Holiday Nook

New Year’s Eve is a big night for people all around the globe. As the New Year rushes in, people say goodbye to the old year with an air of celebration.

In the United States, people typically celebrate with lavish parties and festive decorations. Many watch the ball in Times Square come down to officially ring in the New Year. Some watch it from the streets of New York and some watch it on television. Many people go out and celebrate with fancy dinner and champagne. People wear their best attire and many black tie parties are held to send off the old year. People make New Year’s resolutions in an effort to perfect their life in some way. Some give up smoking, some vow to lose ten pounds, some say they will exercise every day. Most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside sometime in late January, or sooner, but it’s a nice tradition that people continue perhaps because the new calendar date means a new start is possible.

In France, the Jour des Etrennes is celebrated at New Year’s. The French have parties and involve the whole family. It’s a day of presents and cards.
In Greece, Greek Orthodox churchgoers celebrate the feast of St. Basil on the first day of January. New Year’s Eve is a big festival for the Greeks who prepare mounds of food including St. Basil’s cake or vassilopitta, olives and fruits. It is all to celebrate health and good fortune. It’s a time of great joy and for being thankful for friends and family.

In Poland, New Year’s Eve means a St. Sylvester’s Eve fest. The Polish believe that Pope Sylvester I, in ancient times, had captured a dragon. The dragon was supposed to escape on the first of the year 1000. When the dragon didn’t escape and the world didn’t end, the people celebrated. There has been celebration and revelry every New Year’s Eve since.

Koreans view New Year’s Eve as a family holiday. They place rakes and scoops on their doors to protect their families from evil spirits. The next morning, with everything intact, they dress in their finest new clothes and celebrate with a big feast. They typically hold their feast at the home of the oldest male relative. They play games and wish each other good health and prosperity. Koreans actually count New Year’s Eve as the closing of one year of age and the beginning of another in the morning. Koreans use the day as the marker for when everyone will turn one year older versus on their birthdays.

No matter where New Year’s Eve is celebrated, there’s no doubt it’s a chance for a new beginning and new hopes. People around the globe look forward to sending away the troubles of the old year and replacing them with good things to look forward to in the New Year. Although different calendars have placed the start of the new year in different months, the agreed upon celebration of New Year’s Eve is now set at December 31st. Countries like China will then celebrate their New Year in the months to come during the Chinese New Year.