New Year's Eve
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| New Year's Eve | |
| Also called | Hogmanay (Scotland), Silvester (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine), Réveillon (Brazil) |
|---|---|
| Observed by | People around the world |
| Type | International |
| Significance | The final day of the Gregorian year |
| Date | December 31, climaxing at midnight |
| Celebrations | Reflections, Late-Night Partying, Family- Gatherings, Feasting, Present Exchanges, Fireworks |
| Related to | New Year's Day and Christmas Day |
New Year's Eve is on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, and the day before New Year's Day.
New Year's Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day. In modern Western practice, New Year's Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight.
Many cultures use fireworks and other forms of noise making in part of the celebration. Some of the cities most well-known for their celebrations include Edinburgh, Sydney, Toronto, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, and New York City.
New Year's Eve is a public non-working holiday in the following countries, among others: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Greece, the Philippines, and Venezuela.
[edit] Localized celebrations
[edit] Australia 
- See also: Sydney Harbour New Year's Eve Fireworks
Each major city around Australia holds New Year’s Eve celebrations, usually accompanied by a fireworks display amongst other events. Gloucester Park, a racecourse in central Perth, is the largest and most recognised display in Perth. In Brisbane 50,000 people annually gather at sites around the Brisbane River in the city to watch a fireworks display while events are held in the city and at Southbank. The two largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia are held in its two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney. In Sydney the celebrations are usually accompanied by a theme which is displayed in light shows and effects on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Over 1.5 million people gathered around Sydney Harbour for the 2007-08 celebrations, making it the largest yet. The firework display was launched from 7 barges on the water, 10 city buildings, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Bradfield Highway. The display stretched over 6 kilometres and lasted around 14–16 minutes, making it the largest New Year's Eve firework display on the planet. Melbourne's New Year's Eve waterworks are set on from the Yarra river and from city rooftops. There is an average attendance of around 500,000 people. There was a game of poker occurring in Melbourne's Crown Casino where the loser of each round received a pie in the face.
[edit] Brazil 
New Year's Eve (Véspera de Ano Novo) is one of the most exuberant holidays in Brazil. In most Brazilian cities, even those of medium size, there is a massive display of fireworks after midnight, and special musical shows. The most famous celebration is at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which has an average attendance of 2,500,000 people. The fireworks display last from 15 to 25 minutes and is followed by music shows set on several stages throughout the beach. In recent years, a display of fireworks has also been set-up in the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas district.
The city of São Paulo also has a famous worldwide event: the Saint Silvester Marathon (Corrida de São Silvestre), which traverses streets between Paulista Avenue and the downtown area. It is contested by athletes of many countries, including such Olympic stars as the Kenyan runner Paul Tergat, who won it five times.
[edit] Canada 
In Canada, New Year's traditions and celebrations vary from region to region. Generally, New Year's Eve (also known as New Year's Eve Day) in Canada is a social holiday, as in the neighbouring United States. In major metropolitan areas such as Toronto, major celebrations with music and fireworks are often held at Midnight. In some areas, such as in rural Quebec, people ice fish and drink with their friends until the early hours of January 1. Traditions from other countries are also common due to Canada's cultural makeup.
[edit] Denmark 
The Danes usually celebrate New Year's Eve, or nytårsaften in Danish, with their families or, more commonly nowadays, with their close friends, with fireworks and champagne. The evening meal on New Year's Eve is often more exclusive, and often consists of three courses; traditional desserts include Marzipan ring cake (Danish: kransekage, lit.: ring cake). Danes often watch the Queen's New Year's Speech on television. The climax is when the clock on the Copenhagen City Hall reaches twelve, and the thousands of gathered people at the city square cheer and set off their fireworks. As in Germany the national television station DR1 broadcasts Dinner for One (in Danish: 90 års fødselsdagen (lit.: The 90th birthday)).
[edit] Ecuador 
Ecuador celebrates a unique tradition on the last day of the year. Elaborate effigies, called Años Viejos (Old Years) are created to represent people and events from the past year. Often these include political characters or leaders that the creator of the effigy may have disagreed with. The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes, with papier-mâché masks. Often they are also stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the new year. The origin of the tradition is unknown, but is similar to that of the British Guy Fawkes Night. It is possible the tradition began after a yellow fever epidemic left many dead. The corpses were then disposed of by burning.
Another well known tradition is the “Widow” who is usually a man dressed up as the widow of the Old Year effigy who has to make people laugh by pretending to cry. Then the people around will give this “widow” some sort of charity for her dying husband.
Other rituals are performed for the health, wealth, prosperity and protection of each member. These rituals are the following: Twelve grapes: Each person eats twelve grapes before midnight, making a wish with each grape.
Yellow underwear: One of the most popular traditions, yellow underwear are said to attract positive energies for the New Year.
Suitcase: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.
[edit] France 
The French call New Year's Eve la Saint-Sylvestre. It is usually celebrated with a feast called le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre. This feast customarily includes special dishes like foie gras and drinks like champagne. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or a much fancier ball (une soirée dansante).
On le Jour de l'An (New Year's Day), friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions and sometimes gifts.
The holiday period ends on January 6 for the Epiphany. On this day, they traditionally enjoy a type of cake that varies depending on where you are in France.
[edit] Germany 
The Germans call the New Year's Eve Silvester. Since 1972, each New Year's Eve, German television has broadcast a short video, Dinner for One in English. A punch line from the comedy sketch, "same procedure as every year", has become a catch phrase in Germany.[1] In Berlin the largest New Year's Eve celebration in all of Europe is celebrated by more than 1,000,000 people attending the festivities each year. A huge firework is started at the Brandenburg Gate. The Germans spend much money on firecrackers each year.
[edit] Hong Kong 
In China, although the celebrations of the Lunar New Year are not until a few months into the new year, celebrations of the Gregorian New Year are still held in some areas. The Times Square shopping mall in Hong Kong also holds their own send-off to the ball drop held at the Times Square in New York City.
[edit] India 
Most celebrations take place in the larger cities of India like Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Events such as, live concerts and dances by bollywood stars, Families often get together to celebrate the New Year.
[edit] Indonesia 
Indonesian people often celebrate New Year's Eve spectacularly. The Local Government of Jakarta often holds a music show, a new year's countdown, and fireworks party in New Year's Eve celebration. The events often held in Monumen Nasional, Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. In Bandung, people celebrates New Year's Eve in Dago openfield and Pasupati Bridge, with their families, siblings, or their friends. Trumpet and Fireworks is the most important things for Indonesian people to celebrate their new year's eve.
[edit] Ireland 
Dublin has a big New Year's celebration. The display is along the River Liffey. Fireworks are launched from boats in the Liffey or alongside the river.
Other major cities in Ireland such as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford have large New Year's celebrations.
Tallaght has a major un-organised display for New Year's Eve.[citation needed]
[edit] Japan 
The day is a preparation day to welcome toshigami (年神), new year's god. Therefore, traditionally, people clean their home and prepare Kadomatsu and/or Shimenawa to welcome the god before New Year's Eve.
Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times [1] on midnight, during 31 December to 1 January. This bell rings are called as joya no kane (除夜の鐘) in Japanese which means "bell rings on new year eve's night." Each bell rings represent 108 elements of bonnō (煩悩), defilements, or Kilesa in Sanskrit, which is said people have in their mind. The bells are rung to repent 108 of the bonnō.
On TV, the Red and White Year-end Song Festival is an over 50-year-old tradition involving a singing contest between male and female teams of celebrity singers.
[edit] Lebanon 
In Lebanon, people celebrate the New Year's Eve by the use of firearms, and by watching or going to expansive celebrations where singers are present. Family meetings are also organized. People also go to clubs, restaurants and bars.[citation needed]
[edit] Mexico 
Mexicans down a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one. On New Year's Eve, those who want to find love in the new year wear red underwear and yellow if they want money.[1]
Other traditions include sweeping the dirt out, taking luggage outside as a symbol of future trips, hanging sheep dolls (mainly made out of wool) in the doorknob for prosperity, among others.
The celebrations are very similar to those of Spain (see below).
They make dolls out of old clothes
[edit] Netherlands 
New Year's Eve is called Oud en Nieuw ("Old and New") or simply oudejaarsavond ("old year's evening", logical since it's still part of the old year), and is usually celebrated as a cosy evening with family or friends. Traditional snack foods are oliebollen (oil dumplings) and appelbeignets (apple slice fritters). On television, the main feature is the oudejaarsconférence, a performance by one of the major Dutch cabaretiers (comparable to stand-up comedy, but more serious; generally including a satirical review of the year's politics). In Reformed Protestant families, Psalm 90 is read, although this tradition is now fading away.[2] At midnight, Glühwein (bisschopswijn) or champagne is drunk. Many people fire off their own fireworks, which are on sale from a few days before; towns don't organise a central fireworks display. Public transport shuts down completely (the only scheduled time during the year) between approximately 20:00 and 01:00.
[edit] New Zealand 
Auckland is 496.3 kilometres west of the International Date Line and thus is the first major city to see the beginning of the new year, however it is Gisborne that is the first "city" in the world to see the first sun rise for the year. In common with many other places it celebrates this with large street parties and fireworks displays. Elsewhere in New Zealand, local councils usually organise parties and street carnivals and fireworks displays. In recent years however, liquor bans have been imposed on many of the more popular areas due to disorder, vandalism and other anti-social behaviours. Traditionally young people (16 - 25) travel to beaches around the country and spend the New Year's period camping at outdoor rave type events.
During the day of New Year's Eve, in recent years, The Black Caps have played a One Day International cricket game in Queenstown.
[edit] Philippines 
Filipinos usually celebrate New Year's Eve with the company of family and close friends. Traditionally, most households stage a dinner party named Media Noche in their homes. Typical dishes include pancit, Hamon and if the family could afford it, Lechon, which is usually considered as the centerpiece of the dinner table. Barbecued food is also an integral part of the menu.
Most Filipinos follow a set of traditions that are typically observed during New Year's Eve. Included among these traditions is the customary habit of wearing clothes with circular patterns like polka dots, this signifies the belief that circles attract money and fortune. Traditions also include the serving of circularly-shaped fruits, shaking of coins inside a metal casserole while walking around the house, jumping high which is believed to cause an increase in physical height and making loud noises to drive away "evil" spirits among others. Households also spend money to buy firecrackers and pyrotechnics that would be ignited at the strike of midnight.
Urban areas are usually host to many New Year's Eve parties and countdown celebrations which are usually hosted by the private sector with the help of the local government. Notable parties include GMA Network's party at the Plaza Sulayman of Baywalk in Manila. These parties usually display their own fireworks spectacle.
[edit] Russia and Former Soviet Union 
In Russia and former Soviet Union, New Year has the same cultural significance as Christmas has in the United States, but without the religious connotations. Russian and Ukrainian families traditionally install at home spruce trees, the equivalent of a Christmas tree. In Eastern European beliefs the parallel of Santa Claus, there is the Ded Moroz, who looks similar to Santa Claus, except he wears robes, and instead of reindeer, he is pulled by a troika (i.e. a three-horse drawn sled). Families gather eating a large feast and reflecting on the past year. They have a large celebration, make toasts, and make wishes for a happy New Year. Presents are given on New Year's Eve to those the family knows, even if not close to the family. This is due to Russians being a closely-knit community, and it is seen as a taboo to not give presents to those the family associates with. Children stay up until midnight, waiting for the New Year. Also, during these celebrations many Russians tune to special New Year shows, which have become a long-standing tradition for the Russian TV.
New Year is often considered a "Pre-Celebration" for the Eastern Orthodox living in Eastern Europe, primarily in Russian and Ukraine, since Christmas is celebrated on January 6 according to the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
[edit] Spain 
Spanish New Year's Eve (Nochevieja, or Fin de Año) celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimp and lamb or turkey. Spanish people believe that wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or alternatively with cider.
After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend New Year parties at pubs, discotheques and similar places (these parties are called cotillones de nochevieja, after the Spanish word cotillón, which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats, etc.). Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early next morning, party attendees usually gather to have the traditional winter breakfast of ‘’chocolate con churros’’ (hot chocolate and fried pastry).
[edit] Sweden
In Sweden, New Year's Eve is usually celebrated with families or with friends. People usually eat a nicer dinner, often three courses. From the age of 18, Swedes are allowed to buy fireworks, though firecrackers have been banned. The tradition is to light the fireworks at midnight and celebrate it with champagne and a skål (eng. cheers).
[edit] Taiwan 
Many people in Taiwan celebrate the end of the year with concerts in most of the cities and recently using a big screen on the stage to communicate with cities around the island by shouting Happy New Year to each other. The most crowded city is the capital Taipei where most people gather around Taipei 101 located in the shopping and financial area. People gather around the roads around Taipei 101 and together they shout from 10 to zero. With each number they count, one of the layers of Taipei 101 (eight floors per layer) lights up until zero, the fireworks shoot out from the top of each layer (8 layers excluding a layer under the antenna) in different directions.
[edit] Turkey 
Numerous decorations and customs traditionally associated with Christmas and Bayrams find a secular translation in Turkish New Year's Eve celebrations, where homes and streets are lit up in glittering lights, ornamented trees, and garlands as well as various traditional Turkish aesthetic practices. Small gifts are exchanged, and large family dinners are organized with family and friends, featuring roast turkey, a special Zante currant-pimento-dill iç pilav dish, dolma, hot börek, hummus, musakka and various other eggplant dishes, topped with warm pide, salep and boza.
Television and radio channels are known to continuously broadcast a variety of special New Year's Eve programs, while Municipalities all around the country organize fundraising events for the poor, in addition to celebratory public shows such as concerts and family-friendly events, as well as more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theater and even performances by the Mehter - the Janissary Band that was founded during the days of the Ottoman Empire.
Public and private parties with large public attendances are organized in a number of cities and towns, particularly in the largest metropolitan areas such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana and Antalya, with the biggest celebrations taking place in Istanbul's Taksim, Beyoğlu, Nişantaşı and Kadıköy districts and Ankara's Kızılay Square, which generally feature dancing, concerts, laser and lightshows as well as the traditional countdown and fireworks display.
[edit] United Kingdom 
In Scotland it is customary to wait until the cannon is fired at Edinburgh Castle, this is a sign that the new year has begun.
There are also major celebrations across Scotland where it is known as Hogmanay. The traditional song Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. There are large street parties held in the major cities and Edinburgh and Glasgow are particularly renowned for their celebrations. The Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party is attended by people from all over the world.
London's celebrations are the world's most covered, claimed by many to be the greatest public display of all the world's new year celebrations, with a £10 million firework display and pyrotechnics event, seen across the entire city. Since the construction of the London Eye, it has been the centre-point of a huge ten-minute fireworks display each year, illuminated with coloured lasers. At the start of 2005, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time.
Other large cities in Britain such as Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham all have large celebrations.
[edit] United States 
In the United States, New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. One of the top destination cities for New Year's Eve from 2003 to 2006 has been New York, according to hotwire.com. [1] Las Vegas is also attracting a large number of New Year's Eve party goers with the famous Las Vegas strip being closed to vehicles and buses.
In the past 100 years the "ball dropping" on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast to all of America (and rebroadcast in many other countries), is a major component of the New Year celebration. The 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 23:59:00 and reaching the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight (00:00:00).This is repeated for all four time zones in the continental US. It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.
From 1981 to 1988, New York City dropped an enlarged apple in recognition of its nickname. Since 1972, Dick Clark has hosted televised coverage of the event called Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, shown on ABC. From 1956 to 1976 on CBS, Guy Lombardo (who died in 1977) and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. The Royal Canadians continued on CBS until 1978, and Happy New Year, America replaced it in 1979, continuing until 1995. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve.
[edit] Communities
Religious Communities. Many religious communities have a tradition of New Year's Eve being known as "Watch Night." The faithful of the community congregate in worship services commencing New Year's Eve night and continuing past midnight into the new year. The Watch Night is a time for giving thanks for the blessings of the outgoing year and praying for divine favor during the upcoming year. Though held by some to have begun in the African American community, watch night can actually be traced back to a sect of Christians known as the Moravians who held the first Watchnight Service in Herrnhut, Saxony, in 1732. The practice was later adopted by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Watch Night did take on special significance to African Americans on New Year's Eve 1862, however, as slaves eagerly awaited the arrival of January 1, 1863 -- the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. This particular New Year's Eve became known as "Freedom's Eve."[3]
Singles Communities. Singles often feel very depressed and left out on New Years, because New Years is usually a couples event. Singles who attend traditional New Years Eve parties don't have anyone to dance with or to hug or kiss at midnight. Single ladies, for this reason, may find it convenient to go to the bathroom at this time rather than feel embarrassed.[citation needed]
[edit] Local celebrations
Many cities in the United States of America have their own local version of the celebration, even while keeping an eye on New York, and the New York-centric aspect of the holiday is diminishing. Many cities, echoing the New York tradition of ball drop, also descend or lower an object (or an enlarged representation of an object) For example, big balloon drops are traditional at the Professionals Guild singles New Years Eve parties in Sacramento and in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can see the balloon drop at the end of this video.
In some communities the objects dropped have special local significance. Orange County, California, Orange County, Texas, and Orange County, New York, all drop large oranges (Orange County, Florida, tried it briefly, but has since ceased doing so). There are also examples of things going up. In Seattle the countdown is done by raising the Space Needle's elevator and launching fireworks up the side of the tower until both reach the top at midnight.
- Further information: List of objects dropped on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is a major event in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Las Vegas Strip is shut down as several hundred thousand people party. New Year's Eve is traditionally the busiest day of the year at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, where the parks stay open late and the usual nightly fireworks are supplemented by an additional New-Year's-Eve-specific show at midnight. In New Orleans, Louisiana, another of the most popular New Year celebration venues in North America, similar crowds of hundreds of thousands gather in the French Quarter, particularly on Bourbon and Canal Street, to celebrate the New Year.
Many cities also celebrate First Night, a non-alcoholic family-friendly New Year's Celebration, generally featuring performing artists, community events, parades, and fireworks displays. First Night began in Boston in 1976 and is now found in over 60 cities nationwide. A similar celebration is Providence, Rhode Island's Bright Night Providence,and an artist run arts celebration that started when Providence's First Night went bankrupt in 2003.
[edit] Random gunfire and unapproved fireworks use
In several areas of the U.S., particularly major urban areas, New Year celebrations are punctuated by random celebratory gunfire which could potentially cause injuries and/or deaths. Police departments in many cities, aided by gun safety organizations, have attempted to crack down on this practice through technology [2] [3] and stiffer penalties Archive copy at the Internet Archive [4].
A New Year's Eve tradition in Hawaii and other areas is the un-condoned use of fireworks by local residents. Local governments have begun to severely limit this practice in recent years for numerous reasons, including its effect on people with breathing problems, thrill-seeking but dangerous twists on fireworks use (e.g. hanging fireworks from power lines), and unintended fires. Legislation approved by the Hawaii State Legislature has implemented a system of permits for fireworks use, yet this system is still frequently circumvented by locals.
[edit] Songs
There are a few popular songs associated with New Year's Eve and it is common to hear them on the radio on, or shortly before, December 31.
- "Auld Lang Syne" by Guy Lombardo.
- "It Was A Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra.
- "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" by Barry Manilow.
- "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" recorded by various singers, most of them female.
- "Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg
- "Happy New Year" by ABBA
- "The New Year" by Death Cab For Cutie
- "A Long December" by Counting Crows
[edit] Venezuela 
In Venezuela, many of the traditions are very similar to the ones from Spain, with an over-emphasis in traditions who supposedly will bring good luck in the year forthcoming. Those who want to find love in the New Year are supposed to wear yellow underwear on New Year's Eve; those who want money must have a bill of high value when toast, those who want to travel must go out home while carrying some luggage, and so on.
Usually, people listen to radio specials, which give a countdown and announce the New Year according to the legal hour in Venezuela, and, in Caracas, following the twelve bells from the Cathedral of Caracas. During these special programs is a tradition to broadcast songs about the sadness on the end of the year, being popular favorites "Viejo año" ("Old year") by Gaita group Maracaibo 15 and "Cinco pa' las 12" ("Five minutes before twelve") who was versioned by several popular singers like Nestor Zavarce, Nancy Ramos and José Luis Rodríguez El Puma. The unofficial hymn for the first minutes of the New Year is "Año Nuevo, Vida Nueva" ("New Year, New Life"), by the band Billo's Caracas Boys.
[edit] See also
- December 31
- New Year
- New Year's Day
- Chinese New Year
- Persian New Year
- Ōmisoka (Japan)
- Áramótaskaupið (Iceland)
- First Night
- Hogmanay
- Malanka (Ukraine)
- New Year Timelapse from Denmark
- New Year's Eve Countdown Clock
- New Year's Eve Events and Parties in the UK
- New Year's Eve Events and Parties in Australia
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Peake, Mike (2006-12-30). "Gesundheit to an old favourite", The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
- ^ Wim Kan displaced Psalm 90 and prayer, Trouw, 31 December 2001 (Dutch)
- ^ Mikkelson, Barbara (2006-12-14). "Watch Night". Snopes.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-14.
