In many European countries they have been showing this comedy sketch for years on New Years Eve. It is a sketch not missed by many as they sit glued in front of the TV.
In Spain they eat 12 grapes at midnight to symbolize the 12 month. In Holland they burn the Christmas trees to symbolize that they are getting rid of the old. Most countries celebrate New Year on January 1st even if they also celebrate their own New Year. I Thailand and Cambodia they Celebrate Songkran (April 13th this year). That is one New Years party with a lot of fun. They pour water on each other and you will surely be soaked that day. They Chinese celebrate New Year accorinding to the Lunar months and so follow the Moon. This year it is January 26th.
Have we always celebrated New Year on the 1st of January? The answer is clearly NO. The first time New Year was celebrated on the 1st of January was in 153 BC. Actually there wasn’t even a January month until around 700 BC when the second king of Rome, Numa Pontilius, established January and February. Before then New Year was celebrated on March 1st. Even though, many still celebrated New Year on March 1st for a long time to come. In the year 46 BC Julius Cesar established the Julian Calendar, with a fixed New Year on January 1st. But that didn’t last as the Christian Church thought the day was a heathen day, so they moved it to December 25th i the year567 AD, then it became March 1st again, then it became New Year at Easter… What a mess… In 1582 AD the Gregorian Calendar was taken into use and now for a final time the New Year was moved to January 1st.
It wasn’t everywhere they stated using the Gregorian Calendar at the same time. In England they didn’t use it until 1752 AD and until then celebrated New Year on March 1st. Confused? In other countries they celebrate New Year on completely different days…
1. New Year baby
The old greek would carry a baby around in a basket i the 600 BC. It symbolized the fertility God Dionysus and the yearly rebirth.
2. Hogmanay
New Year in Scotland is called Hogmanay and they have a strange tradition of filling a barrel with tar and light. Then they roll it down the street. It symolizes that the old year has been burned and a New Year awaits.
3. Burn “Mr. Old Year”
In Columbia, Cuba and Puerto Rico families prepare a doll wearing old clothes and with old things. Especially things which are connect with bad events of the past year. The doll is burned together with the objects and a new year is ready.
4. Eat noodles
In Japan they eat a special kind of noodles called “toshikoshisoba” (crossing the year noodles) and listen to the bells from the temple. The bells of the Buddhist temples ring 108 times and if yo listen to them you will be cleansed of the 108 sines, which are haunting us at all times.
5. The eat 12 grapes
In Spain they eat 12 grapes, when the bell strikes midnight. One grape for each stroke. This tradition started in the 20th century when the grape harvest was to big and the King came up with this novel idea.
6. Gifts in shoes
In Greece the children leave their shoes at the fireplace as St. Basil will come and fill them with gifts, much like Santa Claus.
7. Carrying a suitcase
In Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and in Mexico you have to carry a suitcase around when the bell strikes midnight if you want to travel the next year. If you want to travel far away you have to carry it onto the street.
8. Fireworks
From the country that has given us fireworks, we would like to thank you for making our New Years Eves bright an colorful. In China they believe evil spirits walk the Earth and they frighten them away with fireworks. Doors and windows are sealed so the spirits can’t get in.
9. Times Square drop
On Times Square in New York they drop a ball when the bell strikes midnight. The first time this event occurred was December 31, 1907 and it has since become a Worldwide symbol. More than 1 billion people will watch it live on TV.
We wish everybody around the World a Happy New Year with lots of videoes, songs and more from New Year celebrations Worldwide.
Her er Nytårs videoerne fra sidste år:
Københavns Rådhusplads sidste Nytår:
Dansk Nytårs sang:
Don't
leave... There is so much more fun here!!! We
have got a lot more pages for you. Look below and click
on the next page or any other. There is so much fun here
that you just can't help coming back. So check out the
news from Santa, games and stories...
Go to
the frontpage by clicking here