Christmas Island is the first place
on Earth to enter into a new year, followed by New Zealand, and a tiny bit of Russia, but Sydney, Australia
is the first large city to welcome the New Year, smack in the middle of their
summer, often with a bonfire on the beach, as of course, their weather allows
it. The magnificent fireworks display
on the landmark harbour is a famous event of the continent.
Fifteen hours later, New York
celebrates with the drop of the crystal ball at Times square, with a bevy of
freezing celebrities trying their best to sing in the misty weather..The last city to hit the divide in time is Honolulu, Hawaii.
In China and some other Asian countries, the New Year celebration does not fall on the same date each year, but is always somewhere between January 21 and February 20, and depends on the movements of the moon and the sun. The next one will be on January 31, and will start the Year of the Horse. Traditional red lanterns will hang from front doors and the family celebration includes a copious diner and an exchange of red envelops containing money.
Ethiopia
has a totally different New Year’s Day
Ethiopia is the only country in the world that hasn’t adopted the 12-month calendar that is sometimes referred to as the Gregorian calendar. Ethiopiauses the Coptic Calendar, which has 13 months, of which 12 are comprised of 30 days each, and a 13th month at the end of the year that has 5 days (or 6 days, if it’s a leap year). The result is that Ethiopia celebrates the New Year on September 11
Ethiopia is the only country in the world that hasn’t adopted the 12-month calendar that is sometimes referred to as the Gregorian calendar. Ethiopiauses the Coptic Calendar, which has 13 months, of which 12 are comprised of 30 days each, and a 13th month at the end of the year that has 5 days (or 6 days, if it’s a leap year). The result is that Ethiopia celebrates the New Year on September 11
In Korea,
New Year’s Day is your birthday
In Korea, everyone’s birthday is New Year’s Day, regardless of the day anyone was actually born. Plus, the day you’re born, you’re considered to be 1 year old, so no matter what day you were born, you will be considered 2 years old on the first New Year’s Day of your life. Thus, if you are born on December 31, you will be considered 2 years old the next day.
In Japan, if it’s Christmas, you’re eating KFC
It’s a time-honored tradition to eat fried chicken on Christmas in Japan. Starting in 1974, Kentucky Fried Chicken got in on the action by asking the people of Japan to show thanks for Christmas by enjoying a bucket of KFC. People in Japan order up their finger-licking-good Christmas chicken months in advance—to the tune of about 3,000,000 orders of KFC each year.
If it’s Christmas in Peru, consider the first rule of Fight ClubMartin
In Korea, everyone’s birthday is New Year’s Day, regardless of the day anyone was actually born. Plus, the day you’re born, you’re considered to be 1 year old, so no matter what day you were born, you will be considered 2 years old on the first New Year’s Day of your life. Thus, if you are born on December 31, you will be considered 2 years old the next day.
In Japan, if it’s Christmas, you’re eating KFC
It’s a time-honored tradition to eat fried chicken on Christmas in Japan. Starting in 1974, Kentucky Fried Chicken got in on the action by asking the people of Japan to show thanks for Christmas by enjoying a bucket of KFC. People in Japan order up their finger-licking-good Christmas chicken months in advance—to the tune of about 3,000,000 orders of KFC each year.
If it’s Christmas in Peru, consider the first rule of Fight ClubMartin
Takanakuy is a festival that is held every
Christmas Day in the Chumbivilcas Province of Peru. The festival consists of
dancing and fist-fighting, whether to settle old conflicts or simply to display
their manhood.
On Christmas in Ecuador, keep gifts to a minimum
For the most part, children in Ecuador don’t expect to be showered with gifts on holidays. Rather, they tend to get one or two gifts selected especially for them. And not because they’re naughty or nice, but just because they’re loved.
On Christmas in Ecuador, keep gifts to a minimum
For the most part, children in Ecuador don’t expect to be showered with gifts on holidays. Rather, they tend to get one or two gifts selected especially for them. And not because they’re naughty or nice, but just because they’re loved.
If it’s New Year’s in Thailand,
bring a towel
Thailand’s New Year celebration, Songkran is a beloved nationwide celebration where water fights go on for days. Literally, three days. The name comes from Sanskrit and means transformation. Before water guns ever were a thing, the Thai people went to their local temples to engage in spiritual cleansing. They still head to their temples to bathe sacred Buddha statues for good luck. But along the way, it’s a party atmosphere as everyone’s dousing everyone else in water.
New Year’s Eve = Toss a Toaster Day in Johannesberg
On New Year’s Eve, residents in a small neighbourhood in Johannesburg, South Africa, collect old appliances, carry them up to apartment building rooftops and toss them down to the streets far below.
New Year’s Eve = Destroy a Dish Day in Denmark
In Denmark, folks ring in the New Year by shattering dishes across the doors of houses of their family and friends. This is true in the Netherlands too. We assume (or at least, hope) that the dishes are ones the New Year’s revelers don’t mind losing because smashing a dish is pretty much irreversible.
Thailand’s New Year celebration, Songkran is a beloved nationwide celebration where water fights go on for days. Literally, three days. The name comes from Sanskrit and means transformation. Before water guns ever were a thing, the Thai people went to their local temples to engage in spiritual cleansing. They still head to their temples to bathe sacred Buddha statues for good luck. But along the way, it’s a party atmosphere as everyone’s dousing everyone else in water.
New Year’s Eve = Toss a Toaster Day in Johannesberg
On New Year’s Eve, residents in a small neighbourhood in Johannesburg, South Africa, collect old appliances, carry them up to apartment building rooftops and toss them down to the streets far below.
New Year’s Eve = Destroy a Dish Day in Denmark
In Denmark, folks ring in the New Year by shattering dishes across the doors of houses of their family and friends. This is true in the Netherlands too. We assume (or at least, hope) that the dishes are ones the New Year’s revelers don’t mind losing because smashing a dish is pretty much irreversible.
New Year’s Eve = Stuff Your Face Day in Spain
In Spain, the New Year’s tradition for good luck revolves around grapes. If you can manage to stuff 12 grapes in your mouth at midnight you’ve achieved good luck for the next year.
Santa may have had some work done
Santa has changed quite a bit since his days as the actual person who became St. Nicholas. That guy was a Greek man born in the third century AD, and was a “fiery, wiry, and defiant defender of church doctrine” who nevertheless became a patron saint of children around the year 1200. Scary at first and sometimes seen carrying a rod (which he would “spare not,” as it was threatened by parents), St. Nicholas began the transformation in 1822 into the plump, red-cheeked, jolly, reindeer-sleigh-driving gift giver that he remains today, thanks to Clement Clark having described him as such in his poem, The Night Before Christmas.
By the end of the 1800s, the image of St. Nicholas (say it out loud: Saint Nick Claus…Santa Claus) had become standardized as a large adult man, dressed in red with white fur trim, venturing out from the North Pole on a reindeer-driven sleigh, and benevolently keeping an eye on children everywhere, making certain they’re not naughty, but nice.
Boxing Day has nothing to do with prize-fighting
Boxing Day is an English tradition the day after Christmas. It got its name because it’s the day on which families would literally “open the box” (the alms box) to the poor. Traditionally, every church in England had an alms box, into which people would place money intended for donation. The box was opened on Boxing Day, and the contents were distributed to those less fortunate in the parish. The tradition continues today. Don’t miss these 11 tips for dealing with holiday stress and anxiety.
There are three most covered Christmas tunes
Some Christmas songs never seem to get old. Of the 24 most-covered Christmas songs, none has been covered fewer than 7,000 times. The top three are:
Silent Night: Written in 1818, there are 26,496 versions
White Christmas: Written in 1940, there
are 20,721 versions
Jingle Bells: Written in 1857, there are
19,080 versions
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/
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