New Year’s Celebrations Around the World

Each country enjoys its own traditions and celebrations. There are too many around the globe to mention them all here, but we’ve tried to show how different everyone can be!

For all countries that celebrate based on the same calendar as Canada, New Year’s celebrations take place on December 31st and January 1st. 

In Greece, The Festival of St. Basil features a special cake baked with a coin in it. Pieces are handed out to guests in order from oldest to youngest. St. Basil is remembered for kindness and generosity to the poor.

In Japan, Shougatsu is a 3-day festival beginning January 1 featuring many traditions, including specially prepared foods symbolizing good health, and giving small amounts of money to children to wish them prosperity.

Ano Nuevo celebrations in Ecuador include making dummies from straw, paper and old clothes that represent the old year. These are burned to welcome in the new.  You should wear yellow underwear to attract positive energy and walk around the block with a suitcase to bring the journey of your dreams!  Eat 12 grapes before midnight and make a wish on each one.

Nos Galan in Wales features a foot race to celebrate Guto Nyth Bran, an 18th century super-athlete. Legend says he was able to catch a bird in flight!

Austria celebrates The Eve of St. Sylvester with the firing of mortars to chase away evil spirits, and in Scotland, Auld Year’s Night is part of Hogmanay, the mid-winter gift-giving and feasting celebrations.
But now let’s move to January 6th, when La Befana visits in Italy. She leaves candy or coal for children and sweeps the floor!

January 26th, 2009 marks the second new moon after the winter solstice, so that’s when China begins to celebrate Yuan Tan, 15 days of joyful events. Do not use knives, in case you cut out the good luck!  January 26 is also the beginning of the 3-day festival of Tet Nguryen Dan in Vietnam, when special meals are served, fortunes are told and debts are repaid.

The First Day of Spring (March 21) is a big celebration day in many countries, including Iran and Turkey, where they celebrate Nowruz or Nouraz.  Homes are cleaned and flowers are worn to welcome spring. It is a holiday and also a holy day for those of the Baha’i faith. 

The end of the harvest in Cambodia is celebrated with Chaul Chnam Thmey, a 3-day celebration in the middle of April. Children give money to their parents and elder relatives to show respect.

Rosh Hashanah takes place on the 1st day of the 7th month of the Hebrew Calendar. This usually falls in September.  This is the first day of the new civil year and is a day of rest and prayer. They blow the “shofar”, a ram’s horn trumpet.

In India and other nations of Hindu faith, Diwali is celebrated in the month of Kartika, which falls in October or November. This is a festival of lights lasting 3 to 5 days.  Houses, shops and public places are decorated with oil lamps to represent a person’s victory of good over evil.  New clothes are worn and many sweets are eaten.

The first month of the Islamic Calendar is Muharram.  This year, the month is from December 18, 2008 to January 15, 2009.  Muslims observe Muharram by participating in mourning gatherings. It is sorrowful, and commemorates the deaths of valiant martyrs in the Battle of Karbala.  The 10th day of Muharram is the most observed.

Now you know how many people around the world celebrate a new year, and you can see that sometimes it is based on events in history or seasons, not just on the calendar.  Happy New Year…whenever that may be!