How New Year is celebrated in different countries of the world. All year round - New Year

As you know, every country and every nation has its own national traditions, related, among other things, to the celebration of various holidays. Sometimes among these traditions there are very exotic, unusual and extravagant ones. Let's see how the New Year is celebrated in different countries of the world.

New Year - a holiday that occurs at the moment of transition from the last day of the year to the first day of the next year. Celebrated by many peoples in accordance with the accepted calendar. The custom of celebrating the New Year already existed in Ancient Mesopotamia in the third millennium before ad. Beginning of the year with 1 January it was foundRoman ruler Julius Caesar in 46 BC.Most countries celebrate the New Year on January 1, the first day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. New Year's celebrations, taking into account standard time, always begin in the Pacific Ocean on the islands of Kiribati. The last to see off the old year are the inhabitants of the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

From Wikipedia

For those who want to travel all year with pleasure, i.e. for you and me, it is best to celebrate the New Year in Ecuadorian style. Ecuadorian tradition prescribes: while the clock strikes 12 times, one must run around the house with a suitcase or a large bag in hand (can be around the table ).

New Year is a truly international holiday, but different countries celebrate it in their own way. The Italians throw old irons and chairs out of the windows with all the southern passion, the inhabitants of Panama try to make as much noise as possible, for which they turn on the sirens of their cars, whistle and shout. In Ecuador, special importance is attached to underwear, which brings love and money, in Bulgaria they turn off the lights, because the first minutes of the New Year are the time for New Year's kisses. In Japan, instead of 12, 108 bells sound, and a rake is considered the best New Year's accessory - to rake in happiness.

Germany. Santa Claus comes to the Germans on a donkey

Let's start with Germany, from where the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree at the New Year's Eve spread throughout the world. By the way, this tradition appeared there in the distant times of the Middle Ages. The Germans believe that Santa Claus rides on a donkey, so children put hay in their shoes to treat him. And in Berlin, at the Brandenburg Gate, the most interesting thing happens: hundreds of thousands of people pronounce toasts to the reunification of East and West Germany - the holiday is celebrated there very emotionally.

Italy. On New Year's Eve, irons and old chairs fly out of the windows.

Italian Santa Claus - Babbo Natale. In Italy, it is believed that the New Year must begin, freed from everything old. Therefore, on New Year's Eve, it is customary to throw old things out of the windows. The Italians really like this custom, and they perform it with the passion characteristic of the southerners: old irons, chairs and other rubbish fly through the window. According to signs, the vacant place will certainly be occupied by new things.

On the New Year's table, the Italians always have nuts, lentils and grapes - symbols of longevity, health and well-being.

In the Italian provinces, there has long been such a custom: on January 1, early in the morning, water must be brought home from the source. "If you have nothing to give to your friends," say the Italians, "give water with an olive branch." It is believed that water brings happiness.

For Italians, it is also important who they meet first in the new year. If on January 1 the first person an Italian sees is a monk or a priest, this is bad. It is also undesirable to meet with a small child, but to meet a hunchbacked grandfather is fortunately.

Ecuador. Red underwear - for love, yellow - for money

In Ecuador, at exactly midnight, dolls will be burned to the so-called "weeping widows" who mourn their "bad husbands". As a rule, "widows" are portrayed by men dressed in women's clothes, with makeup and wigs.

For those who want to travel all year round, tradition prescribes: while the clock strikes 12 times, run with a suitcase or a large bag in hand around the house.

Do you want to get very rich in the coming year or find great love? In order for money to “fall like snow on your head” in the new year, it is necessary, as soon as the clock strikes 12, to put on yellow underwear.

If you need not money, but happiness in your personal life, then the linen should be red.

Good for women - they can choose the upper part of their underwear in yellow, and the lower part in red, or vice versaBut what about men if you want both?

Ecuadorians see the best way to get rid of all the sad moments that happened in the past year is to throw a glass of water into the street, with which everything bad will be smashed to smithereens.

Sweden. New Year - a festival of light

But Sweden gave the world the first glass Christmas decorations (in the 19th century). There, on New Year's Eve, it is customary not to turn off the lights in the houses and brightly illuminate the streets - this is a real celebration of light.

In Sweden, before the New Year, children choose the queen of light, Lucia. She is dressed in a white dress, a crown with lit candles is put on her head. Lucia brings gifts to children and treats to pets: a cat - cream, a dog - a sugar bone, a donkey - carrots. On a festive night, the lights do not go out in the houses, the streets are brightly lit.

SOUTH AFRICA. Police close quarters to traffic - refrigerators fly from windows

You should not walk under the windows in South Africa during the celebration of the New Year

In the industrial capital of this state - Johannesburg - residents of one of the quarters traditionally celebrate the New Year, throwing out various items from their windows - from bottles to large-sized furniture.

Police in South Africa have already closed the Hillbrow area to traffic and appealed to those living in the area with a request not to throw refrigerators out of windows on New Year's Eve. According to a police spokesman, in connection with the existing tradition, this quarter is considered the most dangerous in the city.

"We have distributed thousands of leaflets asking people not to throw things like refrigerators out of windows and not to fire guns into the air," South African police spokesman Krybn Nedu said.

On New Year's Eve, this quarter will be patrolled by about 100 police officers.

England. To be together for a whole year, lovers must kiss

In England, it is customary to play performances for children on the plots of old English fairy tales on New Year's Eve. Lord Chaos leads a merry carnival procession, in which fairy-tale characters take part: Hobby Horse, March Hare, Humpty Dumpty, Punch and others. All New Year's Eve, street vendors sell toys, whistles, tweeters, masks, balloons.

It was in England that the custom arose to exchange greeting cards for the New Year. The first New Year's card was printed in London in 1843.

Before going to bed, the children put a plate on the table for gifts that Santa Claus will bring them, and they put hay in their shoes - a treat for the donkey.

The bell announces the coming of the New Year. True, he starts calling a little before midnight and does it in a "whisper" - the blanket with which he is wrapped up prevents him from demonstrating all his power. But exactly at twelve bells are undressed, and they begin to ring loudly in honor of the New Year.

At these moments, lovers, in order not to part next year, should kiss under the mistletoe branch, which is considered a magic tree.

In English houses, the New Year's table is served with turkey with chestnuts and fried potatoes with sauce, as well as stewed Brussels sprouts with meat pies, followed by pudding, sweets, fruits.

In the British Isles, the custom of "letting in the New Year" is widespread - a symbolic milestone of the transition from a past life to a new one. When the clock strikes 12, the back door of the house is opened to let out the Old Year, and with the last stroke of the clock, the front door is opened to let in the New Year.

USA

For Americans the new year comes when the huge luminous clock in Times Square shows 00:00. At this moment, thousands of people gathered in the square begin to kiss and press the car horn with all their might. And the rest of the country's inhabitants understand - here it is, the New Year. You can proceed to the traditional dish of dark peas. It is believed that it is he who brings good luck.

In the United States, where in 1895. the world's first luminous electric garland was hung at the White House, and from where the tradition spread around the world to write "New Year's tasks" with promises and plans for the coming year, it is not customary to arrange solemn feasts, as well as give gifts, all this is arranged there only for Christmas , and they necessarily transplant Christmas trees into the ground, and do not throw them away, as we do.

Scotland. You need to set fire to a barrel of tar and roll it down the street

In Scotland, the New Year's holiday is called "Hogmany". On the streets, the holiday is greeted with a Scottish song to the words of Robert Burns. According to the custom, barrels of tar are set on fire on New Year's Eve and rolled through the streets, thus burning the Old Year and inviting the New.

The Scots believe that the success or failure in the family for the whole next year depends on who enters their house first in the new year. Great luck, in their opinion, brings a dark-haired man who brings gifts into the house. This tradition is called first footing.

Special traditional dishes are prepared for the New Year: oatmeal cakes, pudding, a special kind of cheese - kebben, are usually served for breakfast, boiled goose or steak, pie or apples baked in dough for lunch.

Guests should certainly bring a piece of coal with them to throw into the New Year's fireplace. Exactly at midnight, the doors swing wide open to let the old one out and let in the New Year.

Ireland. Honored puddings

Irish Christmas is more of a religious holiday than just entertainment. Lighted candles are placed near the window on the evening before Christmas, to help Joseph and Mary, if they are looking for shelter.

Irish women bake a special seed cake treat for each member of the family. They also make three puddings - one for Christmas, another for New Year's and a third for Epiphany.

Colombia. The old year walks on stilts

The main character of the New Year's carnival in Colombia is the Old Year. He walks in the crowd on high stilts and tells funny stories to children. Papa Pasquale is Colombian Santa Claus. No one knows how to make fireworks better than him.

On New Year's Eve, a parade of dolls takes place on the streets of Bogota: dozens of puppet clowns, witches and other fairy-tale characters attached to the roofs of cars drive through the streets of Candelaria, the most ancient district of the Colombian capital, saying goodbye to the inhabitants of the city.

australiaI

New Year in Australia starts on the first of January. But just at this time there is such a heat that Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden deliver gifts in bathing suits.

The sky over Sydney sparkles with numerous salutes and fireworks, which are visible from a distance of 16-20 kilometers from the city.

Vietnam. New Year sails on the back of a carp

New Year, Spring Festival, Tet - all these names are the most fun Vietnamese holiday. Branches of a blossoming peach - a symbol of the New Year - should be in every home.

Children look forward to midnight when they can start firing small homemade firecrackers.

In Vietnam, the New Year is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, between January 21 and February 19, when early spring comes here. At the festive table - bouquets of flowers. On New Year's Eve, it is customary to give each other branches of a peach tree with swollen buds. With the onset of dusk, the Vietnamese make fires in parks, gardens or on the streets, several families gather around the fires. Special delicacies from rice are prepared on coals.

On this night, all quarrels are forgotten, all insults are forgiven. The Vietnamese believe that a god lives in every house, and on New Year's Eve this god goes to heaven to tell how each member of the family spent the past year.

The Vietnamese once believed that God floated on the back of a carp. Nowadays, on New Year's Eve, the Vietnamese sometimes buy live carp, and then release it into a river or pond. They also believe that the first person to enter their home in the New Year will bring good or bad luck in the coming year.

Nepal. New Year's Eve at sunrise

In Nepal, the New Year is celebrated at sunrise. At night, when the moon is full, the Nepalese light huge bonfires and throw unnecessary things into the fire. The next day, the Festival of Colors begins. People paint their faces, hands, chests with an unusual pattern, and then they dance and sing songs in the streets.

France. The main thing is to hug a barrel of wine and congratulate it on the holiday

French Santa Claus - Pere Noel - comes on New Year's Eve and leaves gifts in children's shoes. The one who gets the bean baked in the New Year's cake receives the title of "bean king" and on a festive night everyone obeys his orders.

Santons are wooden or clay figurines that are placed near the Christmas tree. According to tradition, a good owner-winemaker should certainly clink glasses with a barrel of wine, congratulate her on the holiday and drink for the future harvest.

Finland. Homeland of Santa Claus

Finns don't like to celebrate New Year's at home.

In snowy Finland, the main winter holiday is Christmas, which is celebrated on December 25th. On Christmas night, having overcome a long road from Lapland, Santa Claus comes to the house, leaving a large basket with gifts for the delight of the children.

New Year is a kind of repetition of Christmas. Once again, the whole family gathers at a table bursting with various dishes. On New Year's Eve, the Finns try to find out their future and guess by melting wax and then pouring it into cold water.

Cuba. Water is poured out of the windows

Children's New Year's holiday in Cuba is called the Day of the Kings. The wizard-kings who bring gifts to children are Balthazar, Gaspard and Melchor. On the eve, the children write letters to them, in which they talk about their cherished desires.

Cubans on New Year's Eve fill all the dishes that are in the house with water, and at midnight they begin to pour it out of the windows. So all the inhabitants of the island of Freedom wish the New Year a bright and clean, like water, path. In the meantime, while the clock strikes 12 strokes, you need to eat 12 grapes, and then goodness, harmony, prosperity and peace will accompany you for all twelve months.

Panama. The Loudest New Year

In Panama, at midnight, when the New Year is just beginning, all the bells ring, sirens howl, cars honk. The Panamanians themselves - both children and adults - at this time shout loudly and knock on everything that falls into their hands. And all this noise in order to "appease" the year that is coming.

Hungary. On New Year's Eve you need to whistle

In Hungary, in the "fateful" first second of the New Year, they prefer to whistle - moreover, using not fingers, but children's pipes, horns, whistles.

It is believed that it is they who drive away evil spirits from the dwelling and call for joy and prosperity. Preparing for the holiday, Hungarians do not forget about the magical power of New Year's dishes: beans and groh retain strength of mind and body, apples - beauty and love, nuts can protect from trouble, garlic - from diseases, and honey - sweeten life.

Burma. Tug of war brings good luck

New Year in Burma begins on the first of April, on the hottest days. For a whole week, people heartily pour water on each other. There is a New Year's festival of water - tinjan.

According to ancient beliefs, the gods of rain live on the stars. Sometimes they gather at the edge of the sky to play with each other. And then it rains on the earth, which promises a rich harvest.

To gain the favor of the stellar spirits, the Burmese came up with a tug-of-war competition. They are attended by men of two villages, and in the city - two streets. And women and children applaud and shout, urging the lazy rain spirits on.

Israel. Eat sweet food and refrain from bitter

New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is celebrated in Israel on the first two days of the month of Tishri (September). Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of the world and the beginning of the reign of God.

New Year's Eve is a day of prayer. According to custom, on the eve of the holiday, they eat special food: apples with honey, pomegranate, fish, as a symbolic expression of hope for the coming year. Each meal is accompanied by a short prayer. Basically, it is customary to eat sweet food and refrain from bitter. On the first day of the new year, it is customary to go to the water and say the Tashlih prayer.

India. New Year - a holiday of lights

In different parts of India, the New Year is celebrated at different times of the year. At the beginning of summer is Lori's holiday. Children collect dry branches, straw, old things from the house in advance. In the evening, large bonfires are kindled, around which they dance and sing.

And when autumn comes, they celebrate Diwali - the festival of lights. On the roofs of houses, on the windowsills, thousands of lamps are placed and lit on a festive night. The girls launch small boats on the water, on which the lights are also burning.

Japan. The best gift is a rake to rake in happiness

Japanese children celebrate the New Year in new clothes. It is believed to bring health and good luck in the New Year. On New Year's Eve, they hide under the pillow a picture depicting a sailboat on which seven fairy-tale wizards are sailing - the seven patrons of happiness.

Ice palaces and castles, huge snow sculptures of fairy-tale heroes adorn northern Japanese cities on New Year's Eve.

108 chimes of the bell herald the arrival of the New Year in Japan. According to an old belief, each ringing "kills" one of the human vices. According to the Japanese, there are only six of them (greed, anger, stupidity, frivolity, indecision, envy). But each of the vices has 18 different shades - that's for them and the Japanese bell tolls.

In the first seconds of the New Year, you should laugh - this should bring good luck. And in order for happiness to come to the house, the Japanese decorate it, or rather the front door, with sprigs of bamboo and pine - symbols of longevity and fidelity. Pine represents longevity, bamboo represents fidelity, and plum represents love of life.

The food on the table is also symbolic: long pasta is a sign of longevity, rice is prosperity, carp is strength, beans are health. Every family prepares a New Year's treat mochi - koloboks, cakes, rolls from rice flour.

In the morning, when the New Year comes into its own, the Japanese go out of their houses to the street - to meet the sunrise. With the first rays, they congratulate each other and give gifts.

In the houses they put branches decorated with mochi balls - a New Year's mochibana tree.

Japanese Santa Claus is called Segatsu-san - Mr. New Year. Girls' favorite New Year's entertainment is a game of shuttlecock, and the boys fly a traditional kite during the holiday.

The most popular New Year's accessory is a rake. Every Japanese believes that it is necessary to have them so that for the New Year there is something to rake in happiness. Bamboo rakes - kumade - are made from 10 cm to 1.5 m in size and are decorated with various patterns and talismans.

In order to appease the Deity of the Year, which brings happiness to the family, the Japanese build small gates of three bamboo sticks in front of the house, to which pine branches are tied. Wealthier people buy dwarf pine, bamboo sprout, and small plum or peach trees.

Labrador. Keep your turnips

In Labrador they store turnips from the summer harvest. It is hollowed out from the inside, lighted candles are placed there and given to children. In the province of Nova Scotia, founded by the Scottish highlanders, merry songs brought over from Britain two centuries ago are sung every Christmas morning.

Czech Republic and Slovakia. Santa Claus in a lamb hat

A merry little man, dressed in a furry coat, a high sheepskin hat, with a box behind his back, comes to the Czech and Slovak children. His name is Mikulas. For those who studied well, he always has gifts

Holland. Santa Claus arrives on a ship

Santa Claus arrives in Holland on a ship. Children joyfully meet him at the pier. Santa Claus loves funny jokes and surprises and often gives children marzipan fruits, toys, candy flowers

Afghanistan. New Year - the beginning of agricultural work

Nowruz - the Afghan New Year - falls on March 21st. This is the start time for agricultural work. The elder of the village makes the first furrow in the field. On the same day, fun fairs open, where magicians, tightrope walkers, and musicians perform.

China. You need to pour water while congratulating you

In China, the New Year tradition of bathing the Buddha has been preserved. On this day, all Buddha statues in temples and monasteries are respectfully washed in pure water from mountain springs. And the people themselves pour water at the moment when others pronounce New Year's wishes of happiness to them. Therefore, on this festive day, everyone walks the streets in soaking wet clothes.

According to the ancient Chinese calendar, the Chinese are entering the 48th century. According to him, this country enters the year 4702. China switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1912. The date of the Chinese New Year each time varies from January 21st to February 20th.

Iran. Everyone shoots guns

In Iran, the New Year is celebrated at midnight on March 22. At this moment gunshots are fired. All adults hold silver coins in their hands as a sign of their constant stay in their native places throughout the coming year. On the first day of the New Year, according to custom, it is customary to break old pottery in the house and replace it with a new one.

Bulgaria. Three minutes of New Year's kisses

In Bulgaria, guests and relatives gather for the New Year at the festive table, and in all houses the lights go out for three minutes. The time when guests remain in the dark is called the minutes of New Year's kisses, the secret of which will be kept by the darkness.

Greece. Guests carry stones - large and small

In Greece, guests take with them a large stone, which they throw at the threshold, saying the words: "Let the wealth of the host be heavy, like this stone." And if they don’t get a big stone, they throw a small pebble with the words: “Let the thorn in the owner’s eye be as small as this stone.”

New Year is the day of St. Basil, who was known for his kindness. Greek children leave their shoes by the fireplace in the hope that Saint Basil will fill the shoes with gifts.

South Korea. New Year

Koreans treat each holiday with special trepidation and try to spend it beautifully, brightly and cheerfully. South Korea is a country where holidays are valued and know how to spend beautifully. It is not surprising that in the process of globalization, Western winter celebrations have been added to the traditional Eastern New Year for the Land of Morning Calm.

New Year in South Korea It is celebrated twice - first according to the solar calendar (that is, on the night of December 31 to January 1), and then according to the lunar calendar (usually in February). But if the "Western" New Year in the Land of Morning Calm does not carry a special symbolic meaning, then the traditional New Year according to the lunar calendar in South Korea has a special meaning.

New Year in Korea starts with Catholic Christmas. As in Europe, Koreans decorate the Christmas tree, and also prepare many cards and gifts for relatives, friends, and colleagues. It should be noted that the Christmas celebrations in South Korea are even brighter than the calendar New Year, which is celebrated very formally. These days in the Land of the Morning Calm are perceived more as a rare weekend than a holiday. Therefore, everyone wants to get out to their hometown, visit their parents or just relax outside the city, for example, in the mountains. By the way, there is even an interesting mountain route that allows you to meet the first day of the new year on the top of the mountain.

We also celebrated the New Year at the top, or rather on the roof of our house!

The real one New Year in South Korea comes according to the lunar calendar and is also called the "Chinese New Year", as it spread throughout Asia precisely from the Middle Kingdom. This holiday is the most beloved and important for the inhabitants of the Land of Morning Calm. Lunar New Year is also the longest holiday in South Korea. Festivals and festivities continue for 15 days.

home Korean new year tradition- a festive dinner, which is usually held with the family. According to beliefs, on a festive night, the spirits of ancestors are present at the table, which are considered full participants in the celebration, so there should be as many dishes of national Korean cuisine as possible on the table. There is also a feast on the day of Seollal - the first day of the new year. All relatives gather at a richly laid table to congratulate each other, discuss current affairs and plans for the future.

All subsequent days after the onset of the New Year according to the lunar calendar in South Korea It is customary to visit relatives and friends, congratulate and present gifts. Moreover, according to Korean traditions, on the first day of the new year, it is necessary to perform the rite "sebe" - a solemn worship of parents and all the elders. Throughout the first day of the new year, young people visit their elders and bow three times in a row, falling to their knees and leaning their foreheads on their hands folded in front of them in a certain way. In return, the elders give the children traditional Korean sweets and money.

However, the Lunar New Year in South Korea It is not only a family holiday, but also a national holiday. For 15 days, street processions, traditional mass festivities with costumed dances and masquerades are held in the country. Such a vivid sight does not leave indifferent either the Koreans themselves or the numerous tourists.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, the European New Year is celebrated on the night of December 31st to January 1st. This holiday is celebrated in all Malaysian states, except for those where the Muslim population predominates (for example, in the states of Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu and some others). Some Muslims still take part in New Year's celebrations, although alcohol is prohibited for them.

We are not Muslims, so we celebrated the New Year according to Russian customs, although instead of a Christmas tree we had a palm tree

On New Year's Eve, Malaysian television does not recommend drivers to drive, as all kinds of accidents involving cars driven by drunk drivers have long become an integral attribute of the holiday. For Malaysia, the New Year is not an official holiday, but due to the significant strengthening of the state's foreign policy position and the expansion of its political and economic ties with Europe, most Malaysians readily adopt European traditions for celebrating the New Year. In the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, as well as in other major Malaysian cities, on New Year's Eve there is a magical atmosphere of the New Year's holiday.

Oceania

And the very last on the planet to celebrate the onset of the New Year are the inhabitants of Bora Bora in Oceania. The holiday here takes place, like Brazil, on the sea coast, and at exactly midnight candles are lit, colorful fireworks are launched and foamy New Year's champagne is poured into glasses. There is a belief: if you have time to make a wish a minute before the rising sun appears from under the mountain, then it will certainly come true.

It doesn't matter where the New Year's meeting will take place, the main thing is that it be remembered!

And one more very important note: so that your journey - meeting the New Year - always remains travel with pleasure

New Year 2020 is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. It's a day off. It is considered a family holiday. Traditionally, it is celebrated at home at the solemn table, in the circle of the closest people. Young people prefer to go to parties in nightclubs and bars.

Symbol of 2020

2020 is the year of the Yellow Earth Pig. The pig symbolizes, on the one hand, honesty, directness, thoughtfulness, purposefulness, peacefulness, sociability, sensitivity, and on the other hand, naivety, slowness, categoricalness, idleness, superficiality. The Yellow Earth Pig knows how to manage money. Good luck in business. She carefully plans any activity. This always gives a positive result.

history of the holiday

Until the 15th century, March 1 was considered the beginning of the year, which marked the awakening of nature. Since 1492, the New Year began to be officially celebrated on September 1. In 1699, Peter I introduced the European tradition of celebrating the New Year. The celebration began to be celebrated on January 1 according to the Julian calendar. In 1918, the Gregorian calendar was introduced. The New Year began to be celebrated two weeks earlier, although the official date remained unchanged.

Traditions and rituals

Preparations for the New Year begin at the beginning of December. On the main squares of the cities, a fir tree is lit, near which the main events of the winter holidays unfold. The hostesses prepare the menu in advance, think over the shopping list, invite guests, and carry out general cleaning in the house.

People are attentive to the choice of New Year's attire. They try to make the color of the clothes please the patron animal according to the Chinese calendar. A popular folk saying is "How you meet the New Year, so you will spend it." Therefore, on the eve of the holiday, people try to complete important things, pay off debts, and forgive insults.

A week before the holiday, Soviet films, well-known and beloved by the older and younger generations, begin to be broadcast on TV channels: “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, “Sorcerers”, “Carnival Night”, “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, entertaining holiday programs from participation of popular pop stars.

The celebration of the New Year begins on the evening of December 31st. The owners of the house and invited guests gather at a magnificent table. Closer to midnight, they see off the old year, wishing each other that all the hardships remain in the past year, watching the president's New Year's address on television.

A bottle of champagne is uncorked at midnight. Make a wish under the chiming clock. To make their plans come true, the most gamblers write a wish on a piece of paper and set it on fire. The ashes are dipped into a glass of champagne and drunk.

At midnight, the sky over cities and villages flares up with fireworks. People light sparklers, blow up firecrackers and firecrackers.

New Year decoration

The main attribute of the New Year holidays is the Christmas tree. In every house, the coniferous beauty is decorated with toys, balls, bright tinsel, electric garlands. A scarlet star is placed at the top. It is popular among children to make garlands, lanterns and various crafts from colored paper. Figures of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden are placed under the Christmas tree.

Window panes are decorated with homemade snowflakes. From European culture came the tradition of hanging a sock for gifts and a wreath of pine needles on the front door in the children's room.

On the eve of the New Year, the streets of cities flash with bright illumination. Elegant Christmas trees and festive decorations are set up in the squares and in the halls of shopping centers.

New Year's characters: Father Frost and Snow Maiden

The main characters of the New Year are Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden. Santa Claus is depicted as an old man in a long red or blue fur coat, in felt boots, with a gray beard and a magic staff. Together with his granddaughter Snegurochka, he rides around on a troika of horses and delivers gifts to children.

Not a single New Year's party passes without these characters. They lead round dances with children, sing songs and give gifts.

Present

In the New Year, it is customary to give gifts to friends and relatives: souvenirs, good luck talismans in the form of a symbol of the coming year, things needed in everyday life, equipment, jewelry.

Children are waiting for gifts from Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden. At night, while the kids are sleeping, parents leave sweets and toys under the Christmas tree. On the eve of the holiday, the guys write and put letters under the pillow to their favorite character, in which they talk about their dreams and desires.

New Year's table

New Year's menu is varied and luxurious. A month before the holiday, housewives begin to buy delicacies: red fish, sausages, caviar. There are traditional dishes on the table: salads "Olivier" and "Herring under a fur coat", jellied meat dishes, cabbage rolls, meat pies. Among fruits, tangerines are the most popular. The main alcoholic drink of the festive table is champagne. It is opened and drunk to the sound of chimes.

The hostesses pay special attention to decorating the festive table. They cover it with a new bright tablecloth, put the best plates and cutlery. On the tables you can see candles in beautiful candlesticks. For table setting, napkins with New Year's drawings are used: snowflakes, Christmas trees, snowmen, Santa Claus, the patron saint of the coming year according to the eastern calendar.

Divination for the New Year

People believe that a special atmosphere of magic and miracle reigns on New Year's Eve. They cannot resist the temptation to know their future. From ancient times, many fortune-telling and predictions have been preserved, which are especially popular among young girls today.

The most common is divination by the betrothed with the help of scraps of paper on which male names are written. Mirror divination is also popular. Through the water in the vessel, the girls are trying to see their fate in the mirror. No less famous is divination on hot wax. In the frozen figures, the girls try to see symbolic signs.

New Year's signs and beliefs

New Year's Eve is the time for miracles. So that luck does not pass by, it is customary to adhere to signs and conduct bizarre rituals.

What is the weather on January 1, the same will be on June 1.
You can not take out the garbage from the house on New Year's Eve, otherwise the house will leave well-being.
Before the New Year, all debts must be distributed, otherwise the whole year will pass in debt.
If you put on a new dress on a festive evening, then the next year will be in new clothes.
If you put a large bill in your pocket on a festive night, then in the new year there will be money.

Congratulations

Happy New Year congratulations
I hasten to send
So that good luck and luck
Couldn't leave.

Let the money fall
From the sky like snow.
Let them rustle in the pockets of a thousand,
And in everything there is success.

On this quiet New Year's Eve,
Velvet lilac, with silver,
Congratulations and I wish you a meeting
With joy, love and kindness.

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What date is the New Year in 2021, 2022, 2023

2021	2022	2023
1 Jan Fr	January 1 Sat	January 1 Sun

Due to different time zones, the time of the new year may differ from ours by as much as 25 hours. From this article you will find out when the New Year comes in different countries of the world and what are the features of the celebration in some countries

We have already talked in detail about the history of the New Year and traditions. Now let's talk about when this day comes in different countries of the world. The very first to celebrate the New Year are the inhabitants of the island of Kiritimati, which is part of the Christmas Islands, as well as the inhabitants of the city of Nukualofa (the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga). These islands are located in Oceania

+0.15 - Chatham Island (New Zealand), located at some distance from the main islands of New Zealand, celebrates the New Year for the second time. It has a special time zone

+1.00 - Then the New Year comes in New Zealand. At the same time, polar explorers from the South Pole in Antarctica also meet him.

+2.00 - The next to celebrate are the inhabitants of extreme eastern Russia (Anadyr, Kamchatka), the Fiji Islands and some other Pacific islands (Nauru, Tuvalu, etc.)

+2.30 - Norfolk Island (Australia)

+3.00 - Part of eastern Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra) and some Pacific Islands (Vanuatu, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, etc.)

Australia is worth talking about separately. There is always a grand celebration in Sydney. On New Year's Eve, the city looks like a brightly decorated Christmas tree, with branches bending from decorations. Numerous fireworks are scattered in the sky over Sydney, which are visible from a distance of 16-20 kilometers from the city. Pay attention to the gorgeous fireworks against the backdrop of the famous Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House

After a festive night, Australians often go somewhere in nature, as the climate always allows it.

+3.30 - South Australia (Adelaide)

+4.00 - State of Queensland in Australia (Brisbane), part of Russia (Vladivostok) and some islands (Papua New Guinea, Mariana Islands)

+4.30 - Northern Territories of Australia (Darwin)

+5.00 - Japan and Korea

In Japan, the New Year is celebrated on January 1st. Mandatory is the custom of seeing off the Old Year, with lavish receptions and visits to restaurants. At the beginning of the new year, the Japanese begin to laugh. They believe that laughter brings them good luck in the new year. On the first New Year's Eve, it is customary to visit the temple, where 108 bells are beaten. With each blow, all the bad things go away, and will not be repeated in the New Year. Among New Year's accessories, amulets for happiness - miniature rakes - are popular. Every Japanese necessarily acquires them, so that on New Year's Eve there is something to rake in happiness. Bamboo rakes - kumade are made in sizes from 10 cm to 1.5 meters and are decorated with rich paintings. In houses, rice cakes and tangerines are placed in a conspicuous place, symbolizing happiness, health and longevity.

+6.00 - China, part of Southeast Asia and the rest of Australia

Chinese New Year is celebrated between January 17 and February 19, during the new moon. Street processions are the most exciting part of the holiday. Thousands of lanterns are lit to light the way for the New Year. The Chinese believe that the new year is surrounded by evil spirits. Therefore, they scare them away with firecrackers and firecrackers. New Year in China is a strictly family holiday, so everyone wants to spend it with their relatives. In the evening, each family gathers in the living room for a gala dinner. During this dinner, which was held under the sign of the unity of the clan, and above all the unity of its living and deceased members, its participants eat dishes that are first offered to the spirits of their ancestors. At the same time, family members forgive each other old grievances

+7.00 - Indonesia and the rest of Southeast Asia

+7.30 - Myanmar

+8.00 - Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Part of Russia (Novosibirsk, Omsk)

+8.15 - Nepal

+8.30 – India

In India, the New Year is celebrated in different ways. In one part of the country, the holiday is considered open when a kite is struck by a burning arrow. In northern India, the inhabitants adorn themselves with flowers in shades of pink, red, purple, or white. The mothers of South India place sweets, flowers and small gifts on a special tray, and on New Year's Day the children are brought to the tray with their eyes closed.

+9.00 - Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and part of Russia (Yekaterinburg, Ufa).

+9.30 - Afghanistan

+10.00 - Armenia, Azerbaijan, part of Russia (Samara), some islands in the Indian Ocean.

+10.30 - Iran

+11.00 - Part of East Asia, part of Africa, part of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg)

+12.00 - Eastern Europe (Romania, Greece, Ukraine, etc.), Turkey, Israel, Finland, part of Africa.

In Finland, families gather at a New Year's table full of various dishes. The kids expect from Joulupukki, that's the name of the Finnish Santa Claus, a huge basket of gifts. On New Year's Eve, Finns often guess, trying to find out their future. If you decide to visit this country for the New Year - there is nothing better than a trip to Finland on comfortable buses from http://spbfin.ru

In Greece, New Year's Day is Saint Basil's Day. Saint Basil was known for his kindness, and Greek children leave their shoes by the fireplace in the hope that Saint Basil will fill the shoes with gifts. It is also customary to launch fireworks into the sky. In the photo New Year's fireworks over the Acropolis

+13.00 - Western and Central Europe (Belgium, Italy, France, Hungary, Sweden, etc.), part of Africa.

As soon as the New Year has begun, Italians are in a hurry to get rid of things that have already "served their time", sometimes throwing them right out of the window or burning them. In Italy, the custom has been preserved to bring clean water from a spring on the first morning of the new year, as it is believed that water brings happiness.

The French, even before Christmas, hang a mistletoe branch over the door of their houses, believing that it will bring good luck next year. They decorate the whole house with flowers and always put them on the table. In each house they try to place a model depicting the scene of the birth of Christ. According to tradition, a good owner-winemaker on New Year's Eve should clink glasses with a barrel of wine, congratulate her on the holiday and drink for the future harvest. In the photo, New Year's fireworks against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower

+14.00 - Prime meridian (Greenwich), UK, Portugal, part of Africa

Let's move on to the UK. The ringing of the bell broadcasts about the New Year in England, the British have a tradition to let the old year out of the house, they open the back doors of the houses before the bell rings, and then open the entrance doors to let in the New Year. New Year's gifts in the family circle of the British are distributed according to the old tradition - by lot. In the photo, New Year's fireworks against the backdrop of the famous London Eye

+15.00 - Azores

+16.00 – Brazil

On New Year's Eve, the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro go to the ocean and bring gifts to the Goddess of the Sea Yemanzha. Traditionally, Brazilians dress up in white clothes, which symbolizes a plea for peace addressed to the goddess of the Sea. Believers bring all kinds of gifts to the goddess: flowers, perfumes, mirrors, jewelry. Gifts are placed in small boats and sent to the sea as a token of gratitude for the past year and as a request for protection in the coming year. Pay attention to how many people gathered on the beach of Rio to watch the fireworks

+17.00 - Argentina and part of eastern South America

+17.30 - Newfoundland Island (Canada)

+18.00 - Eastern Canada, many Caribbean islands, part of South America

+19.00 - Eastern parts of Canada (Ottawa) and USA (Washington, New York), western part of South America.

USA. In New York, in Times Square, the traditional solemn descent of the famous Ball, sparkling with thousands of neon lights, takes place.

+20.00 - Central parts of Canada and the USA (Chicago, Houston), Mexico and most countries in Latin America.

+21.00 - Part of Canada (Edmonton, Calgary) and USA (Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City)

+22.00 - Western parts of Canada (Vancouver, and USA (Los Angeles, San Francisco)

+23.00 - State of Alaska (USA)

+23.30 - Marquesas Islands as part of French Polynesia

+24.00 - Hawaiian Islands (USA), Tahiti and the Cook Islands

+25.00 - Residents of the state of Samoa are the last to celebrate the New Year

This is how the New Year is celebrated around the world on a grand scale, in different countries in different ways, but everywhere there is a common feature - you need to celebrate it cheerfully, and on a grand scale.

Not for everyone, the night from December 31 to January 1 turns into a stormy holiday. In our selection, there are countries where these days are in no way connected with the New Year's mood, and completely different holidays are provided for celebrating the New Year.

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, the New Year is not only not celebrated on January 1, it is even banned here. There is a special unit of the local police, which controls that the shops do not sell New Year's goods, and there are no New Year's festivities on the streets. The thing is that in Saudi Arabia they clearly follow religious scriptures and celebrate holidays strictly according to them. So the New Year here comes on March 21 - on the day of the vernal equinox, which often coincides with the first day of the holy month of Muharram. In general, to celebrate the New Year in Saudi Arabia, you need to have a private party or celebrate the holiday purely with your family.

Iran

In Iran, they use the Persian calendar, according to which the new year begins on March 21. This is the day of the spring equinox and Navruz holiday. Thus, January 1 in Iran is the most ordinary day. Nowruz is more of a national tradition than an Islamic custom, and in this Iranians are slightly different from Arabians. Nowruz also kicks off the new year in Afghanistan, and in Albania, Macedonia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, this holiday has the same meaning as January 1.

By the way, according to the Iranian calendar, the year is 1393.

Israel

For Israelis, January 1 is a working day, no different from others. They celebrate the New Year according to the Jewish calendar, which says that the holiday should be celebrated in the fall, when there will be a new moon during the month of Tishri. This can happen in September and October, so there is no exact date.

Although you need to work on January 1, the celebration is not prohibited, so everyone can take a day off or even a vacation. Given the large Russian diaspora in Israel, the festive mood is felt these days, but the celebration of the New Year does not have a big scope - it usually takes place with family or in a Russian restaurant.

India

In multinational India, there are so many holidays from different cultures that it is not possible to create a single calendar for them. The problem here is solved in a different way: depending on beliefs and confessions, workers can take days off on those holidays that they consider necessary to celebrate. January 1 is not a national event and there are no global festivities on this day, but if you want to free the day and find a company to celebrate the new year, it will not be difficult.

At the same time, according to the generally accepted Indian calendar, the New Year should be celebrated on March 22, but, for example, in Kerala the change of year is celebrated on April 13, the southern states have their own Divapali holiday, and the Sikhs have their own Vaisakhi.

China

Chinese New Year (Chunjie) falls on one of the days from January 21 to February 21 and is timed to coincide with the second new moon after the winter solstice. The Chinese celebrate this holiday on a state scale: they launch fireworks, arrange noisy processions, hold a large-scale lantern festival and gather for a traditional family dinner, which you can miss only for very good reasons.

But on January 1, everything is much more prosaic. This is a day off, and artificial Christmas trees and figurines of Santa Claus appear in stores, but this is rather a tribute to the multinationality of China, and there are no mass noisy festivities either on December 31 or January 1.

Vietnam

The Vietnamese New Year is called Tet - this is the most important and most popular holiday of the country, which is celebrated on one of the days in late January and early February. Most often it coincides in time with Chinese, but there are also small discrepancies. The principle of choosing a day is the first day of the first month according to the lunar calendar.

The holiday is considered a family holiday, and by the day it comes, the Vietnamese try to return from their travels to spend time with relatives, remember the dead and give gifts to each other. The scale of the Tet holiday is impressive - the festivities may well drag on for a week.

Bangladesh

The New Year in Bangladesh is called Bengali and is celebrated in a completely different way than they are used to in Russia. The holiday is coming on April 14 on the first day of the month of boyshak. People wake up early, put on their best clothes and go for a walk. Families or large groups of people go to the parks, where cultural programs with a national bias are organized.

Bangladesh has a dry law, so the celebration doesn't turn into a drunken farce. People communicate, sing, draw, dance, take pictures and just have a good time in a festive atmosphere.

In different countries, it is celebrated in accordance with local, national traditions, but the main symbols remain almost everywhere - a decorated Christmas tree, garland lights, clock strikes, champagne, gifts and, of course, a cheerful mood and hope for something new and good in the coming year.

People have been celebrating this bright and colorful holiday since ancient times, but few people know the history of its origin.

The most ancient holiday

New Year is the most ancient holiday, and in different countries it was celebrated and continues to be celebrated at different times. The earliest documentary evidence dates back to the third millennium BC, but historians believe that the holiday is even older.

The custom of celebrating the New Year first appeared in ancient Mesopotamia. In Babylon, it was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, when nature began to awaken from its winter sleep. It was installed in honor of the supreme god Marduk, the patron of the city.

This tradition was connected with the fact that all agricultural work began at the end of March, after the water arrived in the Tigris and Euphrates. This event was celebrated for 12 days with processions, carnivals and masquerades. During the holiday it was forbidden to work and administer courts.

This festive tradition was eventually adopted by the Greeks and Egyptians, then it passed to the Romans and so on.

The New Year in Ancient Greece came on the day of the summer solstice - June 22, it was dedicated to the god of winemaking Dionysus. The Greeks began their reckoning from the famous Olympic Games.

Ancient Egypt celebrated for centuries the flooding of the Nile River (between July and September), which marked the beginning of the new planting season and was a vital event. It was a sacred time for Egypt, because a drought would endanger the very existence of this agricultural state.

During the celebration of the New Year, the Egyptians had a custom to fill special vessels with "holy water" from the overflowing Nile, the water of which at that time was considered miraculous.

Even then it was customary to arrange nightly celebrations with dances and music, to give gifts to each other. The Egyptians believed that the waters of the Nile washed away everything old.

The Jewish New Year - Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) is celebrated 163 days after Pesach (not earlier than September 5 and not later than October 5). On this day, a ten-day period of spiritual self-deepening and repentance begins. It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah the fate of a person is decided for the year ahead.

Solar chronology

The ancient Persian holiday Navruz, which meant the beginning of spring and the sowing period, was celebrated on the spring equinox on March 20 or 21. This Navruz differs from the Muslim New Year, since the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar annual cycle.

The celebration of Navruz is associated with the emergence of the solar chronology calendar, which appeared among the peoples of Central Asia and Iran seven thousand years ago, long before the rise of Islam.

The word "Navruz" is translated from Persian as "new day". This is the first day of the month "Farvadin" according to the Iranian calendar.

A few weeks before this date, wheat or barley seeds were placed in a dish to germinate. By the New Year, the seeds sprouted, which symbolized the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year of life.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese or Oriental New Year is a grandiose event that lasts a whole month in the old days. The date of the New Year is calculated according to the lunar calendar and usually falls between January 17 and February 19. In 2017, the people of China will celebrate the advent of the 4715 New Year - the Fire Rooster on January 28th.

During the festive procession that passes through the streets of China on New Year's Eve, people light many lanterns. This is done in order to light your way into the New Year. Unlike Europeans who celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree, the Chinese prefer tangerines and oranges.

Julian calendar

For the first time, the calendar, in which the year began on January 1, was introduced by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Before that, in ancient Rome, the New Year was also celebrated in early March.

The new calendar, which then began to be used by all countries that were part of the Roman Empire, naturally began to be called the Julian. The account according to the new calendar began on January 1, 45 BC. That day was the first new moon after the winter solstice.

However, throughout the world, the New Year was celebrated for many centuries either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn - in accordance with agricultural cycles.

The first month of the year, January, is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus. On this day, the Romans made sacrifices to the two-faced god Janus, after whom the first month of the year was named, which was considered the patron of undertakings, and timed important events to this day, considering it especially auspicious.

In ancient Rome, there was also a tradition of giving New Year's gifts. It is believed that the first gifts were laurel branches, which foreshadowed happiness and good luck in the coming year.

Slavic New Year

Among the Slavs, the pagan New Year was associated with the deity Kolyada and was celebrated on the Day of the winter solstice. The main symbolism was the fire of a fire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, had to rise higher and higher.

In addition, he was associated with fertility. According to the Slavic calendar, the year 7525 is now coming - the year of the Crouching Fox.

But in 1699, Tsar Peter I, by his decree, moved the beginning of the year to January 1 and ordered that this holiday be celebrated with a Christmas tree and fireworks.

Traditions

In Ecuador, special importance is attached to underwear, which brings love and money, in Bulgaria they turn off the lights, because the first minutes of the New Year are the time for New Year's kisses.

In Japan, instead of 12, 108 bells sound, and a rake is considered the best New Year's accessory - to rake in happiness.

A very interesting New Year tradition exists in Myanmar. On this day, everyone you meet pours cold water on the other. This is due to the fact that the New Year in Myanmar falls on the hottest time of the year. In the local language this day is called "water festival".

In Brazil, it is customary to ward off evil spirits on New Year's Eve. For this, everyone dressed in white clothes. Some jump into the ocean waves on the beach and throw flowers into the sea.

In Denmark, to wish love and prosperity to yourself or your friends, it is customary to break dishes under their windows.

At midnight, Chileans eat a spoonful of lentils and put money in their shoes. It is believed that this will bring prosperity and wealth throughout the year. The more daring can spend New Year's Eve at the cemetery with deceased loved ones.

In the tradition of the countries of the post-Soviet space, there was the following tradition - write down your desire on a piece of paper, burn it and pour the ashes into a glass of champagne, mix and drink. All this procedure had to be done in the time interval until the clock strikes twelve.

In Spain, there is a tradition - to quickly eat 12 grapes at midnight, and each grape will be eaten with each new strike of the clock. Each of the grapes should bring good luck in each month of the coming year. Residents of the country gather in the squares of Barcelona and Madrid in order to have time to eat grapes. The tradition of eating grapes has been around for over a hundred years.

In Scotland, before the New Year, members of the whole family sit down near a lit fireplace, and with the first strike of the clock, the head of the family must open the front door, and silently. Such a ritual is designed to spend the old year and let the New Year into your home. The Scots believe that whether luck or bad luck enters the house depends on who is the first to cross their threshold in the new year.

On New Year's Eve, the inhabitants of Greece, like the inhabitants of many other countries, go to visit each other with gifts. However, there is a peculiarity - in addition to gifts, they carry a stone to the owners, and the more the better. In Greece, they believe that the heavier the stone, the heavier will be the purse of the recipients in the coming year.

According to another Greek tradition, the eldest member of the family must break a pomegranate fruit in the courtyard of his house. If pomegranate seeds scattered around the yard, then his family will have a happy life in the coming year.

There is a very unusual New Year tradition in Panama. Here it is customary to burn effigies of politicians, athletes and other famous people. However, the inhabitants of Panama do not wish evil to anyone, just all these stuffed animals symbolize all the troubles of the outgoing year.

Moreover, every family should burn the scarecrow. Apparently another Panamanian tradition is connected with this. At midnight, on the streets of Panamanian cities, the bells of all fire towers begin to ring. In addition, car horns are honking, everyone is screaming. Such noise is meant to threaten the coming year.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.