What is New Year?

New Year is universally celebrated around the world with joy. The occasion fills everyone's heart with cheer, joy and happiness. Countries follow various traditions and customs to fetch prosperity for the upcoming year. Each and every place across the world is draped with colors of celebration. Such partying makes the celebration, the memories of which are cherished all year long. People celebrate the occasion by organizing a New Year party with special dishes.

Origin of New Year

The earliest celebration of the New Year is believed to have been organized in Mesopotamia in 2000 B.C. New Year Day was celebrated in Rome in 153 B.C. Other ancient cultures (Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Persians) have different dates. New Year is considered to be a worldwide celebration of happiness with passion. The day is celebrated to bid a fond farewell of the departing year and welcoming the New Year. People all over the world celebrate the grand day with excitement and high energy levels. New Year celebrations are enjoyed in different styles in various countries across the globe.

Ways to Celebrate New Year

New Year Eve is best celebrated in the company of family and friends. The traditions followed while celebrating New Year Day differs from one part of the world to another. In some countries, people cut cakes and open champagne bottles to express their joy. They greet each other with hugs and kisses at midnight on New Year's day. The planning starts a month in advance to ensurefun and frolic. People also arrange get-together dinners and outdoor activities like picnics, camping, barbecue parties and water sports. Incredible ‘New Year Eve Packages’ are also offered during this time for people to enjoy the celebration. Auld Lang Syne is commonly sung in many countries on this occasion. It is credited to Robert Burns, who combined a common Scottish folk song with his own lyrics. A country like Australia celebrates the event by displaying breathtaking fireworks that attract thousands of people to Sydney.

Also known as: New Year, Chap Goh Mei, Chun Jie, Jour Des Йtrennes, Lunar New Year, New Years Eve, Revillion, Seollal, Shogatsu and Silvester.

Origin and History of New Year in United States

New Year Eve is celebrated on December 31st in countries that follow the Gregorian calendar. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1 (the first day of the year). In Western Christianity New Year's Day is celebrated on the eighth day of Christmas. The day is generally declared as a public holiday and is celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of 12 o’clock in the midnight. It is considered as a perfect time to remember the achievements and make merry for the approaching days of the year.

Local name: New Years Eve

Ways to celeberate New Years Eve in United States

New Year’s Eve celebration is a gala affair for the people of US. Americans have different ways of celebrating this occasion. They love to enjoy the last minute of the previous year before welcoming the New Year. One minute prior to 12 o’clock a lighted ball is dropped slowly from the top of a building. When the ball reaches the bottom, the New Year sign is colorfully light and people celebrate this moment by hugging and kissing each other. New Year's Day begins by wishing 'Happy New Year' to the near and dear ones. The night is celebrated with sumptuous dinners, live music and dance floors which make a perfect festive bash. On this day, many people make resolutions to renew life with good deeds. Others visit churches to mark a religious start for the New Year. They also invite and visit their friends and families members to celebrate the occasion. Parades are also organized during the event. They include thousands of participants marching along the bands, dancing and singing various songs. The themes of the parade change every year.

The festival New Year, also known as New Years Eve, will be celebrated on 1st January in 2012 in United States.

New Year is celebrated on 1st January and in 2012 New Year will be celebrated on 1st Sunday of January. Countries like Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Republic Of Korea and Singapore also celebrate New Year with great fervor and refer to it as New Years Eve in United States.New Year is one of the most popular festivals in United States and is also called New Year's Eve.

In some other countries New Years Eve is also referred to as Chap Goh Mei, Chun Jie, Jour Des Йtrennes, Lunar New Year, Revillion, Seollal, Shogatsu and Silvester.

Origin and History of New Year in China

The Chinese New Year has an interesting and unique story of origin. According to the Chinese history, there existed a giant creature named ‘Nian’ who used to gulp down human beings in a single bite. Slowly, people realized that Nian was afraid of red color and loud noises. Hence, they started bursting fireworks and used red color on a large scale to scare the monster. It has been observed as an auspicious day since then. The people believe that it has brought new life and peace to the inhabitants of the country. This day was also named as GuNian which means ‘Pass over the Nian’. Chinese New Year begins according to the Chinese calendar. The schedule consists of both Gregorian and lunar-solar calendar systems. As the track of the new moon changes each year, the day is observed anytime between late January and mid-February.

Local name: Lunar New Year

Ways to celeberate Lunar New Year in China

New Year in China is never complete without worshipping the ancestors. This ritual is also called as ‘The sacrifice to the ancestors’ in the country. On this day, the people wish each other ‘Gung Hay Fat Choy’ which means ‘don’t worry it is Happy New Year’ in Chinese. New Year Day is associated with red color, it is found everywhere during Chinese New Year and other family gatherings in China. The locals consider red as an auspicious color to drive away bad luck. The shade also symbolizes fire, good fortune and joy. People adorn themselves with red clothes and decorate their homes with red colored flowers on this occasion. Cleaning homes and garbage, avoiding quarrels are some of the common activities that are observed on this occasion. The day is celebrated by watching and participating in dragon dancing, lion dancing and organizing New Year’s Eve dinner.