Snow Community News By Shirley Taylor
The starting of a new year can be stressful if you allow all the party celebrations and going down to the Fireworks stand.
New Year’s traditions are unique to their country of origin, drawcuisines, and celebrations that are inherent to their culture. The earliest recorded New Year’s festivities date back to ancient new moon following the vernal equinox marked the start of the new year. Babylonians celebrated with a religious festival called Akuti, a multiday festival that honored the rebirth of the natural world.
Over the years, calendars fell out of sync with the sun, prompting the start of the year to fall - lius Caesar introduced the year, and the calendar closely resembled that of the modern Gregorian calendar. Today, most festivities begin on December 31st—the last day of the Gregorian calendar— and continue into the ear
Whether it’s sharing a meal with family and friends or throwing old furniture out the window, each of these cusYear’s traditions derives from a unique origin. Below are thirteen of the most fascinating celebrations from around the world. Discover their hiseach draws upon to create a truly unique representation of their heritage. In Brazil, the new year is regarded as a time to remake new resolutions for the coming year. Everyone wears white because prosperity, and is meant As the tradition goes, revelers gather on the beaches donning white seven waves—a lucky number in Brazilian culture—for good fortune of the sea. The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in China, and millions of people around the world participate in the celebration. Also known as the Spring date every year, following the Lunar Calendar instead of the Gregorian Calendar.
The Chinese New Year is rife with many different traditions. Homes and cities are lined with red decorations—a color that symbolizes good luck and good fortune— such as red lanterns to - anzhi, red paper cutouts that hang on walls. FireNew Year’s Eve and again the next morning as - tive energy. Children also receive red envelopes that contain money, which is considered a way to symbolically transfer fortune from elder to youth. In addition, there are parades, lion dances, decorative dragon statues, traditional food, and imperial performances to
Colombia boasts an array of New Year’s traditions intended to bring fortune and prosperity to those who participate. Partygoers carry empty suitcases at midnight in hopes of inducing a year rife with travel. They also bear money in security and stability in the coming year. Lentils are believed to bring many bake them into their rice or carry them in their pockets. One of the most popular New
Year’s traditions in Denmark involves smashing plates and old dishes. Danish residents save their unused dinnerware - ter them against doors of their families and friends spirits.
Other traditions at midnight to “leap” into the new year and consuming Kransekage, a wreathshaped cake created using marzipan rings stacked on top of each other with a bottle of wine in the center. The cake is decorated
The Greek celebration of the New Year is also known as the Festival of Saint Basil, honoring the founder of the Greek Orthodox Church. Each year, there are a number of celebrations that take place as a means to attract luck and bring prosperity. An onion, for example, is traditionally hung on the door of homes as a symbol of rebirth, and on New Year’s Day, parents wake children by tapping them on the head with the onion.
Another customary Greek tradition is consuming Vasilopita, or Saint Basil’s cake. This cake is baked with a silver or gold coin inside, coin in their slice is considered especially lucky in the coming year. Rosh New Year, is celebrated in many countries around the world. The holiday takes place in the fall, during the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. During the night the holiday begins, a festival candle blessing is recited as well as the Kiddush, blessing over wine. Those and other fruits dipped in honey, which symbolizes sweetness and bless
ings in the coming year. Throughout the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the shofar is sounded. This instrument is made of a ram’s horn, and is meant to symbolize humility standing before - anese New Year, is one of the most important holiNew Year’s celebrations, it symbolizes renewal, bidding farewell to problems of the previous year through a variety of customs and celebrations. In December, “year-forgetting parties” known as Bonekai take place. On December 31st, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times; each ring representing one of the 108 earthly temptations a person must overcome to achieve nirvana and expel wrong deeds and ill luck of the past year.
On New Year’s Day, common ways of celebrating the holiday work, wearing traditional kimonos, and consuming soba noodles, which signify longevity. Children receive otoshidama, which are small gifts with money inside. Another - tice is to send letters to friends and family, which are specially marked to be Scotland’s Hogmanay
celebration is one of the most rousing celebrations in the world. Hogmanay comprises street enterconcerts, street festivals, and more celebratory acts, but is also known for - ing.” According to the who crosses the threshold of a person’s home should bring a gift of luck. Traditionally, this gift was a - bread.
After the ban of the Christmas holiday in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries under the reign of Oliver Cromwell, Hogmanay became even more important, as it was an outlet for Scottish citi
away the darkness with light, warmth, and festivities. Even with all the celebrations of the New Year we can all agree, the new year brings happiness and wonderful new acquaintances. The Finley Community normally has a lunch each Friday at noon. Days that they are not open or only doing take outs will be posted on their Facebook page. Anyone wanting to add to the article needs to turn them in before Friday at emailed to me at: antlers278@gmail.com or a blessed week.