresses the desire to gain money and wealth. The wishes of the locals are expressed via their underpants.

Japanese eat a bowl of buckwheat noodles called "toshikoshisoba" ("year-crossing noodles") and listen for the sound of the Buddhist temple bells, which were rung 108 times at midnight. The sound of these bells is said to purify the listeners of the 108 sins or evil passions that plague every human being

Standing on chairs and then jump off instantly is the long-standing ritual followed by the natives of Denmark. It takes place at twelve o'clock at night with the intention to expel evil spirits and hence welcomes prosperity

In Columbia, Cuba and Puerto Rico families stuff a life-size male doll with things and then they dress it up in old clothes from each family member. At the stroke of midnight, this 'Mr. Old Year' is set on fire. This is done with the simple belief that a doll thus stuffed have bad memories or sadness associated with them, and that the burning of these will help one to do away with all past grief's and usher in happiness in life with the coming year.

One has to eat seven times in Estonia during the celebration of New Year eve as it confirms the counterproductive, representing no dearth of meal at all. However, in recent times, being a major hub of Euro’s party animals, folks love to indulge themselves in excessive alcohol.

In Ireland, Mistletoe Leaves Are Placed Under Pillow to Find Husband.

Wearing Polka Dots is a ritual widely observed in Philippines.

Burning scarecrow dummy on the New Year eve is a ritual typical of Ecuador.

In Denmark, there is a ritual of breaking Dishes on Neighbor’s Door.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR   FRIENDS