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Wishing for Luck, Eating Special Foods
How do people around
the world celebrate the coming of the New Year? There are
many and varied customs from one country to another, ranging
from watching fireworks to eating special foods. Some
customs are very surprising or amusing, such as the Thai
custom of throwing water on people or the Spanish custom of
eating 12 grapes as the clock chimes twelve midnight. Many
of these New Year's customs are intended to bring good luck
during the new year ahead.
Argentina
In Argentina, we gather together with our families for a big late dinner (About 11:00 p.m.) and we wait for midnight. At midnight everybody lights fireworks for half-hour more or less. Then young people go to New Year parties at dance clubs until the next morning. The next day (January 1st) most people will go swimming in rivers, lakes or public swimming pools.
Adrian
Genesir
Brazil
In all cities in Brazil, we have a big party on New Year's Eve, especially in Rio de Janeiro where people go to the beaches to watch fireworks. We usually wear white clothes in order to have good luck during the new year. This party used to be a kind of religious party, but today it has become a big show for tourists and citizens. The party's preparation begins on the morning of the 31st, and the fireworks start at midnight. It lasts around thirty minutes, and everybody makes wishes for the new year: money, love, health. Normally we host more than two million people.
Angela
Teixeira
In Brazil, most
New Year's Eve customs are related to good luck or fortune.
Most people wear white clothes on New Year's Eve to bring
good luck and peace for the year that will follow. If they
are in a beach city, after midnight, people go to the beach,
jump seven waves and throw flowers in the sea while making a
wish. This will bring them good luck and fortune. They say
that the goddess who protects the sea will make their wishes
come true. Because of that, some people also light candles
in the sand on the beach. I think this custom came from the
mix of the African and Indian cultures that developed in
Brazil and have spread from coast to coast.
Renate
Pauperio
China
In China, New Year's Eve is a time for...
- all family members to get together to chat
- us to have some special food which we don't have daily
- children to wear brand new clothes
- children to gather lucky money from adults
- traveling
- hanging around the flower shows
- shopping for cleaning one's house, especially for messy people.
On New Year's Eve, all family members get together and just stay home to prepare food. Even though some of the work in different cities, they will be home on time.
At the dinner, we have lots of foods such as dumplings, chicken, and fish which all have meanings of good luck. After dinner, we all go out to a flower show. We can buy different flowers and some New Year's stuff. Then we go back home and chat together. In the meantime, we have some snacks. No one will leave until after midnight. Officially, we have nine days for holidays during New Year.
Kelly
Chen
The Chinese New Year's holiday which is celebrated in
February, is the longest and most crowded holiday in my
country. During this time, people celebrate the arrival of
the New Year, pray for a new start of their life in the
following spring, and make many new wishes and
plans.
The children don't really understand the meaning of New Year's, but it is very exciting for them, and they are happy with all the gifts and programs such as dancing, movies, eating, partying, and talking over old times. Adults visit each other, and usually the holiday will last for two weeks.
I remember that when I was a child, I used to look forward to the New Year, but year by year, I gradually lost interest. Now spectacular shows on TV last all day long. Most of the programs are parties from each province. People sing, dance and play dramas. Today, more and more Chinese would rather spend their time traveling during the holiday. Furthermore, a lot of couples have their weddings during the New Year's holiday.
Yian
Ma
Colombia
Burning "Mr. Old Year" is a New Year's tradition in some cities of Colombia. It requires the participation of the entire family. It is a lot of fun; they fabricate a big stuffed male doll that represents the old year. Then they stuff the doll with different materials. Sometimes they put some little fireworks in it to make it more exciting at the time they burn it. Also, they put things inside that they don't want anymore, objects that can bring sadness or bad memories. These things will burn with the old year, meaning that they want to forget all the bad things that happened during the past year. They dress the man with old clothes from each member of the family. Then, on New Year's Eve at midnight, they set the doll on fire. This symbolizes burning the past and getting ready to start a happy New Year without bad memories of the past.
Martha
Leverett
Korea
My grandmother always says not to sleep on New Year's Eve. If you sleep, your eyebrows will turn white. I don't know where these words come from. Of course, it doesn't happen. Every New Year's Eve we can watch a striking-a-bell ceremony on TV. The bell is struck 33 times. This is in memory of 33 fighters who died for the restoration of Korea. On New Year's Day a lot of people go to the sea to watch the sunrise. The beaches of eastern Korea are filled with crowds of people. On seeing the sunrise, people make their new wishes.
Seong
Ah Kim
We call New Year's Day Sul-nal. We don't have a real New
Year's day on January 1st. We use the lunar calendar, and it
shows the days a little differently, just as February can be
different, depending on the year. We usually wear Han-Boks
which are Korean traditional clothes. We have ancestor
memorial sites on the first day in the morning. In order to
have this, many relatives come together. After the rites, we
eat Dduk-gook which is made of rice cake and is a kind of
soup. Also, whenever we meet our elders, we perform a New
Year's bow. Some older people give New Year's gifts. New
Year's day is the biggest holiday in Korea, so we usually
spend time with the family and relatives. There are many
traditional games on New Year's Day, such as yut, seesaw
(teeter). The game of yut consists of 4 sticks and a board.
There are 3-4 teams, and each team has 3 to 4 members, so
many people can play this game.
Seung-Hye
Lee (Clare)
On New Year's day, we traditionally wear Korean traditional
clothes called "Hanbock." However, nowadays some people wear
western clothes. In the morning, younger generations bow to
older generations. For example, children bow to their
parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents; and parents bow to
their parents. After bowing, older people give brand new
money to the children. This means good luck and good wishes.
We have special food for this day. It is a kind of soup made
of rice cake. All family members eat together and give each
other good blessings. There are some traditional games for
New Year's Day. I think it is just for family union and for
fun. It is winter on those days, so children make a kite and
play with them. We also wear special pockets in which we
think we can put blessings, but nowadays this custom is
disappearing.
Haegyung
Lee (Lynn)
Mexico
In Mexico, many people usually gather with their relatives and friends to celebrate the new year. On New Year's Eve, we have some special customs. For example, we turn on the TV and wait to see or hear the bell ringing twelve times. Each time the bell rings, we eat one grape and make a wish. Then we hug each other and wish each other a Happy New Year. Some people, especially women, wear red underwear meaning you will find love in the next year. There are also people who take out their suitcases and walk around the block, meaning they wish they could travel next year. There's also a custom on January 6th to eat a special cake with a hole in it and a small toy inside. The person who gets the piece with this tiny kid is supposed to make a special food on February 5th.
Paola
Montsalve
Switzerland
On the last day of December, everybody is very busy. All the food shops and liquor shops are crowded. People are unfriendly and impatient because shopping takes a long time on this day. Finally, people get home late at seven o'clock, tired from working and shopping, hardly enough energy to start cooking the big meal. Until 11 o'clock, nobody is very excited, but deep inside we all feel that soon there will soon be coming a moment to think about our past and our future. When finally the clock turns to 12 o'clock, we raise our glasses and make a toast for all the good things that happened in the last year. We kiss everybody not only 3 times, but many times, and hug everybody several times.
Sylvia
Bopp
Taiwan
Before we celebrate the Chinese New Year, the boss in your company always treats his/her subordinates to a big meal and a lottery game. The prizes of the lottery game range from M. Benze to $50 gift certificates. Everyone wins a prize; in other words, everyone wins at least fifty dollars.
It sounds fun, right? However, there is one bad news I have to tell you. According to tradition, the boss usually sets one whole, well-cooked chicken in the middle of the table. After he finishes his speech, to show he appreciates everyone's effort for the company in the past year, he rotates the table tray to show we are able to start eating. At that moment, you have to make sure the chicken's head is not facing you. If it is, it means the boss dislikes you, and you will be fired after the Chinese New Year.
Fred
Chen
Thailand
Thailand has its specific New Year's date; it's different from the normal calendar. The Thai New Year is celebrated on April 13. This day is also a special festival which we call Song-Klarn Day." On this day, Thai people play with water, throwing it on each other. It's also a Thai custom that we respect senior citizens, so most Thai people go back to their hometowns to visit their grandparents to ask for good luck.
Piboon
Choklerdpatana
In Thailand, we don't have specific customs for New Year's
Eve. When the New Year comes, people just celebrate. A few
days before New Year's Day, most people who have migrated
from another city to the capital city of Thailand will go
back to their own city in order to celebrate with their
families. At twelve o'clock when the clock chimes, people
usually say, "Happy New Year!" to family members. Some
families have fireworks, too. In the morning on January 1st,
children often ask for some blessings or wishes from their
parents and grandparents, and both of them will give the
children money, usually quite a lot of money. They give them
new money. The children will use this money to buy whatever
they want because they think when the New Year comes,
everything should be new. New things are a good sign for
starting life again. Most people think if their past time
before New Year's was bad, the new year will bring them good
luck, and they can start their life again.
Rungsima
Trahoolngam (Kwang)
Turkey
In Turkey, we celebrate the New Year on December 31st. Many people celebrate by having a special New Year's dinner with their close family members and/or friends. The traditional food is generally turkey. Although some families prefer to decorate with a New Year's pine, the general attitude is not to decorate anything special.
The last day of December there are many special entertainment programs on TV. Each TV channel tries to present the best program for New Year's Eve. This Turkish celebration starts early in the evening and lasts till early morning. That night all places are full, and you have to make a reservation a long time before that night if you want to celebrate it out of home.
I remember many happily celebrated New Years with my family when I was a child. When I became a teenager, I started to go out with my friends and that was also wonderful.
Edibe
B. Ciftci
Venezuela
In my country, people usually wear yellow underwear on New Year's Day. It means good luck for people who wear it. Most people also eat twelve grapes at midnight for good luck. People who want to travel take a suitcase and carry it around the house. Some people write wishes in a letter, and then they burn it. In almost every house, people have a big meal and make toasts with champagne.
Nakari
Barrios
New Year's Day
is a special date in our country just as it is everywhere in
the world. We always celebrate this special date by drinking
champagne and having a big family dinner. This kind of
celebration has been a tradition for many years.
Furthermore, many people think that this special day brings
good luck, and many of them wear yellow underwear to have
good luck in the new year. We also write a letter asking for
many wishes, and when the New Year comes, we put all those
papers together and burn them to make sure that nobody can
read what we wrote. Many kids play with artificial fires,
and they are given many gifts.
Luis
Schiavo
Vietnam
New Year's Day, the start of the new year is the beginning of 10 days of celebration. There are 3 main days that we celebrate. On these days, everyone has to come back to their family if they have gone out of town.
On the first day at 12 midnight, the grandmother or mother in each family has to light firecrackers to receive and welcome the New Year. Then, we go to sleep to wait for the sun to rise. When the sun rises, we wake up and put on new clothes. Then, our grandparents sit on a chair in front of our parents to wish them a happy new year and a long life. Then, our parents sit on the chair to wish us a happy new year and longevity. We keep this custom year after year.
Ngoc-Anh
(Annie) Ho
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