New Year is the international New Year, a time when people around the world excitedly celebrate a new beginning and set goals for the coming year. In each country, different traditional rituals will be performed, wishing for a prosperous and successful new year.
What is New Year?
Origin of New Year's Eve
New Year , also known as Western New Year, is a holiday used to mark the beginning of a completely new year in countries around the world. The holiday occurs on January 1 of the solar calendar, which is also the first day of the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
We have to go back to the past to find out the origin of the New Year . Before that, Rome used March 25 (spring equinox). After that, the Roman Empire chose January 1 as the first day of the new year. This decision was opposed by the people at that time because January 1 had nothing to do with important events of the year such as seasons or flowers blooming, but was just a very normal day.
In the past, the day the new year began was the spring equinox
Currently, most countries around the world have accepted January 1 as the first day of the new year. New Year's Eve is often held solemnly such as holding parades and fireworks displays at 0:00 on January 1, etc. At the same time, this is also the day everyone has a day off to welcome a fresh new year. brighter.
How many days off for New Year's Eve?
New Year 2024 begins on January 1 and pupils, students as well as workers will have 3 consecutive days off from December 30, 2023 to January 1, 2024.
"Strange" New Year's customs
Each country and culture will have different ways of celebrating international New Year, some of which may even seem "strange". Let's take a look at some special ways to welcome the new year in some countries with Mykingdom.
Denmark
For Eastern people, as well as our Vietnamese people, broken cups and plates are taboo during the New Year because this is considered a bad omen. However, on New Year's Eve in Denmark, the custom to welcome the new year is to break old plates. Danes will keep old plates, then bring them to the homes of relatives and friends and break them on the night of December 31. It is said that the more broken dishes a house has, the more luck it will have in the coming year.
The Danes have a custom of breaking plates to ward off bad luck
South Africa
Specifically, in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, there is a tradition of celebrating the New Year quite similar to Denmark, but instead of throwing plates, people will throw old furniture such as refrigerators, sofas, tables, etc. Window themes welcome innovation.
Finland
Finland is famous for its leading education system in the world. This country's New Year's customs are also quite unique. On New Year's Eve, Finns melt a small piece of tin and pour it into a cup of water. They believe that the shape of the piece of tin will predict the owner's future. If the piece of tin is shaped like a heart, it is a sign of marriage, if it is a boat, it signals trips, and the shape of a pig means that the family will be very prosperous in the coming year...
The shape of the tin will be a prediction of the future for the coming year
Virtue
15 minutes before New Year's Eve, Germans will sit still in their chairs. When the clock chimes to mark the end of the new year, they will step down from their chair and throw a heavy object behind them, meaning to throw away the disasters and bad luck of the old year. Germans also have the custom of dropping a drop of molten metal into cold water and predicting the future similar to the Finns.
Chile
Chileans have a very unique New Year's tradition. Families will go to... the cemetery to remember their deceased relatives and at the same time happily welcome a peaceful new year.
Spain
On the night of December 31, the Spanish have the custom of eating green grapes as quickly as possible. One person will eat 12 grapes, symbolizing 12 months of the year and 12 wishes for each month.
Ecuador
Ecuadorians will gather outside their homes and light fire to scarecrows made from straw, newspaper, or wood on New Year's Eve. The purpose of this action is to ward off bad luck in the old year, scare evil forces away from the homeowner so that the new year will be filled with luck and more smoothly.
France
When mentioning France, people immediately think of vast grape fields and delicious wine barrels. The culture of enjoying wine is not only applied in daily life but is also extremely important during the French New Year .
When mentioning France, images of wine barrels will immediately appear
The French will start drinking heavily from New Year's Eve and continue until January 3. They believe that drinking all the alcohol from the old year during Tet will bring luck and success in the new year. On the contrary, if there is still alcohol left over, this can be a sign of a difficult and unlucky new year.
Ireland
In Ireland, single boys and girls will place a sprig of mistletoe under their pillow before going to bed on New Year's Eve with the hope that good luck will come in love.
Greek
Greeks will often hang an onion on the front door of their house because they believe this is a symbol of rebirth in the new year. Furthermore, on New Year's Day, parents will wake up their children by gently tapping an onion on their heads.
Greeks hang onions on their doors during the Western New Year
New Year is considered an opportunity for people to express their wishes for a smooth and lucky life for both family and country. Furthermore, International Tet is also a time when family members gather, give each other loving wishes and share thoughts and feelings. Each "Happy New Year" wish given not only brings wishes for a good new year but also spreads love to everyone.
