When is New Year's Eve? New Year all year round. Great Britain: true English stiffness

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Every people, every country has its own history, its own important events from which it all began. Or natural phenomena, after which you can draw a line, draw conclusions, rejoice and count down New Year.

website will tell you about several countries whose New Year's Eve traditions are so different.

China celebrates New Year in February

New Year in the Gwaun Valley begins on January 13th. On this holiday, children sing old songs in Welsh and go around the neighbors, begging for sweets and gifts.

Bonus: what kind of holiday is this, the old New Year?

The Old New Year arose during the transition from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, the difference between which is now 13 days. New Year according to the old style begins on the night of January 13-14.

The Old New Year is celebrated in Russia and in all former republics Soviet Union, in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro. In Macedonia, it is customary to celebrate the Old New Year on the street - neighbors take out and set tables and celebrate the New Year together according to the old style. In Switzerland, the old New Year is called "Old St. Sylvester's Day." And in Serbia it is called the Serbian New Year. In Japan, the old New Year is Rissyun, the celebration of the beginning of spring.

As you know, every country and every people has its own national traditions, including those related to holding various holidays. Sometimes among such traditions there are very exotic, unusual and extravagant ones. Let's see how the New Year is celebrated in different countries peace.

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 accepted calendar. The custom of celebrating the New Year existed already in Ancient Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC ad. Start 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 be seen off old year inhabitants of the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

From Wikipedia

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

New Year is a truly international holiday, but different countries celebrate it in their own way. Italians throw old irons and chairs out of windows with all the southern passion, Panamanians try to make as much noise as possible by turning on their car sirens, whistling and shouting. In Ecuador, they attach special importance 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, the bell rings 108 times, and the best New Year's accessory is considered to be a rake - to rake in good fortune.

Germany. Santa Claus comes to the Germans on a donkey

Let's start with Germany, from where the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree to celebrate the New Year spread throughout the world. By the way, this tradition appeared there back in the distant 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 is happening: hundreds of thousands of people toast to the reunification of East and West Germany - the holiday is celebrated there very emotionally.

Italy. On New Year's Day, irons and old chairs fly from the windows

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

Italians always have nuts, lentils and grapes on their New Year's table - symbols of longevity, health and prosperity.

In the Italian provinces, this custom has long existed: on January 1, early in the morning, you need to bring water from a source home. “If you have nothing to give your friends,” the Italians say, “give water with an olive sprig.” Water is believed to bring 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 priest, that’s bad. It is also undesirable to meet a small child, but meeting a hunchbacked grandfather is fortunate.

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

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

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

Do you want to get very rich in the coming year or find great love? In order for money to “fall like snow” in the new year, you need to wear yellow underwear as soon as the clock strikes 12.

If you don’t need money, but happiness in your personal life, then your underwear should be red.

Good for women - they can choose the top part of their underwear yellow color, and the lower one is red, or vice versaBut what should men do if they 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 onto the street, with which everything bad will break into smithereens.

Sweden. New Year - a holiday of light

But Sweden gave the world the first glass Christmas decorations(in the 19th century). There, on New Year's Day, it is customary to keep the lights on in the houses and brightly illuminate the streets - this is a real holiday of light.

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

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

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

In the industrial capital of this state - Johannesburg - residents of one of the neighborhoods traditionally celebrate the New Year by throwing various objects from their windows - from bottles to large furniture.

South African police have already closed the Hillbrow area to vehicular traffic and have asked residents in the area not to throw refrigerators out of their windows. New Year's Eve. According to a police representative, due to the existing tradition, this quarter is considered the most dangerous in the city.

"We have distributed thousands of leaflets asking people not to throw objects such as refrigerators out of windows or shoot guns in the air," South African police spokesman Cribhne Nadu said.

About 100 police officers will patrol this area on New Year's Eve.

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

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

It was in England that the custom of exchanging for the New Year arose greeting cards. First New Year card was printed in London in 1843.

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

The bell heralds the arrival of the New Year. True, he starts calling a little earlier than midnight and does it in a “whisper” - the blanket with which he is wrapped prevents him from demonstrating all his power. But at exactly twelve the bells are stripped and they begin to ring loudly in honor of the New Year.

At these moments, lovers, in order not to separate next year, must kiss under a mistletoe branch, which is considered a magical tree.

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

In the British Isles, the custom of “letting in the New Year” is widespread - a symbolic milestone in 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 begins 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 understands that this is the New Year. You can start with the traditional dish of black peas. It is believed that it brings good luck.

In the USA, where in 1895 the world’s first glowing electric garland was hung near the White House, and from where the tradition of writing one’s “New Year’s tasks” with promises and plans for the coming year spread throughout the world, it is not customary to organize ceremonial feasts, nor to give gifts, they do all this only at Christmas , and they always replant the Christmas trees in the ground, and do not throw them away, like ours.

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

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

The Scots believe that whoever enters their house first in the new year determines the success or failure of the family for the entire next year. Great luck, in their opinion, is brought by a dark-haired man who brings gifts into the house. This tradition is called "first footing".

Special ones are prepared for the New Year traditional dishes: for breakfast they usually serve oatcakes, pudding, a special type of cheese - kebben, for lunch - boiled goose or steak, pie or apples baked in dough.

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

Ireland. Puddings are held in high esteem

Irish Christmas is more 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 treat, seed cake, for each family member. They also make three puddings - one for Christmas, another for New Year's and a third for Epiphany Eve.

Colombia. The old year walks on stilts

Main character New Year's carnival in Colombia - Old Year. He walks in the crowd on high stilts and tells the children funny stories. Papa Pasquale is the 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 others 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 residents of the city.

AustraliaI

New Year in Australia begins on the first of January. But just at this time it is so hot there that Father Frost and Snow Maiden deliver gifts in swimsuits.

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

Vietnam. New Year floats on the back of a carp

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

Children eagerly wait for midnight, when they can start firing small homemade firecrackers.

In Vietnam, New Year is celebrated according to lunar calendar, between January 21 and February 19, when early spring begins here. There are bouquets of flowers at the festive table. On New Year's Eve, it is customary to give each other peach tree branches with swollen buds. At dusk, Vietnamese people light bonfires in parks, gardens or on the streets, and several families gather around the bonfires. Special rice delicacies are cooked over coals.

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

The Vietnamese once believed that God swam on the back of a carp. Nowadays, on New Year's Day, 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 on New Year's Day will bring good or bad luck for the coming year.

Nepal. New Year is celebrated at sunrise

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

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

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

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

Finland. Homeland of Santa Claus

Finns don't like to celebrate New Year at home

In snowy Finland the main winter holiday Christmas is considered to be celebrated on December 25th. On Christmas night, having overcome a long journey from Lapland, Father Frost comes to homes, leaving a large basket of gifts for the joy of the children.

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

Cuba. Water is poured from the windows

Children's New Year's celebration in Cuba it is called Kings Day. The wizard kings who bring gifts to children are named Balthazar, Gaspar and Melchor. The day before, children write letters to them in which they tell them about their cherished desires.

On New Year's Eve, Cubans fill all the dishes in the house with water, and at midnight they begin to pour it out of the windows. This is how all the residents of Liberty Island wish the New Year a bright and clear path, like water. 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 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 they can get their hands on. And all this noise is to “appease” the year that is coming.

Hungary. You need to whistle for the New Year

In Hungary, during the “fateful” first second of the New Year, they prefer to whistle - using not their fingers, but children’s pipes, horns, and whistles.

It is believed that they are the ones who drive away evil spirits from the home and call for joy and prosperity. When preparing for the holiday, Hungarians do not forget about magical power New Year's dishes: beans and pears preserve the strength of spirit and body, apples - beauty and love, nuts can protect from harm, garlic - from diseases, and honey - sweeten life.

Burma. Tug of war brings good luck

The New Year in Burma begins on the first of April, on the hottest days. For a whole week, people pour water on each other with all their hearts. The New Year's water festival is underway - Tinjan.

According to ancient beliefs, the rain gods 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 star spirits, the Burmese came up with a competition - tug of war. Men from two villages take part in them, and in the city - from two streets. And women and children applaud and shout, urging on the lazy rain spirits.

Israel. One should eat sweet foods and abstain from bitter foods

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

The New Year holiday 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 hopes for the coming year. Each meal is accompanied by a short prayer. Generally, it is customary to eat sweet foods and abstain from bitter foods. On the first day of the New Year, it is customary to go to the water and say the Tashlikh prayer.

India. New Year - holiday of lights

IN different parts India celebrates New Year in different time of the year. At the beginning of summer there is Lori holiday. Children collect dry branches, straw, and old things from the house in advance. In the evening, large bonfires are lit, around which people dance and sing.

And when autumn comes, Diwali is celebrated - the festival of lights. Thousands of lamps are placed on the roofs of houses and on window sills and lit on the festive night. The girls float small boats across the water, with lights on them too.

Japan. Best gift- 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 their pillow a picture of a sailboat on which seven fairy-tale wizards are sailing - the seven patrons of happiness.

Ice palaces and castles, huge snow sculptures fairy-tale heroes Northern Japanese cities are decorated for the New Year.

108 strikes of the bell herald the arrival of the New Year in Japan. According to a long-standing 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 why the Japanese bell tolls.

In the first seconds of the New Year, you should laugh - this should bring good luck. And so that happiness comes into the house, the Japanese decorate it, or rather the front door, with branches of bamboo and pine - symbols of longevity and fidelity. Pine represents longevity, bamboo - fidelity, and plum - love of life.

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

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

In houses they place branches decorated with mochi balls - a New Year's motibana tree.

Japanese Santa Claus is called Segatsu-san - Mr. New Year. Favorite New Year's entertainment girls play shuttlecock, and boys fly a traditional kite on holidays.

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

In order to appease the Deity of the year, which brings happiness to the family, the Japanese build a small gate of three in front of the house. bamboo sticks, to which pine branches are tied. Wealthier people buy dwarf pine, bamboo shoot and small tree plum or peach.

Labrador. Store your turnips

In Labrador, turnips are stored 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, which was founded by Scottish Highlanders, funny songs, imported from Britain two centuries ago, are sung every Christmas morning.

Czech Republic and Slovakia. Santa Claus in a lamb hat

A cheerful little man, dressed in a shaggy fur coat, a tall lambskin hat, and with a box on his back, comes to Czech and Slovak children. His name is Mikulas. For those who studied well, he will always have gifts

Holland. Santa Claus arrives on a ship

Santa Claus arrives in Holland by ship. The children joyfully greet him at the pier. Santa Claus loves funny pranks and surprises and often gives children marzipan fruits, toys, and candy flowers.

Afghanistan. New Year - the beginning of agricultural work

Nowruz, the Afghan New Year, falls on March 21. This is the time when agricultural work begins. The village elder 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 douse yourself with water while they congratulate you

Preserved in China new year tradition Buddha bathing. On this day, all Buddha statues in temples and monasteries are respectfully washed in clean water from mountain springs. And the people themselves douse themselves with water at the moment when others say to them new year wishes happiness. Therefore, on this holiday, everyone walks the streets in thoroughly wet clothes.

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

Iran. Everybody's shooting guns

In Iran, the New Year is celebrated at midnight on March 22. At this moment gun shots thundered. All adults hold silver coins in their hands as a sign of continuous 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 new ones.

Bulgaria. Three minutes of New Year's kisses

In Bulgaria, guests and relatives gather for the New Year at 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 host’s wealth be as heavy as this stone.” And if big stone if they don’t get it, 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 St. Basil will fill the shoes with gifts.

South Korea. New Year

Koreans treat every holiday with special trepidation and try to spend it beautifully, brightly and cheerfully. South Korea- this is a country where holidays are valued and they know how to spend them beautifully. It is not surprising that in the process of globalization, Western winter celebrations have been added to the Eastern New Year, which is traditional for the Country of morning freshness.

New Year's Eve South Korea It is celebrated twice - first according to the solar calendar (i.e. on the night from 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 Freshness does not carry any special symbolic meaning, then the traditional New Year according to the lunar calendar in South Korea has a special meaning.

New Year in Korea begin with Catholic Christmas. Just like in Europe, Koreans decorate the Christmas tree and also prepare many cards and gifts for family, loved ones, friends and colleagues. It is worth noting that Christmas celebrations in South Korea are even brighter than the calendar New Year, which is celebrated very formally. These days in the Land of Morning Freshness are perceived more like rare weekends than holidays. Therefore, everyone wants to get out to their hometown, visit their parents, or simply relax outside the city, for example, in the mountains. By the way, there is even an interesting mountain route that allows you to celebrate 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”, since it spread across Asia from the Middle Kingdom. This holiday is the most beloved and important for residents of the Land of Morning Freshness. Lunar New Year is also the longest holiday in South Korea. Festivals and celebrations 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, who are considered full participants in the celebration, so there should be as many dishes of national Korean cuisine on the table as possible. There is also a feast on Seollal Day - 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 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 “sebe” ritual - a solemn worship of parents and everyone. 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 placing their foreheads on the 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 is South Korea- This is not only a family, but also a national holiday. For 15 days, the country hosts street processions, traditional mass celebrations with costumed dances and masquerades. Such a vivid spectacle leaves neither the Koreans themselves nor the numerous tourists indifferent.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, European New Year is celebrated on the night of the thirty-first of December to the first of January. This holiday is celebrated in all Malaysian states, except 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 get behind the wheel, since all kinds of accidents involving cars driven by drunk drivers have long become an integral attribute of the holiday. For Malaysia, New Year is not official holiday, but thanks to the significant strengthening of the state’s foreign policy position and the expansion of its political and economic ties with Europe, most Malaysians are willing to adopt European traditions of celebrating the New Year. In the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, as well as in other large Malaysian cities, a magical atmosphere of the New Year's holiday reigns on New Year's Eve.

Oceania

And the last people on the planet to celebrate the New Year are the residents 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 make a wish a minute before the rising sun appears from under the mountain, it will definitely come true.

It doesn’t matter where the New Year’s Eve takes place, the main thing is that it is memorable!

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

In different countries it is celebrated according to local, national traditions, but the main symbols almost everywhere remain - a decorated Christmas tree, garland lights, striking clocks, 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 and continues to be celebrated at different times. The earliest documentary evidence dates back to the third millennium BC, but historians believe 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 spring equinox, when nature began to awaken from its winter sleep. It was installed in honor of the supreme god Marduk, the patron saint of the city.

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

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

New Year in Ancient Greece began on the day summer solstice— June 22, it was dedicated to the god of wine Dionysus. The Greeks based their chronology on the famous Olympic Games.

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

When celebrating the New Year, the Egyptians had a custom of filling 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 organize night celebrations with dancing and music, and give each other gifts. 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 Passover (no earlier than September 5 and no 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 of Nowruz, which signified the beginning of spring and the sowing period, was celebrated on the vernal equinox on March 20 or 21. This is how Nowruz differs from the Muslim New Year, since the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar annual cycle.

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

The word "Navruz" is translated from Persian as "new day". This is the first day of the month of 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

Chinese or Eastern New Year is a grandiose event that lasted a whole month in the old days. The New Year's date is calculated according to the lunar calendar and usually falls between January 17 and February 19. In 2017, Chinese residents will celebrate the arrival of the 4715 New Year - Fire Rooster 28 January.

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

The first calendar in which the year began on January 1 was introduced by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Before this, in Ancient Rome, the New Year was also celebrated in early March.

The new calendar, which then began to be used by all countries belonging to the Roman Empire, naturally began to be called Julian. The counting according to the new calendar began on January 1, 45 BC. Just on this day there was the first new moon after 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,” received its name in honor of the Roman god Janus, the two-faced god. On this day, the Romans made sacrifices to the two-faced god Janus, in whose honor the first month of the year was named, who was considered the patron of endeavors, and important events were dedicated to this day, considering it especially favorable.

Ancient Rome also had 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 Winter Solstice. The main symbolism was the fire of the fire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, was supposed to rise higher and higher.

In addition, it was associated with fertility. By Slavic calendar Now comes 7525 - 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 to celebrate this holiday with a Christmas tree and fireworks.

Traditions

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

In Japan, instead of 12, the bell rings 108 times, and the best New Year's accessory is considered to be a rake - to rake in good fortune.

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

In Brazil, it is customary to ward off evil spirits on New Year's Eve. For this, everyone dresses in white clothes. Some people 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 braver ones can spend New Year's Eve in a cemetery with deceased loved ones.

In the tradition of the countries of the post-Soviet space there was the following tradition - to write down your wish on a piece of paper, burn it and pour the ashes into a glass of champagne, mix and drink. This whole procedure had to be done during the period of time while the clock struck twelve.

In Spain, there is a tradition of quickly eating 12 grapes at midnight, each grape being 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 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 entire family sit near a lit fireplace, and with the first strike of the clock, the head of the family must open the front door, and silently. This ritual is designed to celebrate the old year and let the New Year into your home. The Scots believe that whether good luck or bad luck enters a house depends on who crosses their threshold first in the new year.

On New Year's Eve, residents of Greece, like residents of many other countries, visit each other with gifts. However, there is some peculiarity - in addition to gifts, they bring stones to their owners, and the more, the better. In Greece, they believe that the heavier the stone, the heavier the recipient’s wallet will be in the coming year.

According to another Greek tradition, the eldest member of the family should break a pomegranate fruit in the courtyard of his house. If pomegranate seeds are scattered throughout the yard, then a happy life awaits his family in the coming year.

There is a very unusual New Year's tradition in Panama. It is customary here to burn effigies of politicians, athletes and other famous people. However, the residents of Panama do not wish harm on anyone, it’s just that all these stuffed animals symbolize all the troubles of the outgoing year.

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

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

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 learn when the New Year begins 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 residents of the island of Kiritimati, which is part of the Christmas Islands, as well as the residents of the city of Nuku'alofa (the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga). These islands are located in Oceania

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

+1.00 - Then the New Year begins in New Zealand. At the same time, he was also met by polar explorers from the South Pole in Antarctica

+2.00 - Next to celebrate are the residents 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. In Sydney there is always a huge celebration. On New Year's Eve, the city looks like a brightly decorated Christmas tree, with branches sagging from the decorations. Numerous fireworks scatter in the sky over Sydney, which are visible from a distance of 16-20 kilometers from the city. Notice how gorgeous the fireworks display is against the backdrop of the famous Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House

After a festive night, Australians often go somewhere outdoors, as the climate always allows it

+3.30 - South Australia (Adelaide)

+4.00 - Queensland state 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, New Year is celebrated on January 1st. The custom of seeing off the Old Year with lavish receptions and visits to restaurants is obligatory. As the New Year begins, 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 the bell is struck 108 times. With each blow, everything bad goes away, and will not happen again in the New Year. Among New Year's accessories Lucky amulets - miniature rakes - are popular. Every Japanese person definitely buys them so that they have something to rake in happiness for the New Year. Bamboo rakes - kumade - are made from 10 cm to 1.5 meters in size and decorated with rich paintings. Rice cakes and tangerines are placed prominently in homes to symbolize happiness, health and longevity.

+6.00 - China, parts of Southeast Asia and the remaining territories 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 burning to illuminate the path to 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 strictly a family holiday, so everyone strives to spend it with their loved ones. In the evening, each family gathers in the living room for a festive dinner. During this dinner, which took place 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, New Year is celebrated in different ways. In one part of the country, the holiday is considered open when a paper kite is struck by a flaming arrow. In northern India, people decorate themselves with flowers in shades of pink, red, purple, or white. Mothers of South India place sweets, flowers and small gifts on a special tray, and on the morning of the New Year, children with eyes closed brought to the tray

+9.00 - Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and part of Russia (Ekaterinburg, 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 around a variety of dishes New Year's table. Children expect a huge basket of gifts from Joulupukki, the name of the Finnish Father Frost. On New Year's Eve, Finns often tell fortunes, 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 is St. 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 here to launch fireworks into the sky. In the photo there are 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 begins, Italians rush to get rid of things that have already served their purpose, sometimes throwing them straight out of the window or burning them. In Italy, the custom of bringing it on the first morning of the new year has been preserved. clean water from a source, as water is believed to bring happiness

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

+14.00 - Prime Meridian (Greenwich), Great Britain, Portugal, part of Africa

Let's move on to the UK. The ringing of a bell announces the New Year in England. The British have a tradition of letting the old year out of the house. Before the bell rings, they open the back doors of houses, and then open the front doors to let in the New Year. New Year gifts in the English family circle they give out old tradition- by lot. The photo shows New Year's fireworks against the backdrop of the famous London Eye.

+15.00 - Azores

+16.00 – Brazil

On New Year's Eve, residents of Rio de Janeiro go to the ocean and bring gifts to the Goddess of the Sea Yemanja. Traditionally, Brazilians dress in white clothes, which symbolizes a prayer 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 out to sea as a sign of gratitude for the past year and as a request for protection in the coming year. Notice how many people gathered on Rio beach 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, parts of South America

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

USA. In New York, in Times Square, the traditional ceremonial 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 Latin American countries.

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

+22.00 - Western parts of Canada (Vancouver, and the 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 Cook Islands

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

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

New Year is a holiday celebrated by many peoples of the world. It is not celebrated in all countries on the night of January 1st, but it is loved and appreciated everywhere. Already from the first days of December, in all villages and cities there is a feeling of the approach of this winter celebration, which is considered the main holiday of the year. This is a day off, which in Russia also marks the beginning of a general, rather long, vacation. Traditionally, it is celebrated at home, next to the closest people; the holiday is considered a family holiday.

history of the holiday

On the night from December 31 to January 1, the New Year is not celebrated in all countries of the world. Very often, the main winter holiday is Christmas, and New Year's celebrations either end the Christmas period if Christmas is celebrated on December 25, or begin in countries where Christmas is celebrated on January 7. In most countries in Southeast Asia, January 1 is a common day, the New Year is celebrated there according to the lunar calendar, and in Israel the main New Year celebrations take place in September, when Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated. There are no celebrations on New Year's Eve in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Iran, India, China, Saudi Arabia.

New Year is one of the main holidays of humanity, which can rightfully be considered one of the first to appear. It was celebrated back in the third millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Historians claim that the holiday is even more ancient, this tradition is at least five thousand years old. The ancient Egyptians celebrated it in a manner similar to modern celebrations, with nightly celebrations. For them, the New Year began in September, when the Nile flooded, which was an extremely important event. On January 1, Julius Caesar began to celebrate the holiday, and he also established the custom of decorating houses.

In Rus', it was celebrated for a long time in spring and autumn, until Peter I moved the celebration to the beginning of January. It is curious that in all Christian countries the New Year is a somewhat secondary holiday compared to Christmas. In our country, this celebration is considered the main one for the reason that under Soviet rule it was strictly forbidden to celebrate all church events.