Contents Introduction

1. 
   Introduction…………………………………………………………………...4
   
2. 
   Celebrations, Customs and Traditions of New Year.
   

2. The spectacular Parades……………………………………………………....7

3. The booze bash………………………………………………………………..7

4. The booze bash………………………………………………………….…….7

5. Resolution……………………………………………………………………..7

6. Luck in the New Year…………………………………………………………8

7. Early American observances……………………………………………….…8

8. The gatherings…………………………………………………………….…..8

1. .New Year Celebration in Australia……………………………………….….9

2. New Year Celebration in the USA…………………………………………..11

3. New Year Celebrations in Canada……………………………………….….15

4. New Year Celebrations in Britain………………………………………...…16

5. New Year in England……………………………………………………..…17

6. New Year in Scotland and Wales………………………………………...….17

7. Traditional New Year Celebrations in New Zealand…………………….….18

Different countries and cultures celebrate the new year in different ways. Many countries still follow the lunar calendar, meaning that their new year often starts in late January or in February. New Year celebrations for some countries (like China, Vietnam, and Korea) last not one day, but up to two weeks!

In the US, many people attend or throw New Year parties. They drink champagne, dance, and cheer at the stroke of midnight. Men kiss women who happen to stand under mistletoe. Fireworks, which in olden times scared away evil spirits, are very popular throughout the US, as they are throughout much of the world. US residents often make one or more New Year's resolutions, such as promising to quit smoking, lose weight, or stop drinking. Most of these resolutions last little longer than a month.

In the southern US, many people eat black-eyed peas for good luck in the new year. In Mexico and Venezuela, many people wear red or yellow underwear for good luck. In Brazil, residents wear white clothes for good luck, and in China, they wear red clothes and give children red envelopes with money in them. In Iran, people wear brand new clothes on the first day of the new year.

In Scotland, homeowners open the front door at midnight to let in the new year, and open the back door to let out the old year. In Switzerland, people kiss each other three times at midnight. In Spain, people eat 12 grapes—one per chime—as the clock chimes midnight. In Japan, they ring a bell 108 times to get rid of the 108 bad desires that people have. In Korea they ring a bell 33 times in honor of 33 ancient soldiers.

In Colombia, families make a rag doll called "Mr. Old Year." They dress it in old clothes and stuff it with things that the family doesn't want anymore. Then at midnight, they set the doll on fire, to rid themselves of all the bad things of the previous year.

Learn about the evolvement of fascinating new year customs that we celebrate every year, on new year`s eve. The traditions and history of these celebration customs dates back to historic times. I have given below details about the most popular customs of new year. Happy celebrations for new year 2015 !

The whole range of celebration of the New Year's Day basically stems from the various ways ancient societies used to greet the new harvest seasons. In fact, it is the number of harvests, whether of fruit or grain, that determined how many New Years were observed. The origins of the customs that we think of as peculiarly associated with the celebration of the New Year, took roots in the ways the ancient peoples regarded the New Year. Likewise the other ancient societies in other parts of the world, the New Year festivities had been observed in our wild forests and plains by the native Indians. To the Creek Indians the ripening of the corn in July or August signified the termination of one year and the beginning of another. It was their customs to drape themselves with new clothes, replace the old interiors and households.

The Iroquois, another native Indian tribe who inaugurated the new year in January, February or March with ceremonies emphasizing the expulsion of evil spirits. The customs of sporting disguise and masks, making noises and confessions were all practiced by them.

Symbolically, New Year signifies a renewal of life. Hence, the spirit of celebration for the regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. The customs and practices, though modified through the centuries, have still their distinctive strains in the ways we welcome each onrushing year.
It was the Dutch, in their New Amsterdam settlement at mid-17th century, who originated the modern American New Year celebration. The New Year's Day was the most important holiday for the Dutch who were noted in all the colonies for their love of beer and wine.

Given here are some instances of New Year's Day revelry with their historical trails:

The idea of making deafening noise is to drive away the evil spirits who flocked to the living at this climactic season with a great wailing of horns and shouts and beating of drums. This is why at the stroke of midnight we hear the deafening cacophony of sirens, car horns, boat whistles, party horns, church bells, drums, pots and pans - anything that serves the purpose of producing a devil chasing din.

The popular Tournament of Roses Parade held on this day in Pasadena, CA, was started in 1886 by the Valley Hunt Club, whose members decorated their carriages with flowers, creating what was meant to be " an artistic celebration of the ripening of the oranges in California". In the afternoon athletic events were held. The city of Pasadena later relieved the club of sponsorship of the parade, and the city was in turn succeeded by the Tournament of Roses Association, which till date directs the activities.

The traditional and spectacular Mummers' Parade of Philadelphia owes its origin to the Christmas celebrations of the Swedes and the Englishmen who settled along the Delaware River.

The masked revelers among the Swedes saw to it that the festivities of the Christmas season lasted until the New Year. The English brought with them their ancient practice of mumming. This, in America, took the form of groups of men presenting costumed plays, going from house to house reciting their parts in expectation of money or some of the Christmas fare. It was since then the parade has been divided into three main sections: the fancy-dress division, the clown division, and the string bands.

The booze bash:

Yet another familiar practice, though not quite encouraging. The unbridled drinking bash on the New Year's Eve, is also a secular leftover of a rite that was once religious in character. The original spirit has been a personal re-enacting of the chaotic world that existed before the ordered cosmos was created by God.

In order to have a 'clean slate' on which to start the New Year, people in times past have made certain that they had all their borrowings cleared. Those were the days before such complexities as credit buying. The New Year resolutions, which we are so fond of, represent other efforts to make the year brand new. In fact, we often say that in the New Year we are "turning over a new leaf."

It is traditionally thought that the first day of the year is symptomatic of the approaching 364 days. Accordingly, people try to spend the first day of the new year in the best possible way in the company of family and friends. It was once believed to be a good omen if a tall dark-haired man visits your house on New Year's Day. Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring good luck. In many cultures, it is a predominant belief that anything in the shape of a ring brings luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. It is primarily for this reason that the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day brings good fortune. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Consuming cabbage is also considered a potential harbinger of good luck. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day. 

When they eventually lost control of New Amsterdam to the English for the last time in 1674, they had no trouble persuading the English to abandon their March 25 New Year and observe it on January 1.

The principal customs of the day were visiting friends and exchanging gifts, to which the English added the turkey shoot. But in March 1773, the New York State legislature outlawed the firing of guns and explosions.

The gatherings:

The practice of visiting friends continued until the first years of this century. It was a gala time when everyone held open house and laid out enormous feasts for anyone who should drop in, whether friend or stranger. To neglect this annual visit was a terrible sight, and the roads were thronged with carriages bearing the holiday-makers.

Unfortunately in time the custom was abused; the distinction between privacy and sociability was ignored and troops of unwanted guests descended on the open houses, using them as eating and drinking stations. Politicians and those with an eye on the social ladder were said to have spread their blight over the purposes of the day. People began to send invitations to special guests for their own protection, and the old custom fell irretrievably into decline.

Thus the whole range of ideas of purgation, purifications, the confessing of sins, driving off demons, expulsion of evil out of the village and so on transpired. The idea remained the same the abolition of the past. So is the case of masked processions - the masks representing the souls of the dead.The ceremonial reception of the dead, who are invited to feast and led back at the end of the feast to the borders of the territory, to the sea, or the river, or wherever else, is also in line with this concept. Add to these the interlude of Carnival, Saturnalia, reversal of normal order. Though all these constitute the much familiar New Year revelry, these are just part of the rites practiced by primitive man during the celebration of their own New Years.

USA has the Gregorian calendar as a base to celebrate New Year on the 1st of January. The custom was brought into practice in year 1752. In USA, New Year's Eve is considered as a time when a lot of social meetings with friends, family members and neighbors take place. These gatherings are full of fun and laughter. Many people host parties and as well. Full of alcohol and lavish food, these parties are a true projection of the celebration spirit and culture of Americans. Not only houses and hotels, but also many major public places form a stage for such gathering. At any of these places, thousands of people can be watched singing and dancing. Cheering, hooting, kissing and wishing all forms an integral part of this gala time.

USA has something grand when it comes to New Year celebrations. On 31st December, every inch of land in the country can be seen in a festive mood, but the celebration takes place at world famous Times Square and draws most eyeballs across the world. We are talking about the ball drop in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City. The ball is made of crystal and electric lights and is placed on top of a pole, which is 77 feet, or 23 meters, high. At one minute before midnight on December 31, the ball is slowly lowered down the pole. It comes to rest at the bottom of the pole exactly at midnight. The event is shown on television across the United States and around the world. The event has been held every year since 1907, except during World War II.

In America, New Year celebration is not limited to Times Square only. Many interesting replicas of the Times Square event are held across the country. Many interesting objects are dropped and raised, including a variety of live and modeled domestic and wild animals, fruit, vegetables, automobiles, industrial machinery, a giant replica of a peach (Atlanta, Georgia), an acorn made of brass and weighing 900 pounds (Raleigh, North Carolina) and ping pong balls (Strasburg, Pennsylvania). Though it might seem crazy to you, but this is indeed USA. The craziness involved in celebrating New Year's Eve will take you with wonder and you too will feel energetic at being a part of such celebrations. The New Year gala doesn't end here, but continue till the next day.

USA has a federal holiday on 1st January. Here, the day begins by wishing the near and dear ones 'Happy New Year'. People visit famous picnic spots across the country, with their loved ones. The famous Tournament of Roses Parade is also another awaited moment where people spend some quality time. The most surprising element of this parade is its theme, which keeps varying each year. Today, the parade is followed by thousands of participants - marching bands, dancing and singing various songs. The queen of the tournament sits on a special flower and the scene forms the most beautiful scenes of the parade. There is also a New Year custom to play the most famous games of football, such as the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl.


What do people do?

The start of New Year's Day, at midnight, is heralded by fireworks, parties and special events, which are often televised. Very few people have to work on the day itself. For many it is a day of recovery from the New Year's Eve celebrations the previous night. In some towns and cities, parades are held and special football games are played. The birth of the first baby in the New Year is often celebrated with gifts to his or her parents and appearances in local newspapers and on local news shows. Many people make New Year's resolutions. These are usually promises to themselves that they will improve something in their own lives. Common New Year's resolutions are to stop smoking or drinking alcohol, to lose weight, exercise more or to live a healthier lifestyle.